At the time I started playing the NFS games I also found myself very interested in the storylines created in some of the games. This piece was summarising my favourite ones that I wanted (at the time) to write about.
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In late 2003 I got the original Xbox console and one of the games I got along with the console was Need for Speed: Underground.
Just before I go into each game’s storyline and making my own assumptions of what each game’s storyline means; it should be noted, played racing games is personally one of my favorites and just because most guys play it doesn’t mean us girls can’t play it from time to time. I’ve played: NFS: Underground (xbox), Most Wanted (xbox), Undercover (PS3), Hot Pursuit (PS3) and The Run (PS3)
NFS: Underground (2003) – the story here has the player in Olympic City just looking to make a name in the street racing world, with the aim to get to the top of the ranks and knocking over the current top racer named Eddie. When he ends Eddie’s run he gets the girl and is crowned as the best racer in Olympic City.
NFS: Underground 2 (2004) – is the game’s story continuation; set approximately 6months after the first story; in scenes that tells the ending from Underground. The player is celebrating victory after defeating Eddie, before being interrupted by a mysterious phone call with claims of being invited to join a new team. The player speeds off but get ambushed by a Hummer with someone saying; ‘they had to take care of a little problem.’
This person is later revealed in the game as a man named Caleb, who is sabotaging all sponsorship deals in the racing scene in Bayview in his favor, and the player is helped by one of Caleb’s crew members named Nikki (not to be confused with the Nikki in NFS: Carbon). Eventually the player is able to take out Caleb, hence getting revenge for the car (from the first story) being destroyed.
In one of my many searches some claim when the player beats Caleb and claims the crown, he is ‘reclaiming his place is the best racer in Bayview’ which seems odd because the player has not been to Bayview prior to Underground 2, another search tells me, when the scenes are shown of the victorious Skyline (Underground) it is actually in Bayview…how or why is anyone’s guess. Anyway, as for the player regaining their top crown, and the player did get it all back, becoming the no: 1 racer again, having already taken out Olympic City and Bayview.
NFS: Most Wanted (2005) – originally not considered the story continuation from Underground and Underground 2, although there is a small part in the early sections of the game’s story where the player meets a racer named Rog who mentions something along the lines: ‘let’s see how you race in the daylight’ which leads to the presumption Rog is talking about the player’s feats in Olympic City and Bayview respectively. The game’s story shows the player coming to Rockport City is a heavily tuned BMW M3 where the player encounters his two biggest antagonists; Sargent Cross and Razor, along with the helpful and sometimes secretive Mia. Initially all goes well for the player until the race against Razor that sees the BMW taken and the player being arrested; and the player now has to fight against a group of 15 of the Most Wanted street racers in Rockport, to get back the BMW. When all tasks are completed the Blacklist destroyed the player gains the car back and is chased by the PD and leaves the city, and thus becomes the Most Wanted.
NFS: Carbon (2006) – picks the story up where MW left off, so at the start of Carbon the player is seen traveling down a mountain in the BMW M3 while reminiscing. The player’s thoughts are taken to a fictional time where he was racing against three other bosses in Palmont; and upon nearing victory police arrive taking out the other racers but mysteriously leaving the player. He’s given a bag and takes off and not heard from again until this return. Racing down the canyon the player’s thoughts are interrupted by Cross, now no longer a Sargent but has become a Bounty Hunter. In attempts to escape Cross; the BMW is wrecked and just before the player is taken by Cross they are interrupted by headman, Darius, his ‘helper’ and later Nikki. Darius gets Cross paid off and he leaves (later returns). Throughout the story the player along with Nikki and a few other drivers try to connect the dots over what happened ‘that night’ which sees the bag given to the player at that time being switched hence he ended up with a bag full of newspaper clippings while the bag with the apparent winning money was taken. The bag switched happened after the police showed up at that race, Nikki, whom had the bag at the time gets knocked over by a mysterious man (seen as a henchman of Darius) with a similar bag; also ironically because the player was the only one to escape there is one shot which seems one of the police cars moving aside to allow the player to leave; and it is hinted it might have been a cop. Even more so, leading up to the event of ‘that race’ Darius is seen in the flashback handing the keys to the player to one of his own cars for the race. In another part of the game when Darius gets the player arrested by Cross, Nikki turns up Cross and her exchange words and the player is allowed free with Nikki joining the player’s side at this point. So when Darius is finally defeated he reluctantly hands over the keys to his car and leaves with words saying: ‘enjoy it while it lasts because there is someone out there better than you, fast than you’
NFS: Pro Street (2007) – features a different story line, unrelated to the previous games in introduces a former illegal street racer named Ryan Cooper who is now in the legal side of racing looking to make a name for himself by taking on the best racers in this side of industry.
NFS: Undercover (2008) – There is no story continuation in this game, and instead seems to be a stand along story separated from the previous four games. The player has become part of the Tri-City PD force, looking to infiltrate the street racing scene and goes through the stages of beating each section and completing tasks and at the same time discovering some shady dealings going on.
NFS: The Run (2011) – This is a brand new storyline, again not related to the previous games and sees the introduction of Jack Rourke; one of the best racers ever who’s attitude and arrogance have landed him in serious financial trouble with a mob, and still on the list of racers the police want to catch. In this storyline; the only way he get out of his troubles is by entering and winning ‘The Run’ which is a 3,000 race from San Francisco to New York with the prize money of $25million at stake. Through the race Jack faces certain racers he needs to beat as well as running from the cops. At the start of the game he has to escape a crusher, drive from the mob narrowly escaping with his life through an on-coming train and then meets Sam his associate. She gets him in the race and sets out on his mission. At certain points Jack is out of his car dodging the police and the mob, and all those who faces are doing everything possible to keep him out the race. Jack is left in the final race with Marcus Blackwell (seen at the start of the game at the Crusher sight) fighting for the prize and Jack wins it in the last bit of the race by beating Marcus into the entrance of the warehouse. Post game he meets Sam in Brooklyn and she gives him the key to his cut of the prize money and vaguely alludes to another big race going down if Jack is interested in entering. In more post-match footage Jack is driving out in the desert somewhere and then is contacted by Sam asking how he is going; only for seconds later he hears the sirens of the police cars and he says:
‘There is no place I’d rather be’ which may indicate his story is set to continue or it ends there and we are free to assume his own storyline away from the game.
Legion of Thunder Creations 