Need For Speed: Undercover

STRANGE as it may seem to gamers who have only discovered Need for Speed in recent times, but the first NFS game was the Gran Tu rismo of its day - a hard-core simulation, not a arcade racer.

Need for Speed Undercover is no simulation, though. It's a mixture of the arcade racing of recent NFS games and a convoluted backstory which sees your character acting as (you guessed it) an undercover agent looking to crack an organised car crime ring.

You start off with a fairly beat up old Nissan 240SX and progress to some of the finest motors money can buy. There are more than 50 from which to choose.

There's a great car modification system allowing for paint changes, after-market bodykits and the usual high speed upgrades. Don't worry, though, the modding isn't too hard.

Newbies will appreciate the forgiving physics model. It's possible to take most of the circuits with your pedal to the metal without fear of spinning out. The grip from the tyres fitted to all the cars is impossibly high.

One innovative feature is the highway battle mode where you have to catch and escape from a chase car by weaving through heavy traffic. The police are tough to shake, though, because they deploy the full arsenal of law enforcement weaponry against you.

Granted, it sometimes feels a bit cheesy, but NFS: Undercover is something of a guilty pleasure.

Gamers who just want to go fast without learning the racing line or precise braking points should look out a copy.