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NEED FOR SPEED PAYBACK
The Need for Speed franchise has been through the wringer over the last decade, with more than a few entries that have left points disappointed, but 2017’s Need for Speed Payback was definitely its nadir. Rather than forcing on solid free roam gameplay, thrilling dynamic chases, and vehicle customization the way an arcade racer of its kind should, Payback instead shoved a terrible story, scripted sequences, and limited customization down players’ throats. Mechanically, it still wasn’t a bad game- but its strengths were, unfortunately, buried under a mountain of aggressive monetization, with the game being plagued by shockingly bad loot box mechanics that smothering the whole experience.
