Overall feel / opinion of NFS Payback

I notice there are so many complaints about this game on this forum. I understand why after about 4 hours play time.

Maybe NFS has had its day and is now overshadowed by a number of other racing games that have taken the overall forumla to a much, much higher level.

NFS Payback seems more like a stripped down beta demo for "The Crew" than any NFS title. The "world" map is a fraction of what The Crew offers. There is no steering wheel support. You don't get to buy the parts you want, you just get the parts you get.  You are forced to race the same races over and over again just to win "the chance" of getting an upgrade you need.  Rediculous!

And I have yet to be engulfed in a riviting, action packed story line / racing game experience as the developers claimed I would be.  When in the game does this start to happen EA?

I am not sure what mark EA was setting in this new installment of NFS. It doesn't seem to have any identity anymore.  Maybe 21 (?) NFS games is enough?