Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed was a fantastic racing game for it's time and even by todays standards. It improved on all aspects of the previous Need for Speed: High Stakes, aside from vehicle variety but I love Porsches so this isn't a con imo. NFS:PU has one of my top 10 favorite soundtracks in all of racing games. If someone were to experience Porsche Unleashed for the first time after playing the most recent Need for Speed titles you would have a great appreciation for it. It will be very evident how much thought and design went into the formers career mode progression. As old as this game is I'd highly recommend it to any racing game fan. Plus you could run this game today on a toaster or a computer at your local library. This game truly hits nostalgia for many who played it in the past.
@@YellowbirdYT On a side note have you ever tried playing the game with the miniature RC car cheat active? It scales down the cars pretty dramatically which makes the roads much wider. It definitely ruins the overall scale but I remember having fun with it as a kid.
It was the ONLY auto simulator from the whole series. the rest of them are pure arcade. I wish have the old NFS Porsche , with that engine but with today graphics.
In fact, there is actually a game based on Chevrolet, (only on Corvette's though), called Corvette. For one side, it has a very twitchy handling and ratter repetitive tracks, while on the other side has a pretty decent visual aspect, an amazing selection of Corvette's, (this game is not called Corvette for no reason), and a mini composed soundtrack.
RUF is such a good brand, most people just assume they rip-off Porsche. Personally I find their creations way too original to be called rip-offs and worthy of a spot in most video games, even if Porsches are featured. A few years ago they offered a new CTR, made from scratch, based off the old body. This time it was made in carbon-fiber and it was like a new car!
I remember finding out about this game only after playing HP2, UG and UG2. Even back then Porsche was my favourite car brand, so I decided to try out the game. I was thrown away by how difficult it was (for me at the time). Since English isn't my mother tongue, I didn't really know what "Factory driver" or "Evolution mode" were. I just pressed the colourful buttons to see what would happen. I somehow got very close to the end of Factory driver (I couldn't pass the Porsche commercial challenge, since I didn't know how to use manual transmission) so I moved onto Evolution mode. I somehow managed to pass Classic Era without upgrading my cars (I didn't know you could buy parts, let alone install them onto the cars), but the 914 challenge kicked my ass. At that point I decided to stop playing it and play UG instead while waiting for MW to come out. This was all in 2004-2005. Roughly 10 years later I decided I wanted to complete this darn game, since it was the only NFS that I picked up and didn't finish. This time the driving was a pleasant surprise, especially after playing HP 2010 and MW 2012. With my English now far better, I was able to figure out what was going on in the game. Factory driver now made sense. The challenges weren't some random things that you had to do, you had to do them to prove yourself as a good driver for Porsche. Evolution mode was an amazing experience. After finding out how to buy and install new parts for the cars, the races felt like child's play and I finally got to show Dylan (if you know him, you know him) who's boss. What you said about the Golden and Modern eras, about there not being enough variety when it comes to cars - I somewhat agree. Not having the 924, the 928, the 959, the 968 (yeah, I know that that's a Modern era car by the game's standards, I'm just giving it as an example) and any other version of the 911 other that the 2.7 Carrera RS and the 930 Turbo was disappointing. Although I think that the Modern era was slightly better in this regard than the Golden era. Yeah, unlocking cars for the tournaments that you just beat was kind of a bummer, but you needed A LOT of money during the Modern era (I'm not a huge fan of the "buy used car, fix it and sell it" idea) and replaying those tournaments with a different car actually felt fresh. The different models actually felt different on the road. You could tell if you were driving a 964 Carrera 4, a 993 Carrera 4 or a 996 Carrera 4. To conclude, I don't think that this is the greatest NFS ever made, but I do think that it's the greatest game under the NFS name.
PS: I recommend the PlayStation version of NFS High Stakes to everyone who enjoyed the driving physics of the PC version of NFS Porsche Unleashed. I find them very similar, even though High Stakes are more primitive, because of (I guess) hardware limitations.
