Need for Speed Unbound Vol.4 features some great content | Hands-on preview
I was fortunate enough to go hands-on with the latest update coming to Need for Speed Unbound, and it’s safe to say there’s plenty in Vol.4 to keep players engaging with others online. With the ‘Under the Hood’ content, a host of new challenges are going to test your driving skills in plenty of different ways through the Gauntlet Playlists and Boosted Events, and Porsche’s 75th birthday is celebrated when you head to the Kennedy Test Track. With the update comes some cool premium content, and we got to play around with some of it. If you’re excited for Vol.4, I doubt you’ll be disappointed by what’s on offer.
One of the best inclusions of the update is the Gauntlet Playlists, where you take part in three separate races with the police on your tail. They can be incredibly challenging, especially with more racers to play against, as the cops try and slow you down and damage your car until you’re unable to continue. If you do manage to avoid destruction, you’ll bag a nice bit of cash, and XP that builds up the new Speed Pass with a focus on street and hip hop culture. The further you progress through the playlist, the more aggressive the cops become, with unmarked cars coming in to fly at you with reckless abandon.
These were by far my favourite new addition to Need for Speed Unbound Vol.4, but I was also a big fan of the Porsche 75th Anniversary content. Not only do you get to race in some gorgeous Porsches, the Kennedy Test Track has been adorned with various flags and banners, along with a huge Porsche building that overlooks the area. The three races all show off Porsche in a variety of ways, but the third race was my favourite as it relied on tight controls and a high level of speed management as corners are tight and intense. The playlist pays homage to the famous brand while still offering up that familiar NFS chaos and excitement.
Success in Vol.4 means a ton of new items via the Speed Pass. Some of the new items are cool as hell, eliciting those 90s hip hop vibes. There’s a lot of neon and vibrancy across the clothing, decals, rims, and underglows, living up to the NFS brand. There’re also new poses to unlock that give your character more personalisation and bragging rights. While all of the new content within the Speed Pass are great, there are three new premium DLC packs that are well worth investing in. My favourite is the Hip Hop Swag Pack, mainly because I adore the music and culture.
Along with some cool gear like the Doberman mask (clearly inspired by Snoop Dogg), it’s the Legendary Custom Mercedes-AMG G 63 that stands out the most. Driving around online in the car synonymous with hip hop culture makes you feel like a boss, but it’s also a surprisingly weighty car to handle. That said, it looks cool, and that’s all that matters to me. The other two DLC packs, one features the Lotus Exige S, and the other includes three cars from NFS past, including the Nissan Skyline GT-R V·spec from Need for Speed Underground, the Nissan 350Z from Underground 2, and the Polestar 1 from Heat.
Need for Speed Unbound Vol.4 is a celebration of the streets, of hip hop culture, and Porsche. While it does focus on how the game looks and various swag and cosmetics, the Playlists are just as exciting. The Gauntlet Playlists are a standout, and the Porsche-inspired Playlist is also thoroughly enjoyable to get stuck into. When some of the playlists get ‘boosted,’ the increased challenge gives you more rewards, and the new linkup areas look set to add further content to get stuck into. EA and Criterion have made sure the new update is packed with some great races and gear.
Need for Speed Unbound Vol.4 is available on August 16th.
