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Need for Speed Undercover

EMAIL PRINT ps3

5.2 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 40 critic reviews
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Based on 28 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Black Box

Genre(s): Racing, Driving

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: November 17, 2008

Summary

Need for Speed Undercover has players racing through speedways, dodging cops and chasing rivals as they go deep undercover to take down an International crime syndicate. The game heralds the return of high-intensity police chases and introduces the all-new 'Heroic Driving Engine' -- a unique technology that generates incredible high-performance moves at 180 miles per hour during breathtaking highway battles. A mix of computer graphics and live-action movies immerses gamers in the rich world of the Tri-City Bay Area. The city’s open-world environment features over 80 miles of roads, including an enormous highway system that sets the stage for highway battles. These high-speed, high-stake chase sequences push players to the limit as they fight off cops and opponents while whipping through traffic at 180 miles per hour. An intelligent new A.I. mechanic delivers a realistic and high-energy action driving experience. Going back to the franchise’s roots, Need for Speed Undercover features more aggressive and intelligent cops whose sole purpose is to take down the player quickly and by any means necessary. Need for Speed Undercover also features the series' signature car customization, real-world damage and realistic driving physics. The game includes some of the hottest licensed cars such as the Audi R8, BMW M6 and Lexus IS-F. [Electronic Arts]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Need for Speed Carbon Need for Speed ProStreet

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

PSX Extreme

My frustrations with the franchise and its never ending framerate troubles are getting on my last nerves...[yet at] the end of the day, and I still enjoyed Need for Speed: Undercover, as will fans of Most Wanted.

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NZGamer

While the quest to catch the crims sort of takes a back seat to the initial pick-up-and-play aspect of NFS: Undercover, there’s plenty of fun to be had re-doing challenges to try and best your score, and collecting the reputation you deserve, dear gamer.

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Cynamite

Adventure or racing? Definitely racing! The cut scenes are not suspenseful enough for an adventure. But I like Tri-City with its varied missions and the intuitive controls. Unfortunately the game sometimes drops to a low frame rate.

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DailyGame

The police chases are fantastic, but the plot's bad and the gameplay is confined to an area that's much smaller than it seems like it should be.

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1UP

As a mashup of :Need for Speed: Carbon" and "Need for Speed: Most Wanted", Undercover is ultimately fairly successful. For many, though, in a post-"Burnout: Paradise" world, the question has to be raised: "What does this give me that Paradise doesn't?" The answer to that is "cops and robbers," a mechanic that has worked well in single-player since the days of Hot Pursuit, and works even better online when played in teams of 4-on-4 in Undercover.

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Play UK

It’s an entry-level arcade racer, with a range of fast and destructive events plus an open-world theme and a host of licensed vehicles. Need For Speed Undercover is fun and tailored to suit all tastes.

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GamingXP

The storyline has an exciting pick-up: A chase through one of the districts of Tri-City next to the gold coast. With the cops in the back it seems to be very obvious that this states the beginning of a career as a criminal racer.

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Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

Overall, a wholly competant game--but persistent performance issues prevent it from being anything more than that. [Jan 2009, p.74]

AceGamez

While the graphics cause you to spend the first ten minutes of Need for Speed: Undercover in a mouth-dropped gaze, it really doesn't get an awful lot better.

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GamingExcellence

On the whole though, Undercover certainly isn’t a terrible game; considering the glut of games on the market this holiday season, Undercover gets enough things right to bring it past bargain bin status, but the problem is, there’s not much to dig into beyond that.

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ZTGameDomain

Need for Speed Undercover is a solid if not predictable step for the series. The lack of difficulty and frame rate issues are at the top of the list of its problems, but if you are a fan it is worth checking out.

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Total Video Games

Between the excellent Midnight Club LA and the slightly disappointing Burnout Paradise, Need For Speed: Undercover unfavourably finds itself amongst some stiff competition.

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GameDaily

With the superior "Burnout Paradise" still making the rounds, Undercover won't rev everyone's engine. If you liked Most Wanted or the Hot Pursuit games, however, you'll want to climb behind this wheel.

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Game Informer

Even though I’ve got the gas pedal down as far as it’ll go, the game fails to satiate either the need or speed parts of the equation.

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Cheat Code Central

One can't help but notice that the franchise has seen better days.