I can relate. Back then I didn't know a single word of English either! Games were harder thanks to the language barrier, but it did teach me a language so I guess we are even. Anyone who played this game has PTSD from hearing/reading the name "Dylan" I'm willing to bet money on it.
I know I'm not the only one who try to complete Evolution mode without upgrading the cars because I didn't know the upgrade is exist yet (Of course because English isn't my main language) and the best I can go is 996 Carrera Cup. The 914 tournament isn't that bad compare to the 944 Cup, which is the worst if you don't know how to upgrade your car, the AI car will finish even before you reach half of the race. Thank god you can pass the 944 tournament and go for the 930 Turbo tournament by buying 930 3.0, which does fairly well in the tournament. And then buy the new 944 Turbo S to pass the 944 tournament
You're not the only one who grew up with the game. It was my first pc game I saw my brother play and also thr first game I myself have played, it started my love for porsche and cars in general. It's nice to know that I'm not the only person who felt this way for this truly underrated game.
Just discovered your channel through Tokyo Extreme Racer video, and you has a potential to become one of the best old Racing games UA-camr Can't wait for you to cover some classics like Midnight Club, Juiced and other cool stuff from 2000's!
This takes me back a while. Porsche Unleashed is the reason I'm still looking for a 911 as my aspirational car. A few more years and it might become a reality.
Man, your work is so underappreciated. I just played this game, boy do I love it. The shitty texture of the road, colorful and clear sky, driving physics and of course, Porsches.
As someone who grew up with both Underground 2 and High Stakes it's really cool to see that in recent years the classic NFS games have been receiving a lot more attention. Even though I do like the BlackBox era and most of my time with the series growing up was spend on those games, there's no denying that there was something truly special about those older NFS games. In the same way how boomer shooters have become a thing in recent years, I think we need some back to basics boomer racing games that can capture the essence of those late 90's racing gems.
Some products are timeless, they end up being enjoyed by people decades after their release. Some other are a product of their time, even if they are excellent, these products tend to be hard to approach after this period and its trends fade away. I always try to make that difference, as you can't repeat a formula and expect it to work when it has already been done way too many times.
The game handles well with a controller, though depending on your MB's USB board controller, the peripherals you have, and just dumb luck, getting an analog controller to register is an utter pain. My old ASUS motherboard I had to play switchboard with the ports to use one, while my new MSI motherboard was perfectly plug-n-play after turning the RGB driver off, for some reason. Weird stuff, High Stakes didn't have this problem, so I wonder how the devs broke it... And here's a protip for yall. Check the car's showcase specs. At the end of the day, the best trim level of each car after upgrades in this game (especially the 356es) is more often than not going to be the one with the highest redline. The engine upgrades in this game do not affect the car's maximum RPM, so getting a trim with a larger engine already in but a lower redline in its specs rather than engine swapping the car with the smaller engine with 200 more RPM with the bigger engine is just going to gemp your acceleration and top speed. A very weird programming oversight if you ask me.
Yeah, this game has fame for being really picky with hardware. I had no problems to play with a controller (funny enough, I have an ASUS mobo) but I can't guarantee everyone will have a smooth ride trying to make it work.
9:36. To be fair at least they included the 1.7. the 1.8 and 2 liter version of the 914 and you can also do an engine swap if my memory serves me right if you bought a less powerful version. ^ ^ I love this game even today. The only thing I miss from this game is that you can't use the 959 in evolution mode which doesn't make any sense since this car was the world’s first-ever production car to have active suspension. Also a Porsche 912 could have been fun which is basically 1.6-liter air cooled flat-4 from the last of the 356s with a 911 body. Thanks for making a video about this classic it really deserves the attention probably the most underrated NFS in the franchise.
@@YellowbirdYT I didn't know this. I repeated this championship a lot because it's one my favourite thanks to handling of the 914 but didn't know about this. It was probably just a mistake by the developers however it is more fun once you achive the more powerful 914s.
It's incredible to find a channel with well crafted videos with good editing, material and commentary Can't wait to see your growth and more content in the future, peace!
