Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Street-focused racer breaks rules, but idles on innovation.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Need for Speed Unbound
What's It About?
In NEED FOR SPEED UNBOUND, you play as an aspiring street racer who wants to raise their standing among the other drivers in Lakeshore City's illegal street racing scene. This not only requires you to win races, but also to sometimes escape the cops who are trying to stop you and your fellow street racers before you kill someone. Thankfully, the cops' interest in you wanes whenever you go to a safehouse, where you also bank whatever cash you've earned since your last deposit.
Is It Any Good?
Though it works well, this open world street racing game is also far from interesting or inventive. Like many of the other games in this long-running series, Need for Speed Unbound has you trying to make a name for yourself in the local illegal street racing scene. Which, in the story mode, not only means engaging in numerous races (including multi-lap events and point-to-point races) and the usual automotive activities (speed traps), but also running away from the cops when they try to arrest you. You can even hit the nitro for some added speed. The kicker being that, if you make it back to a safehouse, it not only causes the police to lose interest in you, but it also banks whatever cash you've earned since your last visit.
But while this has solid controls, twisty courses, and competition that actually gives you a run for your money, it's rather generic. It doesn't add anything major to either the genre or this series, and what it does add is unimpressive. Sure, it swaps the photo-realism of previous games for an animation approach, but these colorful additions are merely cosmetic. Similarly, while the story mode has missions where you have to drive someone without getting arrested, the mini map shows you where the cops are all time, which makes it way easy to avoid them. As for multiplayer, it has you driving around the city, looking for people to race against, which is far more annoying than just giving you a menu where you can pick a race. All of which is why Need for Speed Unbound still scratches the titular itch, but not in a way that's either satisfying or unique.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about driving safely. In Need For Speed Unbound, players engage in illegal street races, often in traffic, but why is this dangerous? Why is it unfair to other drivers, who didn't ask to be collateral damage when they're just going to work?
In Need For Speed Unbound, you not only engage in illegal street racing, but you also have to run away when the police try to arrest you, so why is this unrealistic? Do you think most players know that the police don't give up as quickly as they do in the game? Can they realize that they won't just lose the cash in their pocket?
Game Details
- Platforms : Xbox Series X/S , PlayStation 5 , Windows
- Pricing structure : Paid ($69.99)
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Electronic Arts
- Release date : December 2, 2022
- Genre : Racing
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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