Need for Speed: High Stakes

Need for Speed: High Stakes
Developer(s) EA Canada (PS)
EA Seattle (PC)
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Producer(s) Hanno Lemke
Programmer(s) Daniel Teh (PS1)
Sam Deasy (PC)
Composer(s) Rom Di Prisco
Saki Kaskas
Crispin Hands
Series Need for Speed
Platform(s) PlayStation, Microsoft Windows
Release PlayStation
  • NA: March 1, 1999
  • EU: 1999
Microsoft Windows
  • NA: June 1, 1999
  • EU: 1999
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Need for Speed: High Stakes, released as Need for Speed: Road Challenge in Europe is a 1999 racing video game released by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. A version of the game was released for Microsoft Windows-based computers a few months later.

Gameplay

It is the fourth game in the Need for Speed series, once again featuring a host of exotic sport cars and tracks located in Western Europe and North America. High Stakes is particularly notable within the series for being the first installment to include a vehicle damage model and a genre-standard "career" system. An updated Hot Pursuit mode also returns from Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit. High Stakes builds upon the previous Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. The standard races and police pursuits are bolstered by a new type of race (High Stakes) and two new pursuit modes (Getaway and Time Trap). The now-standard career system was introduced, with its scenarios and budget balancing. Vehicle physics are also improved, chiefly with the introduction of a damage model that affects both the appearance and performance of a given vehicle.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(PS) 84.38%[1]
(PC) 83.08%[2]
Metacritic(PS) 86/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame(PC) [4]
(PS) [5]
EGM8.63/10[6]
Famitsu30/40[7]
GameFan82%[8]
Game Informer8.75/10[9]
GamePro(PS) [10]
(PC) [11]
Game RevolutionA−[12]
GameSpot(PS) 8.7/10[13]
(PC) 8.6/10[14]
IGN(PS) 8.8/10[15]
(PC) 7.5/10[16]
OPM (US)[17]
OPM (UK)8/10[18]
PC Gamer (US)82%[19]
The Cincinnati Enquirer[20]

Need for Speed: High Stakes received positive reviews from critics upon release, mostly for the new features such as vehicle damage, vehicle customization and the new career mode, as well as for its exciting police chases. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation version 84.38% and 86/100,[1][3] and GameRankings gave the PC version 83.08%.[2] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS version a score of 30 out of 40.[7] In the UK, Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the same version eight out of ten'.[18] However, Official UK PlayStation Magazine also said that (like its previous installment) it could not compete with other racing titles such as Gran Turismo and R4: Ridge Racer Type 4.

High Stakes was named the best racing game of 1999 by CNET Gamecenter.[21] It was a runner-up for Computer Games Strategy Plus's prize in this category, which ultimately went to Dirt Track Racing. The editors wrote, "Graphically, it has few peers. And the High Stakes mode really made it more than just another pretty face."[22]

References

  1. 1 2 "Need for Speed: High Stakes for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Need for Speed: High Stakes for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Need for Speed: High Stakes for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  4. ↑ Wigmore, Glenn. "Need for Speed: High Stakes (PC) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  5. ↑ The Jaded Critic. "Need for Speed: High Stakes (PS) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Need for Speed: High Stakes (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999.
  7. 1 2 "プレイステーション - オーバードライビンIV". Famitsu. 915: 20. June 30, 2006.
  8. ↑ "REVIEW for Need for Speed: High Stakes (PS)". GameFan. March 29, 1999.
  9. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (April 15, 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes (PS)". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 20, 2000. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ Air Hendrix (1999). "Need for Speed High Stakes Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 13, 2005. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ Chick, Tom (July 31, 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on August 11, 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ Johnson, Sean (April 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes Review (PS)". Game Revolution. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (March 31, 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes Review (PS)". GameSpot. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  14. ↑ Chin, Elliott (July 9, 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes Review (PC)". GameSpot. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (March 24, 1999). "Need for Speed 4: High Stakes [sic] (PS)". IGN. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  16. ↑ Lopez, Vincent (June 29, 1999). "Need for Speed 4: High Stakes [sic] (PC)". IGN. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Need for Speed: High Stakes". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. 1999.
  18. 1 2 "Need for Speed: Road Challenge". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. Future Publishing (46). June 1999.
  19. ↑ Mahood, Andy (September 1999). "Need for Speed: High Stakes". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  20. ↑ Bottorff, James (1999). "High Stakes passes with flying colors". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  21. ↑ The Gamecenter Staff (January 21, 2000). "The Gamecenter Awards for 1999!". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on June 6, 2000.
  22. ↑ Staff (March 6, 2000). "The Computer Games Awards; The Best Games of 1999". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on March 24, 2005.
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