Need for Speed Carbon: My take (post yours!)

[Silus]

On another somewhat unrelated note, I found Flatout 2, and it kicks major ass!

I couldn't agree more.

I remember we talked about Carbon, when the demo was released and I was still thinking that the final game would be better. You disagreed, saying that 95% of the times, what we see in the demo is the same we'll see in the final game and you were right. Carbon was truly a disapointing game, especially when compared to Most Wanted.

BTW have you tried Flatout 2? It's only $19.99 new everywhere I've seen it. It's worth every penny, and it's a blast over network.

No, not yet. My recent purchase was UT2004, as a bargain. I didn't have a computer powerful enough to play it, when it came out, so I'm going through my backlog now. I'll try flatout 2 later

 

[alan.p]

Okay, I've had a go around with Carbon now, and... I've got mixed feelings.

Firstly, the muscle cars. They embody everything that Top Gear dislikes about them -- I haven't seen one yet that can go around corners worth a good goddamn. My tires are set for grip, everything is set for grip, but I still wind up drifting the damn corners and using nitro to straighten myself out. I'm almost afraid to try drift tyres on my in-game Charger. (That thing rocks, warts and all.) They're a blast, but they're hell to try and win with.

Second, the "exotics". Exotic my ass, since when are cheap Volkswagens exotic? That's like saying that Ladas are exotic. Aston Martins and Lamborghinis, they're supercars, I don't know if I'd call them exotic. They aren't fish or birds or something. God.

Thirdly. "Tuners". We've got retro muscle, why can't we have RX2's and the like, maybe some 70's Skylines? Why call them 'tuners', come to that? Are the "exotics" and the musclecars left with completely stock engine tuning, trusting in the omniscience of the factory or something? One thing I wanted like holy fuck was a panda coloured tofu shop AE86 Trueno. I can't be Takumi of INitial D in real life, but I can try to be him in a computer game.

The other thing I don't like is how you have to grind through the game before it'll let you just fart around having fun in, say, a DB9 pretending to be 007 or something.

Yet another thing I don't like is how as far as I can tell LAN play has been pulled entirely. I'm on dialup, I can't afford to sit on the net all goddamn day just to play my little brother in a car racing game on our internal goddamn house network. Come to that, my 56k modem would probably shit itself and die before supporting the both of us.

The other is the difficulty and the cops. My God, the cops. It doesn't even try to be subtle -- cops magically appear on the radar out of nowhere, and literally appear out of nowhere in front of you. They magically know what corners you've gone around, even if they haven't seen you for about five corners. They magically are able to send cars ahead of you when you're randomly hooning around the streets and lay down spike strips. If the cops were this good in real life, there would be no traffic accidents and drink-driving would be a thing of the past.

As for difficulty... I'm pretty sure that the fervent dream of someone in EA management is to give the head of Porche a blowjob. Why else would the Porsche whatever-it-is be an unreal god of a car, capable of blowing off every other car in the game? And why else would it appear in just about every race where you have a lesser car in Tier 3?

Canyon races. Where do I start. Hmm.

"I'm a big bad underground street racing boss. Some n00b wants my throne. How do I sk00l his newb ass? Shall I go for a street drag and thrash his little Camaro with my big block blown Charger? Should I go real old school and do a circuit with tricky corners, in which my RX7 will thrash him senseless?

"No! I'm going to go for some lame tailgating shit far away from anyone I can humiliate said peon in front of!"

Having said all that, once you've worked your way to a decent place, it's fun to play Quick Races where you can turn computer cheating (Catch Up) off.

Still.

Someone needs to sit them down in front of all four seasons of Initial D, and try and strip out all the Fast and the Furious bullshit.

 

[Astrogiblet]

I would really like EA to go back to the NFS franchises roots and make a real racing game instead of a street racing themed game. I think it would be awesome.

 

[Dan_D]

I remember we talked about Carbon, when the demo was released and I was still thinking that the final game would be better. You disagreed, saying that 95% of the times, what we see in the demo is the same we'll see in the final game and you were right. Carbon was truly a disapointing game, especially when compared to Most Wanted.




