Need for Speed Payback
{{short description|2017 racing video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Need for Speed Payback
| image = Need_for_Speed_Payback_standard_edition_cover_art.jpg
| caption = Cover art featuring a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V·Spec, BMW M5 and Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe 265 V8 escaping from the police
| developer = Ghost Games{{efn|Additional work done by Lucid Games}}
| publisher = Electronic Arts
| director = William Ho
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Jeremy Chubb
- Patrick Honnoraty
- Johan Peitz
- John Wikberg
}}
| designer = Riley Cooper
| programmer = Jonathan Janesjö
| artist = Abdul Khaliq
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Daniel Roy
- Zack Betka
- Ben Blumenthal
- Mikael Hedberg
}}
| composer = Joseph Trapanese
| series = Need for Speed
| engine = Frostbite 3
| platforms = PlayStation 4
Windows
Xbox One
| released = November 10, 2017
| genre = Racing
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
Need for Speed Payback is a 2017 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on November 10, 2017.{{Cite web |last=McCormick |first=Rich |date=2017-06-02 |title=EA's new Need for Speed: Payback looks very fast and fairly furious |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/2/15728208/need-for-speed-payback-ea-release-date-xbox-ps4-pc |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=The Verge |language=en}} It is the twenty-third installment in the Need for Speed series.
Upon release, Payback received mixed reviews from critics, who welcomed the return of offline gameplay modes, but criticized the game's loot box mechanics and use of microtransactions.
Payback was succeeded by Need for Speed Heat in 2019.
Gameplay
Need for Speed Payback is a racing game set in an open world environment of Fortune Valley; a fictional version of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is focused on "action driving" and has three playable characters (each with different sets of skills) working together to pull off action movie-like sequences. In contrast with the previous game, it also features a 24-hour day-night cycle.{{cite news|last1=Reilly|first1=Luke|title=Need For Speed Payback Looks Faster, More Furious|url=http://ign.com/articles/2017/06/02/need-for-speed-payback-looks-faster-more-furious|access-date=June 5, 2017|work=IGN|date=June 2, 2017|archive-date=July 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722213617/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/02/need-for-speed-payback-looks-faster-more-furious|url-status=live}} Unlike the 2015 Need for Speed reboot, Payback includes an offline single-player mode.{{cite news|last1=Yin-Poole|first1=Wesley|title=The New Need for Speed Lets You Play Single-Player Offline|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-05-10-the-new-need-for-speed-lets-you-play-offline|access-date=June 5, 2017|work=Eurogamer|date=May 10, 2017|archive-date=July 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723064025/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-05-10-the-new-need-for-speed-lets-you-play-offline|url-status=live}}
Payback features a total of 74 vehicles with downloadable contents. Toyota, Scion and Ferrari are not involved in the game due to licensing issues. However, the Subaru BRZ appears in the game.{{cite web|title=Toyota's absence from the game was confirmed on Reddit|url=https://ar12gaming.com/articles/no-toyota-nfs-payback|access-date=2018-04-22|archive-date=2018-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202644/https://ar12gaming.com/articles/no-toyota-nfs-payback|url-status=live}} Aston Martin, Audi, Buick, Jaguar, Koenigsegg, Land Rover, Mercury, Pagani, and Plymouth make their return after their absence from the 2015 installment, while Alfa Romeo, Infiniti, Mini and Pontiac were added via downloadable content.
Plot
Tyler "Ty" Morgan (Jack Derges), Sean "Mac" McAlister (David Ajala), Jessica "Jess" Miller (Jessica Madsen) and mechanic Ravindra "Rav" Chaudhry (Ramon Tikaram) are part of a crew in Silver Rock, Fortune Valley. Fixer Lina Navarro (Dominique Tipper) tasks them with stealing a precious Koenigsegg Regera belonging to Marcus "The Gambler" Weir. However, as Tyler arrives at the drop point, he finds Rav knocked out. Lina appears, revealing that she set up Tyler and his crew to take the fall for the stolen car and she drives away, leaving them at the mercy of the oncoming police force. Upon learning that Lina betrayed both of them, Weir initially considers leaving Tyler to be arrested, but instead protects Tyler, planning their revenge.
Six months later, working as a valet for Weir, Tyler spots Lina threatening Weir to hand over the casino to The House, a cartel who controls Fortune Valley's underworld. Frustrated at the lack of progress, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Contacting The House as a racer, he enters a race and wins it, despite Lina having rigged the race for profit. Weir proposes Tyler a way to take down The House and Lina along with it. Tyler is to enter and win "The Outlaw's Rush", a massive street racing event that has the nation's top racers participating, which The House plans to rig for their own ends. Following the destruction of his home caused by Lina for ignoring her order during the fixed race, Tyler reassembles his old crew and they successfully defeat all rivaling racing leagues and are thus allowed to enter "The Outlaw's Rush". Simultaneously, Jess infiltrates the House and learns of their plans to take over the entire city.
At "The Outlaw's Rush", Tyler manages to win both the street and the offroad event with the help of all the race crews they allied with during the game, and in the end, defeats Navarro herself. Thus, Navarro and "The Collector" are defeated and the House's hold over Silver Rock is broken.
