EA isn’t known for its ability to surprise people. Witness the annual ritual of FIFA being rubbish, EA’s best games being those produced by non-EA developers and sequels, sequels, damned sequels. But sometimes, when the planets align, even EA can find the power to surprise people. The publisher doesn’t mean for it to happen, it just does. So it proved with Need For Speed Most Wanted – a racing game doomed to an early fate as Generic EA Pap #58 but actually was… alright. Okay. Pretty good fun.

Surprise number two: Need For Speed Carbon isn’t rubbish either. Again, it’s breaking the mould by being rather good. As you might expect, this shares a lot of DNA with its older brother Most Wanted, so the core gameplay hasn’t shifted an inch. The handling still strikes a comfortable balance between realism and arcade buoyancy. You can’t carelessly ping cars around corners like they were micro machines but conversely, there’s no racing line boredom that has to be adhered to. It’s loose, it’s breezy and it’s the game’s handling that keeps the racing light and frothy without feeling too easy. There are further additions, such as boosting and the pointless slowing-time-down-to-take-corners nonsense, but these are trimmings rather than the actual meat of Carbon. Those who are used to Most Wanted’s throttle will find the minor adjustments easy to deal with. Newcomers shouldn’t be too far behind them.

What has changed is the structure. Gone is the rigid blacklist structure and in its place is a territories gimmick, where you conquer different areas on your map and move your gang into the city. It’s a case of same smell, different exhaust – you’re still winning races, no matter how it’s dressed up – but it does feel like a part of an overarching battle for control of the city. Best of all are the attempts to take over or defend a territory, with a slew of gang cars lying in wait. Unlike the polite three-atmost jabs Most Wanted throws at you, Carbon is at its best with 16-car gang wars. If that sounds chaotic, consider the police have been ramped up too, with rhino trucks and SWAT vans putting in an appearance to stop you blazing a fiery trail through the city. It’s a much shorter career mode, being a quick-fire sprint in comparison to Most Wanted’s epic marathon, but it’s more focused.

The hardcore racing fans might not like it but the ability to trigger trackside objects returns and there are a lot more impromptu short cuts to discover. Having trouble finding them? You can send a Scouter up ahead. Or you can send a Blocker to cut off the path of your rivals. Or you can even have a Drifter in front of you, so you can use the slipstream. Team-mates are the biggest (translation: only) tool to the way you race and learning how to manage them is an important part of mastering Carbon. The game looks nicer too. Unlike Most Wanted’s low contrast, Daytona-beach city, this is a brightly lit metropolis with chav-neons adding a touch of Walthamstow to the mix.

Our only complaint is that Carbon is guilty of trying too hard. With various races, customisation options, teammates to manage and territories to fight for, you can get dragged around the city by EA’s overeager hand without pause for thought. It’s an attempt to keep the pace high and the boredom low, but Most Wanted’s charm was its do-as-you-please pacing – something found in Carbon – but it quickly gets lost under a glut of flashing icons littered all over the map. It’s possible to stick with the laissez faire attitude of free roam but sooner or later, the dazzle of the flashing icons will irritate you into chasing storyline dead-ends and the like.

Need For Speed Carbon won’t revolutionise gaming, but those who liked Most Wanted will instantly take to this, but those who hated it won’t find any solace or sympathy in Carbon. It’s an evolution rather than a revolution and as such, doesn’t offer a vastly different flavour of racing to its predecessor. Even so, it’s hard to think those with such a strong stance against Need For Speed are little more than racing snobs who had already formed an opinion before even trying it. Our advice to them is to sit down and try EA’s latest. After all, they might be surprised...

Ryan King