Ghost Games may be off of the Need for Speed franchise but their work in Need for Speed Heat wasn’t half-bad. The game’s customization is leagues better than previous efforts and allows for personalization in a number of different ways. Upgrading one’s car usually falls into three different cores – Engine, Chassis and Auxiliary.
Let’s go over the engine first. You’ll generally have 7 to 10 available engines for each vehicle, barring some exceptions. You can have several different types of Forced Induction in an engine, which can change the overall performance depending on your set-up. Then there’s Nitrous, which will provide a nice speed boost but having more requires a higher capacity system. Going with several small Nitrous bottles allows for more opportunities to use each at the cost of overall power. If you’re interested in one large boost and know exactly where it will be needed, install a large Nitrous bottle instead.
The Chassis consists of the different suspension, brakes and tires used in a vehicle, which in turn impacts the overall handling. Depending on a part’s level, the overall handling will be impacted that much more. For example, upgrading tires will provide much more grip while also increasing acceleration. Different tires, suspension and differentials can be used for racing, drifting, off-road racing and so on.
Auxiliary allows you to have an active item, which is triggered by the player – like refilling Nitrous bottles instantly or a repair kit – and a passive item, which is always active. The latter includes more Nitrous gained when performing certain moves like drafting, dealing more damage to cop cars and so on. Think of these as perks that can further compliment your play-style or get you out of a pinch.
How do you go about acquiring new parts? Leveling up is a good reliable method since shops will stock new parts each time. There are different events which dole out parts as well though some, like High Heat events, may involve having to run from the police upon completing the race. Keep in mind that you need to partake in night activities to increase your Rep level – currency aka Bank alone will not be enough to buy new parts.
On a separate note, if you want to tune the exact sounds coming from your car’s exhaust, then Need for Speed Heat offers plenty of options here as well. Numerous sliders are available for pipe resonance, tone, and so on, and they can also change depending on performance level. It’s just another extra detail for better personalizing a car to be your own.