Introduction

Publisher: Electronic Arts
NFS: Porsche Unleashed official page: http://www.needforspeed.com/porsche/

Need For Smack

In searching for how many years the Need For Speed Series has been running, we found out that the first in the series is not listed on the EA site. They probably should have disavowed any knowledge of part two, if any. Pot shots aside, Spring 2000 will add another to the ranks of the proud NFS series. Subtitled Porsche Unleashed, this 5th edition brings back the point-to-point race, oddly enough a feature only found in the first one. The game will also track the history of Porsche and all its models from its first car to the 911 Turbo 2000. You must be thinking, only one type of car? So did I. But they do manage to have a boatload of Porsches (80) so there won't be any lack of choices. While not nearly as expansive in variety as the Gran Turismo series I don't think this game will disappoint on those terms.

You're horning in on his lane

There's a collision!

New Engines

The game will sport a new graphics and physics engine, taking very little in terms of programming from its predecessors. The better physics engine will help in differentiating the feel of the various cars, and even provide the jerk your head back effect. The developers claim to have simulated head movement caused by acceleration; hopefully it won't simulate whiplash. Damage and collision consequences will also be improved as a result of this. Like in NFS4, damage will reflect on the performance and looks of the car. I just hope that I can finally wrap the car around a pole and call it a day. Since the game is coming out on the PSX and PC, EA (eep that's a lot of acronyms) decided to produce two separate versions. So neither is a port; each was developed to utilize the hardware found on the respective systems. The PSX version will be somewhat smaller in terms of cars, and weaker in terms of graphics because of its limited processing power.