Need For Speed: Porsche 2000 (PS1) - Garden Village

Quick Race
00 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet (996) against random opponents
Difficulty: Hard

NFS: Porsche Unleashed is the fifth installment in the series and heads in a somewhat different direction this time around. It was released in 2000 on Playstation and PC, as well as a GBA port centred around the PC version.

The PC version was the only title to be developed by EA themselves, being EA Canada. PC versions had usually been developed by EA Seattle up to this point but maybe they were busy for this project. As such, EA Canada who previously helmed the Playstation NFS titles took ownership of this port. This version is often referred to as a 'sequel' to High Stakes on PS1, which used more of a sim-cade model and I can agree with that.

The Playstation version is developed by Eden Studios, previously known for their work on V-Rally 2 (a game I have not played). I was hesitant to play this for a long time as the graphics and car models look worse than its predecessor on Playstation. However, when I finally got round to trying it, I was very impressed. The single player mode lacks many options as not all courses are available (even when you beat the game), there is no traffic, no police and knockouts do not exist. To summarise, single player mode is disappointing. Where this version's strength's do lie however, is with the evolution mode. It is brilliant, absolutely fantastic! It feels more reminscent of a Gran Turismo game compared to the PC version and the fact that you cannot upgrade cars only adds to the challenge. The events never get repetitive as they keep the number limited, though I will get harder as you progress through. The factory driver on the other hand is quite underwhelming compared to the PC counterpart, and it feels like they rushed through this. Two other incredible upsides are the soundtrack, which is vastly superior to the PC version's small handful of tracks, featuring not only techno but rock as well. The tracks are based all around the world including France, Scotland, Germany, Japan, USA and in world circuit locations. There is also a time of day option with races taking place at night and in weather, both which were absent from the PC version. Overall, this version is very impressive and excels mainly for its career mode and soundtrack.

The PC version was fully developed by EA Canada, who had last worked on NFS: High Stakes on PS1 and it shows. Many consider this version to be the best, and I do agree with this statement. It actually feels like a proper NFS game but it is a simulation this time. The car list represents more of the same as the Playstation version but each car controls well and has its own unique handling system. Single player mode is more advanced, allowing players to select all tracks in the game (unlike the PS1 version), laps, traffic or they can participate in knockouts/lap knockouts. This is all very exciting for re-playability. The evolution mode is very enjoyable as well, providing a ton of endless events through all eras, you come feeling successful. Another point to mention is that all cars you purchase/win on evolution can be used on single player in all its upgraded glory. This could not be done on the PS1 version unfortunately. Factory driver mode is far more polished and developed here than on PS1 and you really feel a sense of progression racing against these drivers. The graphics are not quite as good as High Stakes on PC as there were less options to change/modify but you can still apply software renderer, direct3D or better still, glide. The tracks on this version are in my opinion some of the best we have ever seen next to NFS III and High Stakes. Online is still available today and many mods can be implemented into the game. This is the best version to play the game in my opinion and is the last of three consecutive golden age titles.

Playstation - 8/10
PC - 8.5/10
GBA - NA (I have not played it)
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