Drifting around bends effortlessly, weaving in between opponents during a race, and just barely overtaking a cop car before the next curve is a special brand of intensity that’s unmatched elsewhere. Yes, you need to brake around corners and feather the gas a little bit to catch the right drift on turns, but it requires far less precision than something like Project CARS or Gran Turismo. It also nails that delicate balance between looking incredibly gorgeous and realistic (even at blistering 200 MPH+ speeds) while also being easy to control with its arcade-style physics. That’s it – there are no upgrades to worry about or complex customization features.
As you complete challenges and increase your bounty, you slowly unlock new cars and new regions. There’s an overworld map with various locations that have you control either street racers or cops, acting as either the chased or the chaser, respectively, during any given event. Part of what keeps it so great is how it excels so well at the very specific thing it sets out to do: romanticize fantastical and over-the-top car chases.