No, not yet. My recent purchase was UT2004, as a bargain. I didn't have a computer powerful enough to play it, when it came out, so I'm going through my backlog now. I'll try flatout 2 later

UT2004 is a great game. I still play it regularly.

My girlfriend played NFSC and didn't like it. Even though she was a huge fan of NFSU and NFSU2, as well as NFSMW.

 

[Stereophile]

3

 

[dp0001]

ok so i would like to assassinate the person that created crews.
I'm driving around in my modified Porsche and a guy in a golf gives me aerodynamic drag - interesting

THEN - you finally found the perfect line slaloming between the corners when suddenly BAM your "crew" ends up in front of you smashing into you, slowing you down and telling you do drive better and not to slow down ! arrrggghhhhhh - get the @#$%^ out of the way and let me drive.

the only thing i was pleased with is that the wrx sti and evo are tier 3 cars with which you could finish the game with like in underground 2(which in my opinion is the best one yet.)
still haven't tried carbon online-

oh oh - no drag racing! yeah who drag races anyways

now i know why the called it carbon, they burned every single idea they had in the previous series and when you burn something carbon is usually released in the air- well its a little far fetched but you get the idea.

2

 

[Astrogiblet]

ok so i would like to assassinate the person that created crews.
I'm driving around in my modified Porsche and a guy in a golf gives me aerodynamic drag - interesting

THEN - you finally found the perfect line slaloming between the corners when suddenly BAM your "crew" ends up in front of you smashing into you, slowing you down and telling you do drive better and not to slow down ! arrrggghhhhhh - get the @#$%^ out of the way and let me drive.

the only thing i was pleased with is that the wrx sti and evo are tier 3 cars with which you could finish the game with like in underground 2(which in my opinion is the best one yet.)
still haven't tried carbon online-

oh oh - no drag racing! yeah who drag races anyways

now i know why the called it carbon, they burned every single idea they had in the previous series and when you burn something carbon is usually released in the air- well its a little far fetched but you get the idea.

2

I agree. Crew members were annoying, and I rarely ever used them. They drive like women in real life.. Brake when you ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO. Brake in the middle of a corner when theres nothing in front of them, so ANNOYING. ARGH!

 

[GMoney42392]

i got carbon on ps2 for cristmas, and i actually am having fun with it (for the 1-2 hours a day i get on the ps2 cuz my brother got ncaa 07 ) i agree that the whole crew idea is a little stupid to put it kindly, but i have never experienced the rubberband ai you guys mention. i routinely beat opponents by 5+ seconds and have yet to see my leads diminish immediately the way you guys say yours do. o and stop bitching about insignificant things like the car class names. that system doesn't matter at all, just get a car or two you like and have fun. i run a 69 charger rt and an eclipse and am kicking ass. one more thing: dont flame me for my score, which was 8 .

edit: i completely agree that underground 2 was the best nfsu yet

 

[Khaydarin]

I read that the city-system in Underground 2 was a bit of a pain. Did you guys think this?

BTW I got the demo for Most Wanted and Carbon and I really like the scenery in it. Carbon was a bit weird with the "tail gating" and "drag" events.

 

[MrWizard6600]

I would really like EA to go back to the NFS franchises roots and make a real racing game instead of a street racing themed game. I think it would be awesome.

yeah that sums it up in a nut shell. everyone loved the old games. Not so much with the new games.

I read that the city-system in Underground 2 was a bit of a pain. Did you guys think this?

BTW I got the demo for Most Wanted and Carbon and I really like the scenery in it. Carbon was a bit weird with the "tail gating" and "drag" events.

NFSU2 had a lame city layout, but it was alright. jumping on the freeway was always fun. be long gradual corners ment you could hit some pretty wickad speeds.

But Most Wanted City layout by far takes that cake.

 

[MrWizard6600]

double post. my bad.

 

[TheRapture]

Project Gotham Racing. Enuff said.

 

[Dan_D]

Project Gotham Racing. Enuff said.

That game is pretty, but it doesn't do it for me. Now, Flatout 2 on the other hand does.

 

[Astrogiblet]

That game is pretty, but it doesn't do it for me. Now, Flatout 2 on the other hand does.

Yea.. PGR would be cool if it wasnt xbox only.

