Need for Speed Undercover

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 107 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 107
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 107
  3. Negative: 36 out of 107
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  1. jazz15c
    Dec 24, 2008
    7
    First hour of the game was absolutely appalling, stick with it though, it does get better. Cops are back, thankfully, but the sheer amount of chases become tiresome. Plenty of different race modes to keep you entertained, masses of cars to purchase. A decent game, very short though (though a lot longer than Carbon), and at times lacked direction in the plot. Scenery feels very "Most First hour of the game was absolutely appalling, stick with it though, it does get better. Cops are back, thankfully, but the sheer amount of chases become tiresome. Plenty of different race modes to keep you entertained, masses of cars to purchase. A decent game, very short though (though a lot longer than Carbon), and at times lacked direction in the plot. Scenery feels very "Most Wanted-y". Handling is, at best, iffy...you have to nitrous drift to carry any real speed around a tight corner, extremely unrealistic! A step back into the right direction, but still light years from the highlights of Most Wanted and Underground 1/2.… Expand
  2. TylerDurden
    Nov 17, 2008
    6
    This is the epitome of, you can't polish a turd. Don't get me wrong, viusually, NFS:U seems very well put together, but there seems to be a general lack of concern for gameplay that allot of other versions of the game, and other franchises in general, have mastered. Better than bad, but just not good.
  3. sinadoom
    Oct 24, 2011
    5
    Essentially this is a remake of NFS Most Wanted but with more events. However, EA Black Box have failed to capture what made MW so exciting: the cop chases. Instead, you play as an undercover cop and the focus is on racing against the stupidly easy-to-beat AI. Customisation is there but not as good as MW which is quite embarassing. And did I mention the driving physics? There aren't any.Essentially this is a remake of NFS Most Wanted but with more events. However, EA Black Box have failed to capture what made MW so exciting: the cop chases. Instead, you play as an undercover cop and the focus is on racing against the stupidly easy-to-beat AI. Customisation is there but not as good as MW which is quite embarassing. And did I mention the driving physics? There aren't any. The game's manual will tell you all about the new engine. It's horrific. There's literally no skill in the driving, and no exciting game physics. This game is not challenging nor rewarding. The multiplayer isn't particularly fun either. Avoid even if you're a fan. If you've not played most wanted, then this is worth a look. But the game hyas many problems and glitches with a flawed multiplayer and driving which isn't as exciting as MW.… Expand
  4. somethingguy912
    Nov 4, 2013
    6
    I know that I had previously downrated hot pursuit badly, but as this being one of the first games that I got for the Xbox 360, In contrast to Hot Pursuit, I actually had some joy with playing this game, as it still maintained the option of purchasing particular vehicles for any such event, as well as a full variety of customization types. However, the customization names get way tooI know that I had previously downrated hot pursuit badly, but as this being one of the first games that I got for the Xbox 360, In contrast to Hot Pursuit, I actually had some joy with playing this game, as it still maintained the option of purchasing particular vehicles for any such event, as well as a full variety of customization types. However, the customization names get way too technical in this series, almost as technical as the types of rims you'd like to buy. Anyhow, the decal and vinyl customization is much more peaked and varied from previous addons, as you can change rotation, size and position of any such decal, adding much more diversity to your own imagination. Cars are suited in "ranks", meaning that 4 would be a pretty low-performance car, as in 1 is the baddest of the bad, the fastest of the fast. Anyhow, the story itself is not original, compelling, or coherent to "undercover". Most Wanted had more of a undercover setting than this. The story makes you feel as though you have a choice, but really, you don't. You are told what to do through a linear playthrough that only becomes free roam when those quests involve races, which in itself are neat too. The area you get to play in is flagrantly beautiful, involved in the tri-states area close to where I live (if Oregon and Washington are close, they're practically the same state), however the vehicle traffic and populace feels completely empty for a metropolitan area such as that, whether by the courtesy of the dev's to make the driving experience easier or just plain lack of notation. Like in Most Wanted, most of the races are difficulty dependent on the cars you drive, but have particular races that are much more difficult than others, requiring more sporty cars and more driving determination. Vehicle damage is nigh absent, with little more than scratches and windows despite the highway runs formulating a "wrecked" motion when you run into cars. The highway runs is the new special challenge, like drifting in Carbon, as you go 1vs1 against highway traffic (again, the traffic is minimal for a metropolitian area). There are special skill boosts that allow you to gain decreased costs for particular parts, or increase other areas of your pique depending on how you perform on races, which does give you the drive to beat out each race. Also, you can perform the same races with the help of the gps, that has particular categories for any such of race, such as sprints or circuits, quest races, special races and races you have already done and new races. Despite these benefits, most of the game seems bored of itself, feeling too calm and steady for intense driving. At least this still brings the Need for Speed racing experience that we should expect, other than some future developments. It might be hard to garnish an interest in this game, but once you do, you won't feel regret buying it.… Expand
  5. bradtheman123
    Jun 11, 2014
    6
    It was ok, but I do feel like they forgot a lot of things about the previous need for speeds. This just wasnt very satisfying when playing. They sort of had a free roam thing which if, your a need for speed fan, is pretty cool. The racing experiences were cool at times but sometimes they just became ridiculous. They should have changed up a lot of things. I know its not that easy, but IIt was ok, but I do feel like they forgot a lot of things about the previous need for speeds. This just wasnt very satisfying when playing. They sort of had a free roam thing which if, your a need for speed fan, is pretty cool. The racing experiences were cool at times but sometimes they just became ridiculous. They should have changed up a lot of things. I know its not that easy, but I feel like simple improvements could've been made.… Expand
  6. ADobbo
    Feb 18, 2012
    4
    Need for Speed Undercover was a great racing game to start off my experience on Xbox 360. I thought that the game was good fun and kept me intrigued. There is a story which is there but absent at the same time which is strange and not good. The music is great and there is also an element of challenge within the game, however, when you are stuck at the challenge, there is nothing making youNeed for Speed Undercover was a great racing game to start off my experience on Xbox 360. I thought that the game was good fun and kept me intrigued. There is a story which is there but absent at the same time which is strange and not good. The music is great and there is also an element of challenge within the game, however, when you are stuck at the challenge, there is nothing making you stay in the game. The multiplayer is fun with game modes such as Cops and Robbers which provides many hours of fun. Overall I rate this game a 4/10 for the reason that there is no story really and also the fact that even though it is called a free roam game, you cannot free roam over the speed limit without police coming after you which is not ideal for a racing free roam game when you are in a car that goes way over 200mph and yet you are basically restricted to 50mph… Collapse

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
69
#69 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 62 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 62
  3. Negative: 8 out of 62
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    75
    A good time can be had, but only if you're patient...and a really big fan of Most Wanted. [Holiday 2008, p.68]
  2. Gameplayer
    65
    NFS of old was about hot cars, hot pursuits and miles and miles of open road, and Undercover make a semi-successful fist of recapturing some of this magic. Looks great, plays fine. There’s no getting around the fact, however, that Undercover is basically Most Wanted with a new lick of paint. Can somebody please green-light Hot Pursuit 3? Surely the open-world horse has been well-and-truly flogged?
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  3. GamePro
    50
    It's clear that the Need For Speed series is in need of a GPS unit so it can get back on track.
    Read full review
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