Electronic Arts has announced thatNeed for Speed: Unboundis on the way, which should be good news for any gamers who have been craving a new street racing experience. The game is eye-catching, as it features graffiti visuals and slick cars. However, the visuals shouldn’t take priority overNeed for Speed: Unbound’s gameplay.

Fortunately, it seems thatCriterion Gamesdoes have something enthralling in store for players in terms of gameplay. There will be a new co-op mode called Takeover Scene, and the game will feature over 140 cars. With the right elements,Unboundcould be a triumphant return for the series.

Toyota and Audi are two of the car brands missing from Need for Speed Unbound.

RELATED:A New Need for Speed Game Similar to Underground Would Be a Good Thing

The Stylish World of Need for Speed: Unbound

EA recently released a reveal trailer forUnboundas the next entry in theNeed for Speedseries. Although the series has endured for over a decade, it has had its ups and downs, and the arcade racing genre has fallen in and out of favor with gamers. With the upcoming game,Need for Speedcould make a big comeback and prove why the franchise became a cornerstone of racing video games.

The game embraces a street racing aesthetic, which wouldn’t be the first time the series has done so. Long-time fans will remember titles likeNFS: Undergroundand its sequel that blew gamers away with its urban drag racing and vast customization options.Unboundbrings a unique twist to things with its visuals. As the trailer revealed, gamers can expectUnboundto feature anime-like graphicsto enhance scenes, and what has been shown thus far looks pretty exciting.

animated-need-for-speed-unbound

The game is also bringingrapper ASAP Rockyon board, along with his creative collective AWGE. On top of the game featuring his music, the rapper himself will be in the game. The cool visuals, along with the focus on flashy cars, trendy clothes, and trailblazing music, may be the key to theNeed for Speedseries resonating with new gamers. However, gameplay shouldn’t take a backseat to the aesthetic that is being shown off.

Criterion Games Shouldn’t Forget About Gameplay

Although gamers flocked toNeed for Speedgames likeUndergrounddue to their ability to capture the spirit of the street racing scene at the time, the games became legendary thanks to their addictive gameplay. The games are far from realistic when it comes to how the cars handle, but they provide a fun experience with how they slide around corners and go supersonic when players use NOS.

Over the years, the franchise has added several fun game modes.Most Wanted, released in 2005, is remembered for its intense cop chases which had gamers winding through Rockport as they tried to evade the law. Its successor,NFS: Carbon, introduced canyon races which had players racing down narrow tracks on the sides of mountains.

NFS: Unboundlooks pretty, but to make it an iconic title, it needs gameplay to match. Gamers haven’t seen any gameplay from the upcoming game, which is concerning, considering it releases in December. However, it has been revealed that cops will be present and that there will be a new game mode called Takeover Scene. This is a co-op mode that has players working together to conquer parts of Lakeshore.

Unboundwill be released on current-generation consoles, which suggests that developers have big plans for the upcoming game. Luckily, fans will get aNeed for Speed: Unboundgameplay trailersoon that’ll help them judge its true quality. If it is anything as good as the visuals, an amazing racing game is on the way.

Need for Speed: Unboundis scheduled to release on July 18, 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.