Need for Speed 5: Porsche 2000
The most well remembered title in the NFS series
NFS Porsche 2000, or Porsche, as it would later come to be known as, is a very special title in the NFS series. The game is the first one to sport very good looking graphics that still look stunning today and featured exclusively a host of Porsche cars and tracks which will take you on a trip around the world. But what makes the game stand out is the shift towards more realism that the game brought forward. The Porsche vehicles that are included all behave as you would expect, with older vehicles having more lax suspensions, less stability through curves as well as lower top speeds. The later models, including Porsche GT and even some prototypes are increasingly more powerful but also more tricky to control. While a game like Need for Speed II, for instance, could have been played without a single deceleration through an entire course, Porsche requires a lot more caution and a more realistic driving style to see yourself finishing a race and getting o place within the winners. Along with single races, and multiple races in a small championship like setting, you could also play as a Porsche vehicle test driver, where you had to show real skill in order to advance. If ever you experience the evolution of the NFS series, you really need to give Porsche a try; it's a unique game in the series, certainly not as intense and adrenaline inducing as the later titles, but rather a mellower and relaxing driving game.
NFS Porsche game review
NFS 5 - Porsch is in my opinion the most exciting and best racing game published by electronic arts - ever. You play two scenarios, evolution or test driver. As a Porsche test driver you are responsible for testing new Porsche models. More exciting however is the evolution mode. Clustered in three periods, beginning in 1956 till late 1960, early 70s till 90ties and 90ties till today (meaning 2001 then the game came out) you have access to legendary Porsche-models of each period. You start with a Porsche Ferdinand and - as the name suggests - during the early years you step by step get your hands on Porsche 1600, Speedstar, 911 from '63, the legendary Targa, Porsche Carrera, Boxer or 943. Of course you can build up your own collection of your favorite cars. The money necessary for buying cars is either earned in campionships and single-races or from selling cars which you do not like any longer. NFS Porsche offers a great car physics. Each of the cars you get has a slightly different and individual behavior in how it must be driven. (The Boxer f.ex. has a middle-engine and therefore a good stability, the Targa - due to the engine placed in the back - is a drifter) During the years there is technical improvement, esp. when you compare a Ferdinand 356 with a Boxer you see - performance, technic, interieur and behaviour while driving differ a lot. Graphics of the game are still all right - considered the age untill now. I can only recommend this game to everbody who likes racing games and to those guys who do not yet know that they like racing games. After they played NFS Porsche they will love it... 1000 points!