In a post-credits scene, Mr. Kobashi, a customer whom Jess had driven, calls Weir and tells him his gamble worked, and that "The Collector" is finished. He welcomes Weir to Arkwright, the true power behind the House.
Development
In January 2016, Ghost Games began development on the next Need for Speed game to be released in 2017.{{Cite web|title=New Need For Speed Officially Announced With First Trailer And Screens|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-need-for-speed-officially-announced-with-first/1100-6450513/|access-date=2021-02-10|website=GameSpot|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210082649/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-need-for-speed-officially-announced-with-first/1100-6450513/|url-status=live}} Electronic Arts later confirmed in their January 2017 earnings call that the next game in the franchise was in development and set to be launched during EA's fiscal year 2018 (comprising from April 2017 to March 2018).{{Citation|title=EA Confirms New Need for Speed Will Be Out in Next Fiscal Year - IGN|date=February 2017|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/01/ea-confirms-new-need-for-speed-will-be-out-in-next-fiscal-year|language=en|access-date=2021-02-10|archive-date=2021-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214135148/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/01/ea-confirms-new-need-for-speed-will-be-out-in-next-fiscal-year|url-status=live}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = (PC) 62/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/need-for-speed-payback/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Need for Speed Payback for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112231155/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/need-for-speed-payback |url-status=live }}
(PS4) 61/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/need-for-speed-payback/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Need for Speed Payback for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111200657/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/need-for-speed-payback |url-status=live }}
(XONE) 61/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/need-for-speed-payback/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Need for Speed Payback for Xbox One Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930043155/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/need-for-speed-payback |url-status=live }}
| EGM = 2/10{{cite magazine |last=Carsillo |first=Ray |date=November 7, 2017 |url=http://www.egmnow.com/articles/reviews/need-for-speed-payback-review |title=Need for Speed Payback review |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=EGM Media, LLC |access-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710193019/http://www.egmnow.com/articles/reviews/need-for-speed-payback-review/ |url-status=live }}
| GSpot = 5/10{{cite web |last=Wakeling |first=Richard |date=November 6, 2017 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-payback-review/1900-6416803/ |title=Need for Speed Payback Review |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109003131/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-payback-review/1900-6416803/ |url-status=live }}
| GRadar = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Loveridge |first=Sam |date=November 7, 2017 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/need-for-speed-payback-review/ |title=Need for Speed Payback review: "Silly, over the top and a little bit self-indulgent, but in a fantastic action movie way." |website=GamesRadar |publisher=Future plc |access-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122205807/https://www.gamesradar.com/need-for-speed-payback-review/ |url-status=live }}
| IGN = 5.9/10{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Luke |date=November 6, 2017 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/07/need-for-speed-payback-review |title=Need for Speed Payback Review |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109035610/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/07/need-for-speed-payback-review |url-status=live }}
| Poly = 6.5/10{{cite web |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=November 11, 2017 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/11/11/16636968/need-for-speed-payback-review |title=Need for Speed Payback review |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |access-date=November 11, 2017 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025755/https://www.polygon.com/2017/11/11/16636968/need-for-speed-payback-review |url-status=live }}
}}
Need for Speed Payback received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Luke Reilly of IGN praised Electronic Arts for repairing the problems of the game's predecessor, Need for Speed, but criticized its "scripted" story, lack of police chases during free roam, scripted police chases, loot box-like mechanisms during customization, poor car handling, unrealistic car damage and several other issues. PC World criticized the game for being full of microtransactions, the severely limited customizability of cars, gameplay mechanics, a lack of cockpit view and several more issues, and compared it harshly to the Forza Horizon series.{{cite web |last=Dingman |first=Hayden |date=November 10, 2017 |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3236057/gaming/need-for-speed-payback-review.html |title=Need for Speed: Payback review: Pouring loot boxes on a tire fire |website=PC World |publisher=International Data Group |access-date=December 3, 2017 |archive-date=November 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113170248/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3236057/gaming/need-for-speed-payback-review.html |url-status=live }} GameRant ranked the game last in a ranking of every Need For Speed game.{{Cite web |last=Sawyer |first=Logan |last2=Khayyat |first2=Mehrdad |date=2019-10-17 |title=25 Need For Speed Games Ranked From Worst To Best |url=https://gamerant.com/best-need-for-speed-games/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}
According to The NPD Group, Payback was the eighth best-selling title in the United States in November 2017.{{cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=December 14, 2017 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/top-20-best-selling-games-in-the-us-for-november-2/1100-6455669/ |title=Top 20 Best-Selling Games In The US For November 2017 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=January 26, 2018 |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127084528/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/top-20-best-selling-games-in-the-us-for-november-2/1100-6455669/ |url-status=live }}
Soundtrack
The score for Need for Speed Payback was originally composed by the American composer Joseph Trapanese, and includes 11 tracks. The game additionally features a soundtrack with 47 tracks from varying artists, with genres ranging from alternative rock to hip hop and rap.
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.ea.com/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-payback}}
- {{moby game|/need-for-speed-payback}}
{{Need for Speed}}
Category:Electronic Arts games
Category:Frostbite (game engine) games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Open-world video games
Category:Organized crime video games
Category:Racing video games set in the United States
Category:Video games developed in Sweden