Need For Speed Unbound’s cartoon driving effects can be turned on and off
If you’re not into that kind of thing
Not keen on the snazzy driving effects in recently announced racer Need For Speed Unbound? That’s okay, because devs Criterion Games have confirmed that you don’t have to play the game with great big puffs of colourful smoke dredging up from your car’s wheels, or cartoon wings popping out when you drive up a ramp and get some air. I’m into the effects myself, but it’s good to know you have the option to turn them off if you’re not.
“Yes, you can turn the effects off,” Need For Speed’s Twitter account said. “In fact, you can choose to never put them on in the first place. Just like any other part of a car.” The effects don’t seem to just turn your car into Roadrunner, as there are little emoji-style graffiti designs for each one that look a bit like bizarre halos for the vehicle. They seem to hover around the entire vehicle as you drive, bursting into different forms as you speed up and steer about. You can take a look at some of them in action below.
When Need For Speed Unbound was revealed last week, I compared the game’s new driving effects to the cool animation style from Into The Spiderverse. I’d stick by that now we’ve seen some more of them in action. Bog standard driving around dull looking cities isn’t really my thing – I’m more into the vistas of Forza Horizon, or arcade racers such as Outrun. I can’t remember the last time I played and enjoyed a Need For Speed game, but Unbound’s driving effects have got me, for lack of a better word, revved to see how this one turns out.
Need For Speed Unbound speeds onto Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the EA app for Windows on December 2nd. It’ll cost you £60/$70/€70. The game’s also coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles.