EA have just launched the latest Need for Speed game, it's Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and it's being developed by Burnout creators Criterion. In the demo shown at the EA E3 press conference, a Koenigsegg was chased by police driving Buggati Verons through a vast redwood forest. It was pretty, exciting and fast. But it's the new online features that offer the most intricate innovation.
Autolog is Criterion's in-game social network, which keeps players updated on the progress of their friends and rivals. It also acts as a matchmaking service. On-stage, Criterion producer Craig Sullivan drove against a rival who'd recently beaten most of his online records in a Hot Pursuit mode. Burning through a forest, Craig deployed roadblocks to try and knock his enemy off course. It looked smart and slick, even if the landscapes lacked a bit of detail. But then, it appeared to be running at a smooth 60 frames per-second on current gen consoles. The PC version, which was confirmed in a press release, will be better. It always is.
It was bloody loud, too. My ears hurt.
