Amazing tuner racer game!!!! (Need For Speed Carbon (PS2))

Member Name: nitrocide

Product:	Need For Speed Carbon (PS2)
Date:	06/03/08 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good graphics and amazing customizing options

Disadvantages: cop changes could get unrealistic and hard

Need for speed carbon is completely different then it's pre-ancestors but also very similar, how can this be, many races are the same so is the amount of customization available but many races have been made differently and many has been added. In carbon EA has added the famous cop chases again which is fun but at the same time a real pain.
Like Underground 2 the city is open for you to explore but this time you no longer have to drive to your destination you get the option. In carbon the city is divided in 4 zones with many different sectors which are yours for the taking. Every sector you take over a cool performance or visual upgrade is unlocked.

Like the other need for speed series you start of with a bad car. In carbon you get the choose between ea, Alfa Romeo Brera for exotic, a Mazda RX8 for tuner and a Camero SS for muscle. Each type of car has its advantage and disadvantage. So have exotics the best top speed, medium handling and poor acceleration. Tuners have great handling, medium acceleration and a poor top speed. Muscles have the best acceleration, medium top speed but a very poor handling. In carbon the races aren't very interesting in the beginning but as soon as you reach a boss this will completely change. Only thing I don't completely agree on is the unrealistic speeds that you can reach. 520 km per hour with a drafter in front of you come on. When you play carbon you won't be alone, you can hire teammates which will make life a bit easier. You can choose between drafters, blockers and scouts. If one of your teammates wins you have won the race. So make good choise.

* Drafters can be activated whenever you want and they will start driving in front of you so you can reach a higher speed.
* Blockers can be activated whenever you want and they will block other racers from going past you.
* Scouts are activated at all times and they will look for hidden shortcuts which is very useful at times.

In carbon there 10 different race types which include: sprint, circuit, drift, checkpoint, race wars, canyon duel, canyon sprint, canyon drift, canyon checkpoint, and speedtrap.

* Sprint races are races that go from point A to B, be the fastest and you'll win.
* Circuit races are races around a closed circuit again if you're the fastest you'll win.
* Drift races are races where you have to try to skid under control, you hit a side you'll get the points earned but you'll not get the bonus. Unlike Underground 2 you do have to finish these races.
* Checkpoint races are races from point A to B but you'll time gets added up every time you pass a checkpoint.
* Canyon Dual are races on difficult tracks. You'll have to go down the mountain twice. First time try to stay as possible behind your competitor and second time try to get rid of him. These are the races that could cause most trouble.
* Canyon sprint is the same as the sprint races only in a canyon. There much easier then the canyon dual.
* Canyon drift is the same as the drift races only in a canyon. There much harder the ordinary drift.
* Canyon checkpoint is the same as the checkpoint races only in a canyon.
* Speed trap are races where you have to get PHOTOGRAPHED at the fastest possible speed. They could be tricky but fun to do.
* Race Wars sorry guys but I just lost what this race type involves.

Graphics...

The graphics of the game are very good. EA has tried to improve on the crash detail which has improved but it is nowhere near burnout. Car detail and surrounding got their share of attention as they are still as impressive as always. I did have to get used to the air stream lines above your car when you play on an outside view.
Sound...

Again the sound quality is very good, all cars have a different engine sound which gives it a little extra and stop the cars from getting to monotone. EA has tried to improve the differences of songs. In underground the songs completely different and now they are more or less on the same line. Crashes have realistic sounds to them and so have the cop changes.

Controls...

The controls are easy to get used to ones you have played one of the other games and EA hasn't really tried to change them which is good. The car response is fine and it will get impossible for you to steer ones you have driven over a spike strip.


The rating I will give for this game is a solid 8. The story mode is interesting and easy to understand if you haven't played most wanted (carbon continues on the story most wanted stopped). Like underground 2 don't play the game too often, as it could get monotone. The difficulty of the game is easy to medium hard and it will probably take you about 15 to 30 minutes to get used to the controls.

Nitrocides Top Tips: before you go to the final boss race in the red zone, buy yourself a Porsche Carrera GT. Buy all top performance parts and when you get to choose what you want for that part put it to the left side. Don't bother buying new cars up to this point but just tune your old one. Try to do the Blue zone first as when you have beaten the boss you can choose between two cars, try to get his car which is either the first or the last card of the surprise cards (not the ones which say free visual or performance upgrade). He drives a Auston Martin which will last for a very long time.

Thanks for reading this report -nitrocide-

Summary: good game that every tuner and racer fan should have