Need For Speed Official Trailer Is Here, Plus In-Depth Customisation Info And Story Mode

Here’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. During EA’s press conference at E3, it has shown off the first gameplay footage from the new Need For Speed, and not only that, revealed more information about the detailed customisation on offer.

The first thing to note is that it looks absolutely gorgeous. The cars are brilliantly modelled, the scenery is alive, and the reflections in the road are spot on. A few months back, I visited Ghost Games in Gothenburg, Sweden, to get a sneak peak at the game, and I can assure you it looks just as good when you’re actually playing.

Anyway, moving on from the obvious, let’s get on with the big news: customisation. EA has been working with Speedhunters, the car culture site it owns as a research project, to make sure that the modifications players can do in the game are not only realistic - bodykits and performance parts will come from real companies - but also that they’re the kind of modifications real petrolheads want to make.

The most important thing to take away from this is that yes, you can fit performance parts to your car as well as just giving it garish bodykits.

The other big news EA has revealed is in the story mode. There are five branches to the story called Speed, Style, Build, Crew and Outlaw; they’re described as such:

• Speed – Pedal to the metal, high speeds, maximum adrenaline rush. Keep your nerve and never lift off the gas, the fearless always push the limits.
• Style – Expression through driving, sliding the car into a corner sideways with ultimate precision. For some, style is all that matters.
• Build – Take your car to the extreme through visual and performance modification. The constant need to improve and personalize. Craftsmen build, searching for perfection.
• Crew – Ride together with your Crew and never hit the streets alone. Put your faith in others and the skill of close proximity chaos.
• Outlaw – Messing with and escaping from the cops. Push the limits and live life on the edge as you crave the thrill of the chase.

Basically, there are five storylines to play through, which reward you for completing different aspects of automotive culture. They’re all interconnected, so you can switch between stories constantly and don’t have to stick with one mode once you’ve picked it. One of the big things EA learned through Speedhunters is that the car community is all inclusive, so it wanted to build a game that catered to everyone. Whether you like to tune and modify, or just pose with your mates, there’s something for you.

The game will be available on 3 November in North America, Brazil, Russia, and Asia, and 5 November in Europe and the rest of the world. So now you have more information, do you think Need For Speed can live up the hype?