Need for Speed: Most Wanted – Best Racing Game 2012
Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Criterion Games
2012 proved kind of a bummer for racing fans. Not a single legitimate simulation racer could be considered for this year's Best Racing Game award, but luckily there was a deep bench of arcade-balanced favorites to choose from, including kart racers from rivals Sony and Nintendo.
Despite all that, who finished first in the race into the GR Staff's hearts and minds? Need for Speed: Most Wanted from Criterion and EA Games! Most Wanted's open-world, no-nonsense presentation and wide variety of events and cars pushed it ahead of Microsoft's exclusive Forza Horizon. Most Wanted defines car-sex-appeal with incredible speed and fidelity, making it an obvious choice for the Best Racing Game of 2012.
Whether you're tearing around Fairhaven's financial district or taking in the ocean view by flying through a billboard that just happens to be pointed towards the sea, Most Wanted never really lets you slow down or rest for a moment. Need more structure in your high-speeds thrills? Why not take on one of Most Wanted's events for new unlocks, tailored to your vehicle's class. You might even find yourself running from some monstrous construction of cop cars.
Most Wanted's trippy event introductions start players at a sprint and really why would you want it any other way? Do you play video games to drive slowly? How about obeying traffic laws? I don't think Fairhaven City even has stoplights. Unfortunately, if you're taking Most Wanted's Vita version for a spin, you'll want to make sure you're obeying real-world traffic laws, despite being able to dominate your Speedwall friends wherever you go.
Most Wanted means speed, fun, and competition. Criterion built upon their previous Autolog revolution by making every inch of Fairhaven up for squabbling. If you're looking for one racing game to provide hours of entertainment and an unmatched sense of speed, you can do no better than Criterion's Need for Speed: Most Wanted in 2012.
Runners Up:
Click here to see the rest of GameRevolution's Best of 2012 Awards.
