At E3 we got to see the first time some glimpses of Need for Speed: Underground along with the movies we've posted locally (you can download them here and here)
We've now managed to play the latest build on both the PC and Gamecube and decided to let you in on something : Need for Speed: Underground is going to totally rock !
Well, if they keep up the quality we've seen until now, that is.

I'm not going to bore you with details on the different modes and features as those have been thrown towards gamers already like hell so you'll probably know the fact sheets by heart already. Instead we're going to give you an impression on how it plays in its latest build.

First of all we'll start with stuff EA still needs to fix.

The cars you drive look extremely beautiful but the non-playing cars are terrible. Textures are hardly present and they still look like cardboard boxes. Same goes for your AI competitors who look a bit better but not much. As example: I couldn't tell the difference during a race between a Golf and a Mitsubishi Lancer while both those cars hardly look alike. Also the edges around the car need some serious fixing still as we don't like to drive around a jagged powered up car but a lean mean driving machine ;)

The AI needs some finishing aswell. You can be ahead almost all the race but then suddenly when you break the lap record one of your competitors will come out of nowhere and drive away from you like you were standing still. Not quite realistic if you ask me. We like some competition but it needs to stay fair.

The graphics is of course one of the area's where NFS: Underground needs to shine and our first impressions are good. The mirroring of the surroundings on the road are a bit overdone but look simply fantastic. Let's just hope that the road doesn't look like a wet mirror all the time in the finished game. The rest of the surroundings have the same problem: everything looks bright and shiny but a bit over the top. Like everything has gotten a coating of chrome on it instead of only those car parts that need a coating to make it like a really tuned monster :)

You might think we're completely bashing this game but you're incorrect. We're merely stating some of the parts in development that are still going on.

One of the most important parts is the driving experience itself and I really hope the devs don't change anything for the worse here as this is the max with NFS: Underground. Whether you're playing with cockpit view or third person, the speed just blisters off the screen. You can almost feel the wind blow over the roof of your car. Really magnificent !

Taking corners while passing your opponent with screeching tires, roaring engine and pounding bass music coming out of your speakers is what you need in a game like this and that part seems to have been finished already and it rocks major ass !

Need for Speed: Underground is still a work in progress but it's shaping up incredibly well and if the developers keep up the good work, not touching the parts that are already almost perfect and just polish everything up to make things look a bit more realistic, this game is going to be one hell of a racer to beat.