Reviews

Following directly on from NFS Most Wanted, Carbon finds you clawing your way back up the street racing ladder under Darius' wing. Help is given in the form of Darius' ex-girlfriend Nikki, who reluctantly agrees to show you the ropes. Yes, Carbon is basically the usual "avoid-the-cops" show that Need For Speed is known for...with a few new toys.

There are some new vehicles available, such as the Chrysler 300C SRT 8 and the Audi Le Mans Quattro, which you can customize once you've earned enough money from races. Carbon also has the new feature of giving you a crew to work with. These people have one of three different skills that will help you win a race - there's a Blocker, a Drafter and a Scout.

Who needs Sat Nav when you've got giant pink arrows?

A Blocker, if you engage him, will get in the way of the car in front of you, allowing you to pass. A Drafter gets in front of you so that you ride his (or her) slipstream and slingshot ahead, and finally a Scout zips ahead to find short cuts off the beaten track for you. You start off with Blocker Neville and can hire others onto your crew as you progress through Career Mode (Neville and co also double as mechanics).

Your aim in Career mode is to take over the three major gang territories in Palmont by racing the gangs (and eventually the bosses) to conquer the entire district. As well as street races there are also canyon races, where you're given drift (slide) challenges on dangerous hills that could see your car going over a steep drop. There are the usual time-trials, checkpoint races and the option to customize your car's paint, windows, vinyl and ride height (although most of these add-ons will need to be unlocked in Career and Challenge modes).

Just like in Operation, it's not a good idea to touch the sides in Canyon Races