Great rap at 19:17 Awesome video, much appreciated. One of my favorite racing games, although I only could play on psONE, and it wasn't as awesome as it would have been on PC.
Thank you! I think the PSX had massive shoes to fill, it would never be as good. But they surely dropped the ball for me, again, it's not the worse game of the world!
I was just playing this game a few days ago, for some reason one of the songs of this game was playing in the back of my mind and i knew that i needed to get this game again after so long
First of all, thank you for acknowledging this game. I’ve played many Need for Speed titles-yes, even the first one on DOS-and also Need for Speed: V-Rally 2 on both PS and Dreamcast which was not a NFS franchise, Hot Pursuit 2, Underground 2, Most Wanted, Carbon, and the last one for me was ProStreet. However, I eventually reached a decision: the newer NFS games weren’t worth my time. Now, if you ask me which version stands out as the best, my answer would undoubtedly be Porsche 2000 Unleashed. Why? Let me break it down: Physics Engine: Among the NFS series, Porsche 2000 Unleashed boasted the best physics engine. The handling felt authentic, and the vehicle dynamics were spot-on. Soundtracks: The game’s soundtracks were a masterpiece. They set the mood perfectly, enhancing the overall experience. HUD Customization: The ability to customize the heads-up display (HUD) was a game-changer. It allowed players to tailor their interface, making it feel more personal. Visuals: The environments in Porsche 2000 Unleashed were stunning. What’s more, they didn’t suffer from the odd color filter that plagued Most Wanted. The attention to detail was commendable. Now, I haven’t mentioned every positive aspect of the game because later titles improved in various areas. But the sheer fun I had with Porsche 2000 Unleashed-both on PC and the PS version-remains unmatched. It’s a masterpiece that some fans of the Black Box titles might have missed out on because they were too young back those days to play video games. Speaking of Black Box games, while they’re undeniably fun, their physics were so poor, childish, unrealistic and awful. Cars felt like they lacked any suspension system at all (even Crash Team Racing handled better!). And let’s not even get started on the OST-some tracks were acceptable, but others missed the mark. In summary, Black Box NFS titles are enjoyable, but they don’t claim the top spot. That honor goes to Porsche 2000 Unleashed. By the way, your driving skill is bad!
Can't believe how many points this video ticks in my case. This is also the first racing game I ever played, although the PS1 version. Although as you said those unbreakable street lamps and signs were annoying, they taught you a good lesson how to properly enter a turn in order not to hit them. But yeah, this game also made me a car enthusiast (not extremely tho), at specially for the Porsche cars. It's became my favorite sports car and still is...and I still dream of owning one. But yeah, the PC to PS differences are amazing IMO.
I would agree with that statement, but the handling in the PSX release is super sensitive for my taste, you kind of have to throw the cars at a weird angle, it never feels natural for me. Honestly, I'm impressed there's so much people with a similar experience as mine, goes to prove my point that racing games have raised this generation of car enthusiasts.
@@YellowbirdYT There is an option in the pause menu actually to configure the car sensitivity and in the car tuning before the race it also can be configured (but as another bar, is not the same). It seems that they know it.
The evolution mode gave you the opportunity to choose between tournaments of a given time and era. E.g. you didnt have to absolve the first 911 turbo tournament right away with the 75 3.0 but at a later point with the 78 3.3 if you had finished another tournament before
Actually, that is the only time when you're allowed to choose. You can do the 911 Turbo tournament once the 3.3 is unlocked and wrap the Golden era by doing the 944 cup in '88, which means the 944 Turbo S will be unlocked. That is usually how I do it. After that, it's mostly a linear progression!