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Playstation Official Magazine UK

Cars can be tricked out until they look like four-wheeled drag queens. [Christmas 2008, p.88]

Eurogamer Portugal

For the second year in a row, Need For Speed: Undercover is not able to reach the so wished and awaited level. Although it is a good game it doesn’t stand out among the others of its genre like some old titles of these series being Most Wanted a good example of that. Thus it’s better to go with Burnout: Paradise or even Midnight Club: Los Angeles.

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GameZone

Come on, it’s Need for Speed and that means a tried-and-true racing formula. While the story is a bit far-fetched, it really is no different than some previous titles in the NFS franchise. It would be nice to see the series break out and take a few chances, but what is here – from the open world to the car customization options – should provide for some entertainment for NFS fans.

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GameTrailers

Need for Speed Undercover lacks challenge, struggles technically, and practically requires sunglasses to play. The framework for a stronger game is present, but the final product simply doesn't come close to competing with games like "Midnight Club: LA" or "Burnout Paradise."

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GameSpot

Need for Speed returns to its roots with hokey cutscenes, wild cop chases, and solid racing action.

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IGN AU

The cities are bland and generally uninteresting, but the cars look good and they handle well. That's normally half the battle. If you haven't played a NFS title in the past four years or so, Undercover might be a good place to get back on board.

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Gameplanet

An unimpressive arcade racing experience. Need for Speed: Undercover seems to lack any real sense of immersion and is graphically a bland experience.

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3DJuegos

Need for Speed Undercover is one of the biggest bluffs of this final quarter of 2008. Far from catching the spirit of Most Wanted, the game of Black Box fails in its proposal because of an excessively easy campaign and because of its "shock-car" style driving.

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Console Monster

All in all I am really disappointed in Need for Speed Undercover. EA have focussed more on the cut-scenes and sound of the game and have forgotten about what actually made the Need for Speed series fun many years ago.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

A rare duff year for EA's series. Grab "Midnight Club: LA" instead. [Christmas 2008, p.76]

InsideGamer.nl

From a technological perspective, Undercover is a humiliating installment in the Need for Speed-series. The frame rate stutters, the open world is dead, and the story is laughable. Even then, Undercover offers some of the same over-the-top racing fun we have gotten used to, and the game will surely get your adrenaline pumping when getting behind the wheel of some of the hottest cars in the world.

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DarkZero

A steeping stone for the series, one that offers hope that EA can achieve better things in the future.

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G4 TV

Need for Speed: Undercover is a game that both satisfies and disappoints on a regular basis. While the chases provide top-notch thrills and spills, you can’t help but feel like you’ve just done it too many times to really care anymore.

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VideoGamer

After EA's recent run of quality, it came as quite a shock that Undercover simply doesn't feel ready. The in-game performance is frankly terrible and one of the main event types is deeply flawed. We can't deny that there's still fun to be had here, especially in the highway battles (and with some of the dialogue), but we simply can't recommend a game that performs so poorly that it's at times unplayable.

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PTGamers

The game modes are not particularly intense, and the vehicles, although very detailed, fail to offer the feeling from the best of the series.

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GamePro

It's clear that the Need For Speed series is in need of a GPS unit so it can get back on track.

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GameSpy

Undercover may push the nostalgia button for the NFS faithful. But substandard presentation and a host of nagging technical issues cause it to sputter across the line for a distant third-place finish.

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TheSixthAxis

If EA can patch the framerate issues and tweak the handling, Undercover could be a great game.

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Playstation Official Magazine Australia

Taken on its own, this is a vaguely competent racer let down by some horrible technical issues. [Summer 2009, p.64]

PALGN

Need for Speed Undercover is just a disappointing game on the PlayStation 3. Without all the technical flaws the game could have been enjoyable but at times it feels like you're in the photo mode, while you're supposed to be racing.

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Gaming Age

This port of Most Wanted that was a port of Carbon, which in itself wasn't good in the first place, is unforgivable from a team as financially stable as EA. Heck, Burnout Paradise, while not a great "Burnout-style" game, was a fantastic racing game, so how about counting your losses and just releasing one racing title and put all your money and focus on it.

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Gamer.nl

Need for Speed Undercover is a big step backwards for the series. It's almost as if the franchise has the same disease as FIFA had a couple of years ago. EA promises a lot new features but in the end there just isn't enough to justify a new game. Thankfully the FIFA-syndrom offers perspective, because after a few mishaps the franchise has produced an instant classic. That's why we keep hope for a worthy Need for Speed game in the near future.

