Quality Time in Seacrest County

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A while back, my nephews and I had the opportunity to spend quality time in Seacrest County, the fictional land featured in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit. Designers of this racing game didn’t obsess over telemetry and torque curves generated on the world's most famous race tracks. Instead, they opted for a beautifully rendered, massive open world and a childhood favorite formula: Good Guys vs. Bad Guys.

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It starts with the diverse scenic vistas of Seacrest County. There are driving challenges for everyone, including coastal roads, wide-open desert highways, and snowcapped alpine routes. The maps and driving mechanics are excellent. The game's creators included many of the world's most exciting vehicles. The BMW Z4 sdrive 3.5is (whew, long name) and the Lamborghini Reventon are favorites at designbivouac.

The game delivers on a few well-honed gaming principles:

1. Support immersion- Convincing visual details in the landscape and vehicle modeling are convincing and invite drivers into the world of Seacrest County.

2. Cause and Effect Loops- Dramatic and sufficiently detailed damage simulation reinforces just enough cause and effect consequences to keep things interesting.

3. Collectibility- An impressive range of vehicles, each with its overview provided by an ecosystem of manufacturers, keeps one engaged and moving forward in the game, as does the addition of technological enhancements.

While there are many driving games out there offering more realism, few can match the sheer joy of busting bad guys or racing at high speeds across the deserts of Seacrest County. Thanks to those who spent quality time creating Seacrest County and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit. Thankfully, the game has been remastered for the PS5.

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