'Need for Speed' reboot news: improved features in Gamescom presentation

Need for Speed website

One of Electronic Arts' presentations at this year's Gamescom event was focused on the reboot of the racing and mayhem title "Need for Speed," what it is all about, and how it will differ from the other previous titles in the franchise. 

One of the impressive features that the trailer footage and presentation for "Need for Speed" has highlighted is that the visuals will be so stunning that players will have a hard time distinguishing between in-game design visuals and real-world footages. The reboot will be combining live-action shots and photo-realistic in-game sequences. 

The map itself will also be overhauled. Instead of stages with varied racing courses, the new "Need for Speed" will feature the city streets of Ventura Bay as racing tracks. 

The upcoming title also promises to blend customization and real-world vehicle authenticity and make the two balance each other out. In the Gamescom presentation, it was revealed that the title's gameplay and car mechanics borrowed heavily from real-world car culture, and has also incorporated five of the biggest car and racing icons in the world. The game will feature vehicles associated with Ken Block, Magnus Walker, Morohoshi, Nakai, and drift crew Risky Devil. 

However, no racing title is complete without car customization, and "Need for Speed" will also have that option. Players will be able to customize almost all parts of their chosen vehicle depending on their selections – from cosmetics, to handling, down to micro tweaking. 

A unique feature for the title is that it will require an "always online" connection in order for players to have a rich gaming experience. In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine, reported on Games Radar, executive producer Marcus Nilsson said that the online-heavy focus of the game is an innovation, especially the evolution of Autolog.

"We've been pretty big with Autolog throughout the years and, as we know, it's a really powerful feature," Nilsson stated. "This time around we're going to give it more of a human voice. It will treat your friend's play as if it is part of the narrative experience."