As promised, Criterion Games and EA have revealed the Need for Speed Unbound driving effects and customization options in a new gameplay video released today. All effects have also been confirmed as entirely optional.
Yes, you can turn the effects off. In fact, you can choose to never put them on in the first place. Just like any other part of a car
— Need for Speed (@NeedforSpeed) October 11, 2022
The upcoming Need for Speed Unbound has a heavy graffiti focus, with cel-shaded cartoonish exhaust trails, emotes and animations representing the game’s modern hip-hop aesthetic.
The video goes through the Driving Effects > Tags customization section, showing off what seem to be effect sets that bundle exhaust trails and emotes. Each unique event during a race looks to have a different emote, with a wing-spreading animation shown when a car is airborne.
However, the developers recognise that the effects may not appeal to many old Need for Speed fans, and as such have included the ability for players to turn all effects off or to never enable them at all.
Need for Speed Unbound drives out December 2 on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with pre-orders starting November 29. You can read about the game’s pre-order and EA Play bonuses as well as the details of the Palace Edition here.
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