Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Desktop Computer

Need For Speed first appeared on the radar as a supercar burnout showcase for the doomed 3DO console. Over the years, the owner of the franchise, the omnipresent Electronic Arts, has tried a number of different angles, but though NFS1 and 2 were popular, subsequent releases failed to set the world alight. The mega-publisher finally found the formula it had been looking for with the release of Need for Speed: Underground. Riding on the back of the Fast & Furious-inspired explosion of car modification culture, the game gave people real licensed cars, plenty of parts to fit, and races to enter. Many people like it so much they even put up with the rather tedious stabs at urban culture referencing, attempted by the game's pale, and no doubt middle-aged Canadian producers. NFS:U2 picked up where it left off, and EA hasn't stopped improving its street racing and tuning game skills, it would seem. The latest in the Need for Speed dynasty gets a name change, and is now subtitled Most Wanted. As well as taking part in races and improving your car's performance in line with an ever growing 'rep', they've re-introduced a theme from an earlier incarnation of the long running series - police pursuit. For that matter, fleeing the cops has been a recurring them in videogames over the years. EA has really gone to town here, though, and you get to watch as your notoriety moves you up the police 'most wanted' list, as the dogged coppers try ever more complicated ruses in their attempts to snare you. Like NFS:U2, you get a massive world to roam, plenty of real cars to choose from, and a wealth of tuning options. But this time around, you might not just change your appearance for the purposes of pimping - it might be so the watchful rozzers don't recognise you. EA does try to push all the right buttons - some would argue a little too hard - but all the same, here's a respectable package to experiment with if that's what you're after.

Buy Need for Speed: Most Wanted for 14.99 GBP

V-Rally 3
Rallying was recently voted the most incredible thing ever, don't you know. Okay, that was according to three of our weird colleagues from the office, but the vote was carried nonetheless. And it's not just us with this unshakeable belief. People sit by the roadside, halfway up a mountain, braving frostbite, sunburn, death by impact and, worst of all, shockingly bad burgers, just to catch a six se...
World League Soccer '98
Wickedly fast, involving gameplay is just one of World League Soccer's most enjoyable aspects. Choose from over 200 teams across the length and breadth of Europe, customise your own leagues, and be guided through the game by the reassuring tones of Ray Wilkins and Peter Brackley. Special combination moves and motion captured animation courtesy of Liverpool and England's Michael Owen add even more ...
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The classic mystery adventure game is one that is largely owned by the creators of the world-renowned Myst series. Many developers have tried to follow suit, but few have managed to match its intrigue and depth. However, there's a new adventure on the cards from GMX, based on a classic story, Journey to the Centre of the Earth. A fantasy game of epic proportions, Journey to the Centre of the Earth...
Rome: Total War
As the world of video games grows even more abundant in its RTS offerings, it can be difficult for some games in the genre maintain a level of interest that helps them stand out in the crowd. Creative Assembly's Total War series however, has had no such trouble. And the latest instalment of the seminal strategy game, Rome: Total War, is perhaps the most anticipated yet. Rome: Total War plays host ...
Monsters, Inc.: Scare Island
In Scare Island, players can choose to train as either Sulley or Mike (switching easily between the two at any point in the game), with each character having distinct scare tactics appropriate to their personality - Sulley's scares are ferocious and intense, while Mike's are a little more comical. Each Monster also has his own special moves - Sulley is the master of the Tailspin Slap Attack, the M...
Cricket 2004
Besides mainstream genres such as football games, beat-em-ups and racers, the video games industry also plays host to some lesser-known genres in to accommodate smaller groups of gamers. And one such genre is the cricket simulator - a game that few developers have bothered to take look at. However, Electronic Arts has had notable success with its official Cricket series, and the game has received ...