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IGN

Need for Speed Undercover is a poor game with a ton of problems, both technically and in terms of design. The open world design is completely lost as you can't actually drive to any event, many races are closed off which means no cross traffic, and it's incredibly easy.

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Edge Magazine

Technologically something of an embarrassment and devoid of any vitality or personality, Undercover seems a sharp downturn for one of EA’s traditional bastions of seasonal sales. [Christmas 2008, p.101]

Game Revolution

Unfinished, underdeveloped racing efforts like Need for Speed: Undercover leave the acrid taste of stale engine oil and greasy do-rags in my mouth. Luckily, it’s nothing that a little time spent with Grid or PGR4 can’t wash away. Undercover attempts to return the series to its former glory, but it’s obviously lost that loving feeling.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 5.2 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

therealdealdude gave it a7:
I'll admit it if i didn't feel bored that i bought it and didt even try to give it another chance i would be pissed that i bought it so first when i bought it i started the cddidt expect much but when i saw the heli i got mad and closed it so then i tryed again in 3 months its awesome even though i think there trying to rip u off if u dont dominate u can just buy it he online i liked but i would of been more fun is lots of people were online i tryed online nobody waas barely on i got to pla 2 on 2 cops only 5 times but i haven't tryedit online again but the story is very short i tryed again and now am 87 % in less than p[laying in than 2 days i took another break because its isnt addactive like craboon with the teammates but it isnt bad just like ign said it isnt the bestgame out there but we arent telling u not to buy were just telling there are better ones out there it is true there are better but i would rather buy this one because unless u wanna buy everything from the #1 car racing game (free world roaming only)(burnout pardise) but i would say need for speed is the maybe the 3rd or even 4th best racing game out there but 2nd in free roaming burnout being the best but they wont give us nothin free wtf is wrong with EA we earned something free.

timmeh o gave it a3:
I'm so happy i rented this game, i played for 20 minutes, the frame rate was that bad it gave me a headache the cars looked shit drove like shit, the city also looked shit i almost thought it was the ps2 version the graphics where that bad. i honestly cant understand how they can release this game with such a poor frame rate, The game play and story also where no better i would not even recomend renting. i didn't have time to "give the game a chance" because i have so many other much better games need for speed has gone down hill since nfs: most wanted, which despite some graphical flaws was quiet fun, nfs carbon was a disaster nfs pro street was different but got boring very quick and now nfs undercover, thats strike three no more nfs games for me.

Wayne K. gave it a1:
Over the years the need for speed franchise has been known for its high speed, high thrill game style of buying a pretty average car and modifying the pants off of it until its a miniature super car. That was until the latest version of need for speed arrived. Need for speed undercover. Well to put it simply, imagine bringing home a perfectly good looking girl, funny, good personality, and yet when you turn the lights on, she is your nan. YOUR FUCKING NAN!! Let me start you off with a little tale of mine. My good friend Ben Dover recently purchased this calamity of a game and threw it out of the window the very next day! Now to the game! Graphics: pacman stlye Gameplay: I have seen more from a horses arse. Online: Mostly fat Americans douch bags and the occasional jappy chappy. Lasting appeal: Frankly, i get more of a lasting appeal from doing your nan doggy style! To conclude if you have £40 to blow on a game like this, you may as well visit your local brothel.

Jeremy gave it an8:
This game was awesome just loading it up. It had great graphics and effects, and setting up the plot with a police chase was cool. My only problem with it was the twitchy camera at intense parts of the gameplay. But besides that this is game I could see myself playing it in the next year or so. The best new feature this year is the driving engine. In Most Wanted and Carbon, accelerating your car from a low speed felt like scraping a shovel across concrete. With undercover, they fixed that and made the physics so much better that it actually feels like your driving in a car chase thriller movie like Transporter or the Fast and the Furious. Burnout Paradise is a great game too... for car crashes, and Midnight Club: LA is great... for fast paced races, but Undercover has that feeling that your actually driving a high-powered beast and not some crazily over-exagerated space ship on wheels. Overall , Undercover is a great reminder of what a good racing game should be. Undercover has more driving passion.

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Need for Speed Undercover

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