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Need for Speed Unbound's release is right around the corner, and fans of the thrilling arcade racer franchise are excited to get their hands on the game. The series has been on a long hiatus since 2019's Need for Speed Heat.
Despite the game's stellar reception, publisher EA didn't support the game long enough and eventually ended up shutting down the development studio, Ghost Games. The reigns of the iconic franchise were subsequently taken up by Criterion Games.
Although Criterion are familiar with the Need for Speed franchise, having made two games in the series, fans were skeptical. However, most of the doubts were dispensed once EA released the gameplay trailer for Need for Speed Unbound, which showcased a similar gameplay structure to NFS Heat, but with a unique "graffiti-like" visual flair.
With its release being just a few days away from launch, here are five details that players should know before pre-ordering Need for Speed Unbound.
From official system requirements to new handling model, five things players must know before pre-ordering Need for Speed Unbound
5) System requirements on PC
Need for Speed Unbound, much like its predecessor, NFS Heat, runs on the most recent iteration of EA's proprietary Frostbite engine. It was initially developed by DICE for their Battlefield games.
Over the past few years, however, EA has been pushing the engine for most of its games, including FIFA, Dragon Age, Star Wars: Battlefront and Need for Speed, starting with NFS Rivals back in 2013.
The Frostbite engine, despite delivering exceptionally great visuals, is quite light on system requirements. While Need for Speed Unbound's PC requirements aren't that low, they are within the margin of medium-low spec gaming setups. Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements for NFS Unbound:
Minimum requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Ryzen 5 2600, Core i5-8600
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: RX 570, GTX 1050 Ti
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Ryzen 5 3600, Core i7-8700
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: Radeon RX5700 (8GB), GeForce RTX 2070 (8GB)
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 50 GB available space
4) Exclusive to current-generation consoles
For a long time, players were expecting the new Need for Speed to be a cross-generational title, bridging the current-generation consoles: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the previous one: PS4 and Xbox One.
However, with the announcement of Need for Speed Unbound, publisher EA and developer Criterion Games clarified that they are developing it with current-generation consoles in mind.
Taking full advantage of the power possessed by current-gen console hardware, Criterion Games isn't holding back on pushing the envelope for NFS Unbound.
3) The unique graffiti-like visuals mixed with hyper-realistic graphics
Need for Speed Unbound sports a really unique graffiti-like aesthetic. The art style isn't limited to just vehicular after-effects, but is also expanded to the player's avatar in the game.
Much like NFS Heat, players can fully customize their character with unique clothing, accessories and victory poses. The Need for Speed games are renowned for letting drivers express themselves via their rides. In that regard, it's good to see that Criterion isn't limiting customization to just the automobiles, but also extending it to one's own playable character.
2) A brand new handling model courtesy of Codemasters and their Grid series
Need for Speed Unbound is going to feature a brand-new handling model for vehicles. The handling in NFS games has always been a topic of debate among players, with some preferring the arcadey feel of the classic releases and others opting for a more grounded model in the later iterations.
From Need for Speed (2015) up until NFS Heat, Ghost Games somewhat perfected the handling model, however, Criterion is once again changing the system with their new game. The NFS Unbound model is very much inspired by Codemasters' GRID Autosport games.
The feature in Need for Speed Unbound is a mix of arcade-like driving and controls from NFS Heat and more grounded handling models present in the GRID games. The "brake to drift" model is still present in NFS Unbound but to a lesser degree.
1) Available versions for pre-order and early access
Need for Speed Unbound is available to pre-order in two iterations, the standard $70 edition and a deluxe version called the Palace Edition. Here's a complete breakdown of everything players can get by pre-ordering either of these versions:
Standard Edition ($69.99)
- Base game
- Driving effect
- License plate
- Banner artwork and sticker
- $150,000 Bank (For multiplayer use only)
Palace Edition ($79.99)
- Base game
- 3 days early access
- 4 intense new custom cars
- New gassy driving effects
- Mashman decals & license plate
- Exclusive clothing pack
- Pose & banner artwork
Apart from these exclusive items, those who pre-purchase these editions will also receive the pre-order bonus, including the driving effects, exclusive license plates, and $150,000 Bank for the online mode.
Furthermore, buying the Palace Edition will allow you three-day early access to the game, on November 29, 2022. The official release is set for December 2, 2022, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.
