An icon of the early-mid 2000s gaming, the Need For Speed title is a legendary franchise but one that is in need of a facelift. The latest instalment is hitting shelves on 8 November and it is already turning heads and creating hype.
Given the moniker "Heat", this edition hopes to pour fuel on the fire of an amazing year for racers everywhere. With the return of GRID, the street racing war is back on in 2019.
NOW WATCH BELOW: The Need for Speed Heat trailer!
The series grew to legendary status on the PS2 thanks to Underground 2 and Most Wanted, but it has fallen away in recent years, with disappointing releases and poor critical reception.
Can the latest title restore some pride to the Godfather of racers? What do we know about Need For Speed Heat so far?
Release Date & Price
Need For Speed Heat will hit on 8 November on PS4, Xbox One, & PC via Origin.
Early access will be available from 5 November to those ordering the Deluxe Edition on Origin Access Premier. There will also be the ten-hour trial for EA Access members.
The standard edition will cost £54.99 on PS4 & Xbox One, with the deluxe edition checking in at £69.99.
On Origin the standard edition is still £54.99 but the deluxe edition comes down to £59.99.
READ MORE: WRC 8 - A better career mode than F1 2019?
Trailer
The Need For Speed Heat trailer delivers everything you could want from it. Fast cars, blazing sirens from the chasing police, and more than a few crashes.
It also flexes some customisation muscles with the ability to add body work and spoilers to your cars while teasing out day time missions and the classic illegal night races that Need For Speed has built its reputation on. This looks like the complete package, and a full gameplay trailer will drop at Gamescom next week.
Launch Trailer
With just two weeks until the game is released a final launch trailer has been dropped.
While it doesn't tell us much new about the story or characters involved this year, it does give us a brief look at the antagonist for this title, a police officer who promises that "street racing has no place on public roads" and that there is no escape, it's up to you to prove him wrong. Meanwhile, the trailer heaps emphasis on Need For Speed's near-endless customisation options. Something that every fan is sure to play with and create beauty, and horror, on four wheels.
Pre-Order bonuses
If you want a few extras for your money you can pre-order the game on both consoles and PC to unlock a few extras.
If you pre-order the standard edition you get the K.S. Edition Mitsubishi Evolution X as a starter car.
Pre-orders for the Deluxe Edition open up your garage though. You get four K.S. Edition cars, that's the Evo X plus three more that can be unlocked in stages through the game, including the BMW i8 Coupe, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe, and Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport.
You also get four exclusive character outfits and Rep/Bank boosts.
READ MORE: GRID ups the ante on AI rivalries with Nemesis Mode
Gameplay
Need For Speed Heat is set in the fictional Palm City, but the trailer and the styling of the Heat logo show a lot of Miami influence across the game, as well as more than a few nods at classics like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City that were also set in a Miami-style city.
During the day Palm City will host sanctioned races called Speedhunter Showdown, where you can earn Bank to buy new rides and customise your current ones. But by night, the intense, illegal, street races where you build your reputation take place, but cops waiting to snag you and some of them won't be playing fair.
A gameplay trailer dropped at Gamescom which has given us more detail on the racing series you do during the day, and the way the intensity ramps up at night.
Beyond that little is known, but EA says "The game deepens and expands everything Need for Speed fans love – expressive customisation, authentic urban car culture, and an immersive narrative that pulls you into the game."
Palm City promises to be open world, which is always a big plus.
READ MORE: What we learned from the NFS Heat trailer
Soundtrack
How a game sounds is often just as important as how it looks, and NFS Heat is going to sound fantastic.
The soundtrack has been announced and it is full of bangers that set the stage for all your racing exploits. From Grammy award-winners to lesser-known artists, the soundtrack carries a Latin flare in Palm City's Miami vibe that is just perfect to ward off the cold of Winter.
