Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
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 A Need For Speed featuring Porsches. Simple.
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Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed released as Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 in Europe, is a racing video game released in 2000. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from 1950 to 2000. The game is noted for its extensive information regarding Porsche and its cars. Unlike the previous four Need for Speed games, Porsche Unleashed was not released in Japan.
Why It Rocks
- Probably the most original game in the whole franchise, the game that introduces the history of cars from a well-known company.
- This game is basically a love letter to Porsche, featuring virtually all Porsches ranging from 1950 to 2000. It has some truly wonderful Porsche tribute montages that are much more beautiful than actual Porsche commercials.
- You will get the full Porsche experience in this game. You can both experience the development progress of Porsche in Evolution mode, and climb through the ranks as a Porsche test driver in Factory Driver mode.
- In Evolution mode, the used cars' price tags goes exactly like how they are in real life. For example, entry models like 914 and 944 become unbelievably cheap as game progresses, while real-life classics such as 911 Carrera RS 2.7's price increases MORE THAN TENFOLD in 2000.
- Therefore, buying multiple new Carrera RS 2.7s and selling them later in the game is an extremely beneficial investment.
- In Evolution mode, the used cars' price tags goes exactly like how they are in real life. For example, entry models like 914 and 944 become unbelievably cheap as game progresses, while real-life classics such as 911 Carrera RS 2.7's price increases MORE THAN TENFOLD in 2000.
- Fabulous car interiors in the PC version.
- This is the last non-Sim NFS game with a cockpit view (not counting the one-off event in Hot Pursuit 2). After this entry, for unknown reasons, the feature vanished.
- Nice graphics for both PC and PlayStation versions. Especially the PC version which is revolutionary in 2000.
- Probably the most sophisticated performance customizing system (PC version) in the series next to Underground 2. Virtually every mechanical detail like manifolds, carburetors, and fuel injectors are separately customizable. Visual customization, however, is limited to factory stock only.
- Very beautiful tracks based on real-world European places of interest such as Monte Carlo and Corsica (PC version). The PS1 version has USA and Japan maps as well, and map layouts & music even changes with eras in Evolution mode.
- The PS1 version also has some really fun game modes like Capture the Flag and Cop Chase.
- However in PC version, cops were decreased to nothing but annoying moving obstacles.
- The PlayStation version unintentionally features THE VERY FIRST open world free roam & cop chase of the whole franchise, despite being a reskin.
- You can test drive your car on a selected open map in Evolution mode, and cops will chase you relentlessly if you are caught speeding until you abort or get caught (in Germany the cops also drive Porsches). You will have to pay for the damage done to the car, and the fines if the police catch up (which increases each time). It may be crude, but hey, it's a first.
- This game has the most realistic non-Sim handling model in the whole franchise (PC version), but it also takes some time to get used to.
- Amazing soundtrack. The PlayStation version features a different soundtrack but it's just as good.
- Tons of car mods that you can download vehicles from past to present. It can range from Porsche vehicles to non-Porsches.
- Extremely easy money farming system on both versions.
- On the PC version, you can buy used cars, fix it, and sell it. There will always be profit.
- On PlayStation version, you can redo events on professional tracks, which are short, easy, and provides loads of cash.
Bad Qualities
- Some Factory Driver missions are very hard (even worsened on PlayStation). Customer Demo is considered as one of the hardest.
- Playing on the PSXfin v1.13 emulator leads to the game crashing constantly in the middle of races making the game almost unplayable, so you're forced to use save states for the game almost every second in order to progress. Also, playing this game in a PlayStation 3 via backwards compatibility it will hard crash the console for a while, just like any PS1 game in PS3 requiring the console to be disconnected and connected again. It is strongly recommended to play this game with powerful PSX emulators such as ePSXe, Beetle PSX or Duckstation.
- Related to this, in the PAL release of the game has a copy protection that if you're playing in any emulator or playing in modern consoles via backwards compatibility like the PlayStation 3, after some meters away from the starting line, there are major bugs that prevent you for playing in those versions.
- In Evolution Mode, if you pick "Qualify", you and the opponents are conjoined and thrown away. As a result, the race abruptly ends, but you're thrown to the Evolution main menu screen with the event incomplete.
- In Factory Driver, the game restarts abruptly after some meters away from the starting line.
- Related to this, in the PAL release of the game has a copy protection that if you're playing in any emulator or playing in modern consoles via backwards compatibility like the PlayStation 3, after some meters away from the starting line, there are major bugs that prevent you for playing in those versions.
- The PlayStation version, despite being innovative with the open world free roam, is extremely unpolished and it's actually, a reskin of V-Rally 2.
- Some races are unbeatable without certain cars, especially with buffed-into-oblivion AI drivers in weekend races.
- While the changing environment is wonderful, it can't be selected freely. Makes sense in some ways though.
- Sound design is super lazy and generic.
- Disgusting reset design. Often you will respawn directly facing a dead wall/barrier.
- Hit detection is awful. If you crash into a wall at a high speed, your car will either get stuck or get through the wall, or just wreck completely. It's totally random. This is worse when you crash into a thin object, like a tree or a lamppost.
- The GBA version is very crude and literally hurts your eyes to play.
Reception
In the United States, Porsche Unleashed's computer version sold 340,000 copies and earned $6.3 million by August 2006, after its release in March 2000. It was the country's 52nd best-selling computer game between January 2000 and August 2006. Combined sales of all Need for Speed computer games released between January 2000 and August 2006 had reached 2.5 million units in the United States by the latter date.
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed received mixed to positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 84.36% the PlayStation version 74.50% and 78/100 and the Game Boy Advance version 59.25% and 62/100. In the UK, Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the PS version eight out of ten and liked its structure, but said that many of the 70 cars were indistinguishable, and criticised the lifespan. They described the handling as "arcadey", and warned people who didn't like Porsches to "steer well clear".
PC Gamer US named Porsche Unleashed the best racing game of 2000.