Equally refreshing is Undercover’s new Heroic driving engine that creatively blends real-life physics with the flashy fun of a Hollywood movie. Instead of focusing on the stiffness and jerkiness that come with a 100% realistic driving experience, Black Box made controlling vehicles a smooth and effortless experience. Flipping your car around and driving in reverse was as easy as flicking the analog stick and pressing a button, and the camera did a great job of either switching around or holding its position to make your driving look superb. It was both fun to play and fun to watch, and actually gave the game a more “cinematic” feel thanks to its subtle flashiness.

The car customization and modding found in previous games is back in full force, with hundreds of different car components, colors and finishes that can be applied to almost any car at almost any time. Other little niceties, like the ability to instantly remove damage or hop directly to a mission via the map, are welcome and help to keep the pace moving at breakneck speeds. While the game’s ability to traverse the thin line between cinema and games still remains to be seen, the developer certainly deserves credit for its work so far in creating a fun and customizable experience that brought the adrenaline like a good movie should.

On a whole, Need for Speed Undercover has the potential to bring the series back to what it does best: high-octane chases that are as fun to play as they are to watch. From highway battles and the heroic driving engine, to the little things like cop chases and chop shops, it’s one to keep an eye on as it prepares to take off in November.

Questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you .