Demo
Need For Speed demos can be erratic, so don't expect anything until close to release. With the new EA Access ten-hour trials we may not even get a demo this year. Fingers are crossed that EA give us a demo date at Gamescom though so we know when we can start racing police and causing mayhem on the streets again.
RealSport will have all the latest from Gamescom and about the exciting new Need For Speed Heat so keep checking back for updates!
Need For Speed Heat Soundtrack
Palm City's Miami feel is mirrored in a soundtrack of big beats and more than a hint of Latin flair that promises to enhance the daytime racing and neon nights of evading rogue police as you race to up your Rep and make Bank.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Need For Speed Heat
With an emphasis on creating an escape and self-expression, the soundtrack features Grammy winners, Colombian stars, Havana beats, and an original score from Brazilian composer Pedro Bromfman, best known for his work on Narcos.
- Momma I Hit A Lick by 2 Chainz ft. Kendrick Lamar
- Pro by Alvaro Diaz
- 303 by Anna Lunoe
- Don't Stop Get It by Bear Grillz ft. Bok Nero
- Worryin’ Bout Me by BJ The Chicago Kid ft. Offset
- So What by Blac Youngsta
- Mercedes by BlocBoy JB
- LS6 by BlumBros x MAKJ
- Carnavalera by Bomba Estéreo ft. Systema Solar
- Con Mucho Son by Bomby, Apache
- Linked by Bonobo
READ MORE: Early gameplay review of NFS Heat
- Tooth And Nail (ONEDUO Remix) by Bumbasee
- Collateral Damage by Burna Boy
- Murder Music by Chase & Status ft. Kabaka Pyramid
- Viaje en Dub by Danay Suárez
- Back It Up, Drop It by DeeWunn and Leo Justi
- BIRDZ by Denzel Curry ft. Rick Ross
- Pica by Deorro, Elvis Crespo & Henry Fong
- Bubble Up by Diplo
- Reload by Eve ft. Konshens
- LIITA by Felix Jaehn & Breaking Beattz ft.Brother Leo
- Writing on the Wall by French Montana ft. Post Malone & Cardi B
- Hazle Completo El Cuento by Gente de Zona ft. El Micha
- Poquito A Poco by Gente de Zona ft. Zion & Lennox
- Coisa Boa by Gloria Groove
- Hive by Impish
- Tu Manera by INNA
- Turn Up by Joel Fletcher & Reece Low ft. Savage
- Like This by KANDY & Nonsens
- Guitar Track by Kings Of The Rollers
- Levantate by KLTR
- Out The Mud by Lil Baby & Future
- Mama / Show Love by Logic ft. YBN Cordae
- el Diablo by Machine Gun Kelly
- Nirvana by Maejor, Yashua & Jeon
- Copy by Melii ft. Odalys
- Frágil by MNKYBSNSS
READ MORE: Every car you can race in NFS Heat
- Otro Lugar by MNKYBSNSS
- 100 Bands by Mustard ft. Quavo, 21 Savage, YG & Meek Mill
- REDLIGHT by NGHTMRE & A$AP Ferg
- Man’s First Inhibition by NGHTMRE & ZHU ft. Kidd Keem
- Pay Day by Noma$
- Rock And Roll by NVDES
- Work It Out by Party Favor & Good Times Ahead
- Reach For Me by Party Favor & graves
- Pegadito by Play-N-Skillz
- Save the Youth by Radamiz ft. History & Tedy Andreas
- Goddess Gang by Sa-Roc
- Swing by SOFI TUKKER
- Playa Grande by SOFI TUKKER & Bomba Estéreo
- A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life by The Cinematic Orchestra
- Turning It Up For The Sunshine (Friend Within Remix) by The Tribe Of Good
- Fading by Toro y Moi
- Ordinary Pleasure by Toro y Moi
- Say Yeah by TroyBoi
- Easy by Tycho
- Novocaine by Valentino Khan x Kayzo
- Doin' It For Time by Whiney ft. Kwam