Rumour: Criterion Digging Deep with Need for Speed: Underground Reboot

How low can you go?

by Sammy Barker Fri 12th Apr 2013

Those fine folks at Criterion rarely get a break, do they? The critically acclaimed Guildford-based studio’s only just wrapped up the excellent Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and now it’s apparently already working on a reboot of 2003's Need for Speed: Underground. There’s no rest for the wicked it seems.

In truth, the rumour’s far from confirmed at this stage. EGM got its driving gloves on the above logo, which looks legit, but could easily be a fan mock-up. Still, it would certainly correlate with recent releases, as the UK developer also rebooted Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010. The logo includes numerous global landmarks such as London’s Big Ben and Rome’s Coliseum.

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If real, the title will almost certainly release on the PlayStation 4, and will probably not be ready until next year. New studio EA Gothenburg is reportedly working on this year’s entry in the racing series, using DICE’s delicious Frostbite technology. Are you hankering for more Need for Speed already, or do you think that the series deserves a rest? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source egmnow.com, via nintendolife.com]

As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.

1
KALofKRYPTON
Fri 12th Apr 2013

Hot Pursuit was some of my favourite multiplayer games on my PS3, the excellent oneupmanship opprotunities thrown at you by Autolog were great too. I've enjoyed Most Wanted on PS3 and is still a strong presence on my Vita, but the Burnout Paradise styled multiplayer was really weak compared to thrills of Hot Pursuit's cops & robbers.
I never played the original Underground, but it seems that it would be a game much more similar to Most Wanted than Hot Pursuit was, so maybe a bit of a waste.

2
MadchesterManc
Fri 12th Apr 2013

@KALofKRYPTON The original was more of a standard career setup with a ladder race system but Underground 2 was completly different n went down the 'open world' route whereby you can freely driver around the city in between races while looking for new ones. Im guessing thats how criterion have done Most wanted altho Ive yet to try it (lack of funds at the mo lol) At the time I thought Underground 2 was incredible and is probably still my favourite in the series. If you have a Ps2 or B/C Ps3 id recommend trying Underground 2. If there is a reboot in the works I hope EA dont decide to change the formula too much n try to change it into a new NFS Shift or something similar, but with Criterion at the helm I cant see that happening

3
KALofKRYPTON
Fri 12th Apr 2013

@MadchesterManc
Well, for me- Most Wanted was pretty much a nip/tucked remake of Burnout Paradise will a ton of licensed cars. It's very good- and I like it a lot, but it's just not as much fun for me as Hot Pursuit, taking people out while playing as a cop was the nuts.
Underground 2 sounds very much like Most Wanted to me. Which, while I'm sure won't be a bad game, could end up a bit samey.
Perhaps we could just petition them to make The Cannonball Run...

4
MadchesterManc
Fri 12th Apr 2013

@KALofKRYPTON Id love to see a game for the original Death Race 2000. That'd be pretty cool But I cant really see EA doing any new IP's any time soon...