My Opinion of NFS Payback so far.

Hi guys, My name is Adam and I have never made a post on EA, until now.
I have played many Need for Speed games and I hope to continue doing so. However I must convey my opinions about Need for Speed Payback (Mostly bad)
This will not include any fixes or bugs as it is inevitable to have bugs and fixes in any and mostly every game.

First of all I would like to say Thank you for all the Need for Speed games that have been released over the years, they are memories I have loved and cherished greatly.


Base Game

There wasn't a lot wrong with the base game, however the biggest red flag I saw straight away:

299 Performance Level Cap
This boggled my mind almost right away when I first started playing this game, I have never seen such a dumb decision quite like this. You've taken away the potential of so many cars and limited their performance based off of what exactly...  there wasn't a problem with that in Need for Speed 2015 when every car has a max potential performance and it makes it enjoyable, more cars to modify, more cars to drive around with friends without being disregarded as being in a "slow car" and being able to show off to friends. Many cars like Nissan Skylines, Ford Mustang Boss 302, BMW M3 E46 & E92, Cars with unlimited potential of modifications and yet they've had their potential stripped from them for little to lack of reason, Nissan Silvia, Subaru Impreza, Honda S2k  & NSX Type-R, Dodge Charger. I mean, what the hell was the idea of this? Those are the many cars that many of us fans of Need for Speed can relate to from previous games, and now they've been held back.
On top of this, there isn't any reason to race with a 299 Performance Level capped car online, at all, as there isn't any races that are restricted for 299 Performance Level cars only. 😞

Handling Physics

This is a touchy subject for all you drift fans, but not everyone wants to drift every corner.
I have come to the conclusion with myself that it's getting very old that even race cars are sliding to get around corners to be the fastest route around corners, it just doesn't make sense that cars with real brands are treated like cartoon racing. I think there needs to be a level of respect held for the racing spec and runner spec vehicles in the game but keep the sliding to the drift and off-road vehicles. 🤔

Drag Racing

The average drag racing fan can tell you, drag cars are not made to turn! 😞

Unlocking Vehicles

This wasn't so much an issue but more opinionated. I completely understand why there are locked vehicles, it's a sense of progress in the story mode, and unlocking vehicles that are faster and more famous than the last is a great way to edge on the average player to keep going, But it comes down to the same theory with 299 cars, it doesn't let us enjoy the story mode with the satisfaction of playing the game with our favorite car, we have to wait for certain cars to be unlocked, so for any high end car fans out there, you had to grind the entire story mode out, and then also have the money for the car before you got your favorite car. Where as some were upset to find that their favorite car was only a 299 and wouldn't enjoy the story mode to the end as they would if they were driving their favorite car. 🤨

Random Police Encounters

This was another issue that seemed to make the game less heart racing and satisfying, many would argue that it's plain annoying but it's not like you can switch that kind of attention off in a real-world situation, and as this is an underground racing game, it should still hold that factor into account. Not to mention, there is no car impounding or no fines for getting busted, which leads me to believe that cops aren't feared or exhilarating to escape from like they used to be. 🤔

Crew Racing

So crew racing was quite a good change for the series but it didn't hold that accomplished-feeling factor when you beat a crew throughout Fortune Valley. It didn't have the one on one battles that put you on the edge of your seat like Carbon's Territory/Canyon Battles or Most Wanted Blacklist  (even though those games were purely underground street racing) you don't feel like you are being pushed to the limit like those games did. 🤔

Downloaded Content

So this is where my biggest concern lies in the Need for Speed series. As the content so far has been rather lacking and unfulfilled from a paying customer's perspective.

Supercross DLC

Oh, boy. Where to start.

I don't really think this DLC made much of a hit like many would have felt to begin with, it was riddled with so many troubling aspects that the moment I started the first race it just felt.. unsuccessful. I noticed how cluttered some of the race tracks were, the handling physics didn't work well with the tight, congested, little room to work with and it just didn't allow the cars to slide with the utmost freedom either to get around those long bends with ease. I have seen plenty of Supercross racing and I can say that the drivers make it look easy, but this game just doesn't have the physics to make it feel like I can do it too. And that was the dying issue with the Supercross DLC.
Other small issues with the DLC is that the cars that came with the DLC were only 299 Performance Level capped as well. While it makes perfect sense for Supercross racing, it doesn't give me any reason to use it for anything but Supercross. Another dying issue. 😬

Abandoned Cars

So this was the one aspect of the Update that came with the Speedcross DLC I actually LOVED! They had some creativity in giving us the vehicles that were missing at game launch, and the way that the cars were presented to us was another factor as to why I loved it. I don't just want to be given something. Good things come to those who are patient. And I sure felt like it was Christmas! 😃

Online Free Roam: All-drive

It took a few months but again, all good things come to those who wait. Boy it sure was worth the wait.
There are still many things we could desire from this mode in multiplayer but I for one and as a streamer, I'm happy to know that All-drive has been implemented and working well. I can finally have fun with my friends and enjoy racing side by side through the desert, the forest, and the city at 200 mph. 😃

Castrol Edge Titanium Trials

So this is the reason why I have made this post today, the biggest reason of them all is this joke of a DLC.

To get started with, if this is supposed to be a time trial event, then why the hell are there two tracks with horrid jumps and even more horrid off-roading.

I thought this was Need for Speed, the pinnacle of Underground Street Racing. Not the WRC. Most Time Trials for road vehicles are on flat but elevated tracks, which gives drivers no reason to complain about track conditions. But as soon as jumps and trees in the middle of the track are involved it's not a time trial anymore it's a mess. A Rally mess. 😮

Eddie's Skyline

Why wasn't this just a normal skyline with 399? Again, my mind has been boggled. 🤔

DB5 & Firebird

So, another good idea but it has a small issue to it. I don't really understand why these cars have super builds. I can't complain with obtaining them but I can't see the reason for it, I think the Abandoned Cars deserve the super builds despite not being a DLC vehicle, but I wouldn't mind paying a few $$ to get a super build for my M3 Evo II. HAPPILY. 🙂

Disclaimer: All subjects posted above are that of opinions based on my 170 hours of game play on Need for Speed Payback. I do not hold any of these ideas as the definite fix or best way to make Need for Speed great again, but it's also your opinion to agree or disagree with me, so I would love and I hope to see other peoples views  on this, I only wish that this post is for serious and respectful members who wish to see these or similar improvements implemented in the future of Need for Speed Payback or other Future Need for Speed Titles. 

Note: I also do not cling onto the old games as some may, claiming the new games are bad by any means, my post is purely to put both old and new concepts alike and bring everyone together to  a game where everyone can be satisfied. While this is an undertaking of massive proportions, it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility.

Hopefully this post brings more enlightenment to the average and Die hard fans of Need for Speed.

Adam 😃