There is always something to be said for the thrill of the chase. Whether you are the hunter or the hunted, automotive vengeance is always a dish served deliciously as a well made video game, and EA is putting some serious effort into making sure that the latest Need For Speed, the appropriately titled Most Wanted gives gamers everything they want from a high speed car chase, and then some. Focusing on races and tracks that deliver the fastest and most intense rides possible definitely sounds like a juicy prospect on it's own, so we were quite excited to get some hands on time with the latest in one of EA's longest running franchises.

At its core, Need For Speed: Most Wanted is focused on delivering a solid racing title. All the elements you've come to expect from the series are still intact: the rivals, the police chases, and of course the spiffy cars. What Most Wanted hopes to introduce to the playing field is the opportunity for players to make themselves a career out of being the most cut-throat racer they can. The game features a black list, a compilation of some of the nastiest racers on the road. By finishing races, outrunning cops, and of course beating other racers on the black list, players progress through the game by getting higher and higher on the list until they become...well, the most wanted of course.

The more races you win and the more rivals you beat, the greater opportunity you have to beef up your car with mechanical and aesthetic improvements. The flashier your car, the more impressive (or notorious) your Rap Sheet gets, so combined with your position on the Black List you're always going to have a solid feel for how you stack up to other racers as you progress through the game. The goal of the single player aspect of the game is, obviously, to make your way to the top of the black list. Once there, you can rest easily knowing you've left a nice wake of destruction and frustrated your fair share of cops and rivals along the way. Also, making your way to the top of the black list gives you that oh-so hardcore cred. You want that cred, don't you?

But let's stop kidding ourselves. Need For Speed: Most Wanted is all about racing, so we could probably care less about any Rap Sheet or black list if the racing mechanics weren't up to snuff. It's safe to say that in the time we got to spend actually playing this title, Most Wanted is definitely on the track for delivering a solid, challenging and gratifying racing experience. The tracks really come alive, and whether it's a straight race or a police chase, the course we got to try really felt like it lends itself quite well to providing a dynamic and varied experience. Players find themselves weaving through busy intersections, avoiding the ever-present oncoming traffic, dodging the fuzz (who, as the race progresses, get incredibly nasty and aggressive when it comes to bringing you down).

The first thing noticeable about racing in Most Wanted is the way in which it rewards you for playing with style. There really is an amazing sense of gratification while playing this one, as tracks are designed in a manner to allow for a whole slew of close calls and split second maneuvers. If the final title is fleshed out the same way it will really lend itself to a healthy balance of challenge and satisfaction. Speeding under flatbed trucks, busting through toll-booths and narrow spaces with the cops hot on your tail as debris goes flying everywhere: this game really has a ton of opportunity for some really memorable races. Racer fans should definitely note the addition of the "speed breaker", a nice little ability that can be activated at any time granted you have enough of it built up. What the speed breaker does is put the game into a snazzy bullet time-esque mode, allowing you to dart in and out of some of the games closer calls, such as recovering from a nasty turn or skirting between intersecting traffic. Tasty stuff, indeed.

The visuals on the game have come together rather nicely. The cars and tracks really look quite good, and frame rate and control all come together quite nicely. The game definitely has a look new to the Need for Speed series, as most of the levels and colors have a very gritty (Motor City, even?) feel to them. The courses are full of detail as well, with a ton of debris and "road trash" flying as you tear in and around, so Most Wanted definitely caters to those looking to make themselves a nice little batch of destruction. While it's a refreshing change for the franchise, we're hoping that the style of the art design doesn't come off as too washed out. Granted, we only got to check out a small sampling of what the final release has to offer, and the series has always provided a great deal of variety as far as course setting and design goes, so chances are this title should be no different.

There really isn't much to complain about in regards to a game that lets you outrun the police. I mean, what's not to love about a title that lets' you vicariously play the role of the bad guy? Even in its technically unfinished state, Need for Speed: Most Wanted shows a great deal of polish and promise, and it would be pretty hard pressed not to deliver a solid racing title upon its release. Fans of the series will definitely not be disappointed, and newcomers (racing fans or otherwise) can rest assured they'll find something to satisfy. Any interested gamers should definitely keep serious tabs on this one, and check out our review upon its final release in the Fall.