The last thing I want to talk about is the story mode. NFS: Carbon is a ‘spiritual sequel’ to Most Wanted if I had to judge myself. Even though EA Black Box wants Carbon to be totally removed from being associated with Most Wanted, both share similar stories. Back from Most Wanted is the main character as he leaves Rockport and heads to Carbon Canyon – a place that he already has a rich history with. A new villain is established in the opening scene, which means that there is no more Razor. I am sure many will be happy to hear that; Razor was a thorn in everybody’s side in Most Wanted. This year’s story revolved around putting together a team. There’s two types, the in-race crew and out of the race crew. The in-race crew features a ‘Drafter’, ‘Blocker’, and a ‘Pathfinder’. Outside of racing, your crew is made up of ‘Fabricators’, ‘Mechanics’, and ‘Fixers’.
The in-race crew will try their best to help you win the race. The Pathfinder will find speed ahead of you to find shortcuts. The Blocker will stay behind and get in the way of accelerating cars trying to pass. The Drafter is a member that will ride in front of you, which gives you the ability to gain speed from his current of air. The crew outside of the race will be of big help too. The Mechanics will fix your ride; the Fixers will mingle with cops to stop them from chasing after you, and the Fabricators trick out your ride with new exterior additions.
Need for Speed: Carbon is turning out to be a gem. It is set to release this November in the same timeframe as Gears of War. Not too many other racing games are planned for release in the rest of 2006 for the Xbox 360, so EA could win this holiday season by default. It isn’t exactly Most Wanted 2 nor Underground 3, but EA Black Box has enough here for a winning combination with drifting and canyon racing.
