Need for Speed Heat release date, gameplay, trailers & more
Ghost Games’ last entry in the Need for Speed franchise –Payback– had mixed reviews, but the company’s Creative Director says they have listened to gamers’ feedback and have incorporated more of what they want into the NFS: Heat including deeper customisation and a “more immersive narrative that pulls you into the game”.
When is Need for Speed Heat coming out?
The game launches officially on 8 November, but if those with EA Access or Origin Access Basic, got early access from 5 November. Those with Origin Access Premier benefited from full access to the game on PC at the earlier date.
If youpre-ordered the Standard Edition of Need for Speed Heat, you got the Mitsubishi Evolution X. This edition costs £54.99 / $59.99.
Those that opted for the Deluxe Edition (£59.99 / $69.99) received the same car plus:
…plus four exclusive outfits for their character, and 5% more Bank and Rep from each event.
And if you pre-ordered from in game in Need for Speed Payback, you got a 10 percent discount.
What platforms is Need for Speed Heat on?
It’s available on PC (via Origin), Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Here’s more onwhere to buy NFS Heatand how to pre-load it so it’s ready to play on release day.
What is the gameplay like?
Well, it’s called Heat because as you build your ‘Rep’ you end up with more ‘heat’ on you, which means you’re more likely to be chased and stopped by the cops.
This “street racer versus cop fantasy” is in keeping with most of the Need for Speed games, where you’re constantly watching out for and trying to avoid the police.
Heat is split into two distinct modes: day and night. During day you can compete in the Speedhunters Showdown, a legal competition where you can earn ‘Bank’ and use the money to customise your car or buy more cars. Cops stick to the law as well, and will fine you for speeding and use tactics to slow you down.
Things change at night since you take part in illegal street races to earn more Rep. Cops don’t play by the rules either. They will use any means to stop you and if you don’t make it to a hideout or your garage you’ll get busted, at which point they will nick your earnings up to that point.
In your garage you can tune and upgrade the performance of your cars as well as customise them visually. As you’d expect you can also customise your player character.
Here’s the official launch trailer:
The gameplay trailer here shows what you can expect.
And if you want to know which cars are in the game, here is the list (and they’re all customisable):
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor, Tech Advisor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
