Need for Speed™ Payback

Need for Speed™ Payback offers a mixed racing experience with a large open world and diverse event types including sprint, circuit, drifting, drag, and off-road races. Players enjoy the arcade-style handling and the variety of cars and events, with the story and character chemistry receiving moderate praise for adding some engagement. However, the upgrade system based on random speed cards is widely criticized for being grind-heavy and feeling like a pay-to-win mechanic, which significantly hampers progression and enjoyment. The police chase mechanics are shallow and sometimes frustrating, and the map feels too sparse with repetitive side activities that lack meaningful rewards.

Graphically, the game is decent but not outstanding, with some players noting the cars look plastic-like and the open world prioritizes size over detail. Technical issues such as launch problems and poor controller/wheel support have also been reported, affecting the overall experience. Despite these flaws, many find moments of fun in the core racing gameplay and recommend the game mostly on sale.

Highlights

Players praise the game's pure arcade-style car handling and the variety of racing events, which include drifting, drag, off-road, and sprint races. The open world is large and offers diverse tracks and events, with some enjoying the optional Speedcross races for their creative design. The story, while not groundbreaking, features distinct characters with good team chemistry that adds flavor to the campaign. The police chases, though limited to story missions and optional activities, provide entertaining moments of chaos and destruction. Overall, the racing mechanics deliver fun, accessible gameplay for fans of arcade racers.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the that forces players into repetitive farming or microtransactions to get needed parts. The police takedown mechanics are considered shallow and frustrating, with inconsistent physics and catch-up AI making chases unfair. The open world, while large, is criticized for having too many dull collectibles and side activities that feel unrewarding. Off-road races and drag events receive negative feedback due to poor handling and forced use of unsuitable cars. Technical issues such as launch failures, poor controller/wheel support, and some buggy physics further detract from the experience. The story and characters are viewed as uninspired by some players.