Flatout 2 is a phenomenal game. Especially good for lans!

 

[walwalka]

well i only payed 33 bucks for it and i like it anyway

 

[skeeder]

Agreed about Flatout2,

I wrote this on another forum who asked my thoughts.

My thoughts: While Most wanted was a more speed based cop based game, they have really downed that down alot. Sadly this follows the Underground series, alot of customizing, etc, cops are there but not nearly enough bounty driven things to please me. (I mean whats the point of taking out 6 cops if you don't get credit?) I do like some of the changes.

First change is they made it so there are rival "crews" gangs whathaveyou trying to get into control of the town, your job is to take it over and keep whats yours. Second, Drifting is back, and its no longer fun, the original NFS Underground had this down SO much better its not even funny. its like your car is on ice as you drive.

Also, The idea of a crew is pretty cool, I get a wingman I can have in the race with me, I have 3 wingmen, (but only one active at once) its pretty cool, but not the greatest feature.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Don't buy it, its short, I'm already 25% done and I've spent 4 hours into it. I would like to see EA take everything they've EVER done and put it together, a high bounty interaction with the police (where it gets personal like Cross) for long chases for reasons besides dodging them. The customization of cars you GOT DOWN to the point its sick, sure you could spend 40minutes customizing a car...but who cares? (this is not performance either!) Also, when I saw the option for DAMAGE ON I thought SWEET LETS WREAK THIS RIDE! I was disappointed, apparently the creators have never been in a car accident or seen those horrific videos they show at driving school. You hit a bus, more happens than your paint getting scratched and your window breaking, (cracking rather...it never really breaks,...) I want the old HIGH STAKES version where you could pretty much fuck up a car.

The GREATEST Feature in Carbon that NFSU and MW did not have IS A FUCKING REARVIEW MIRROR. Yes...thats it. A rearview mirror, They only had one if you viewed from the front bumper or inside the car. They haven't redone the insides of the car like the old NFS's, but at least I have my mirror.

Graphics: SPOT ON! very pretty, a tad flashy, but your trying to show the nightlife...okay. But one thing you got wrong, motion blur, I really...understand the concept, I do. HOWEVER bluring screens don't help for shit! Most people who have ever been in a car at 100+MPH knows THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! Maybe to the drunk that came up with this idea. but if you can't see the road...honestly. I also HATE THAT EA has there head in their ASS and hasn't bothered with Widescreen.
I give EA: 5/10 (yes, it bugs me that much)

Sound: now now now. I was impressed, was until I had to restart the game twice for no sound at all, maybe 96k/24bit is too much for this game to handle...which doesn't make sense considering the underground series was THX certified. EA you get: 7/10

Gameplay: well, its racing honestly...how can you judge this. Well, I'd say its a fun fast paced game. Will I replay this one like I replayed the Most wanted one three times? Ha...no. This game really doesn't have much replayability. 7/10

Conclusion: I think 3/10 is a perfectly legit score for my time with this game. I find some of the new features cool, but overall too hyped and not worth the time to actually use them. Keep your money wait for different game to please you, unless you obtained it in another fassion in which case it just may be worth it. (worth it to me, but not a single penny)

 

[Dan_D]

Yea.. PGR would be cool if it wasnt xbox only.

Flatout 2 is a phenomenal game. Especially good for lans!

I've got an XBox 360 as well, and it's perfect for racing games, but I am not interested in PGR3.

 

[2Fresh]

I mainly hate the whole "Down Town" theme...sucks ass. I also hate that nothing is new...it is the same shit over and over..just a bit harder. What fucked me up is that I thought it did an auto save...SO, I Pl;ay for like 6hrs straight (had the day off and wife and kids were gone) I got to like 75% or so, just going for the Lamborghini. I thought that the game did an auto save, it has those times where it says don't turn off, so I figured it was saving. Nooooooo. I lost my entire fucking career when I flicked the 360 off for some reason. I am now done with the game. I wont play it again. I got far enough that it is the same shit in a faster car. No way I will do that all over again.

 

[jeeper07]

well i play the game.. its fun to play when i dont have any other games yet. i was just wondering if any of you guys had tried playing carbon online? i cant seem to get it to work. thanks