I remember getting this game on a flea market for a few euros long long time ago and it was a very unique experience for sure. I really love games that focuses on one car manufacturer (like OutRun 2006,Ford Racing,etc.) because it gives the chance to show the brands legacy and historical moments and Porsche Unleashed is a great example. I really would love to see another game that focuses on only one car brand and features these similar traits like Porsche Unleashed did but more fledged out. Oh and don't forget the soundtrack though: the OST is a banger
First video game I ever played as well, I was 4 years old and had the time of my life playing this. Everything you said about the PC version was spot on! I remember downloading the patches from EA's website for the 959, 996 GT3 Cup, 993 GT2 Race Version, and 928 GTS wishing these cars were in Evolution mode or at least tunable. The transition from Classic Era to Golden Era was extremely difficult and the Factory Driver events you described reminded me of all the difficulties I faced with this game. However, I agree 100% with you that this game was a masterpiece. My ultimate racing game dream is for EA or someone else to release an updated version of this game with a complete car history list, remaster/add tracks to the game, and keep remaster the original soundtrack. I just feel like there are a small amount of people like us who realize a quality game like this and don't want to see flames and obnoxious wings/body kits on their cars like most of the car culture today wants. No shade on Underground and Most Wanted, or even games leading up the the end of the black box era - those games were amazing in their own way, but the new Need For Speeds today are way too bland and have no substance.
i feel like the pc devs went all-in on ambitiously including every possible 356 variant and then ran out of time to do the same for the rest of the catalogue. the ps1 version is a worse game but i think it has a more well-rounded car list overall. funny thing is the 928 and 959 you mentioned in the video were actually dlc cars, along with the 911 gt2 and gt3, and originally were only playable in quick race and didnt have any events in evolution mode. the 959 in particular was a really glaring omission. did one of the patches or a mod add tournaments for those cars? the last time i played it i of course installed certain patches to make the game run, but it wouldve been cool to get to race those cars in evolution mode.
NFS Porsche was one of my first games on PC. Shame there were few things cut from PC version that appeared on PS1 - cars. Makes me wonder why did they drop the idea of implementing 924, 968, 917 in PC release, especially when they released few DLC vehicles (959, GT2, GT3, 928 GTS)
Beats me, really. I think it's down to different studios making both games, which probably meant they wanted to change the line-up slightly to separate them. Shame, really.
Although the DLC cars can appear in career mode with the essensial patch and they have its own price and parts, but no race allows them to be used, even ones that have no restrictions, so probably they wanted to include it, but like always probably a lack of time to implement them properly.
One of my favourite games of all time. I'm still playing it with the 3D mod it looks great 23 years later. I used to play it online also but I didn't have a very good connection back then. Last I checked (years ago) there is still a server hosting it but no one is ever on. Shift & Shift 2 weren't bad but I like PU better. Yes I wish they made more like this. 😎 If you're using a gamepad (& I see you are) you have to play with a wheel & pedals. The only way to play any driving game. Thanks for reminiscing. 👍
NFS was a simcade to begin with. NFS PU was such a classy game. I made a mod for it in 2007, converting a LP640 into the game. I had to plugin like a 100 different variables. The version you have also happens to have the reflection mod I made. Nice to see it after all this time. I've been playing the PS1 High Stakes for a while now, really enjoying it, since it has similar physics. Anyway, great video bro!
That's interesting, I got a few patches to make it work properly (recording it wasn't easy, though) and I assume it must have been among the stuff I installed. Always nice to see people working to improve these games, they deserve a bit more love. Thanks!
@@YellowbirdYT Most certainly. The original game has a plastic-like shine which looked terrible. I tried my best to make something that'll look good on any car, and it made a significant improvement, although real-time reflections would have been ideal. Unfortunately modding this game had many limitations, unlike NFS High Stakes on PC. Couldn't edit the tracks, couldn't have an animated driver in a mod car, and we couldn't increase the size of the textures on anything that came with the game. Which is why I haven't made a mod in about 14 years now. Someone will need to develop the tools for us to create a true remaster. I'm really digging the Assetto Corsa modding community these days, by far the closest thing to what Classic NFS used to be. But it is nice to see you and your audience appreciating this thing of beauty.
@@AmirGTR PU was a bit of a nightmare, wasn't it? I don't really think this situation will improve, I settle with playing this game on modern hardware. Assetto is an excellent game, good to see you found a better place for your skillset. Personally I can't play much Assetto as I spend more time looking at mods than driving!
@@YellowbirdYT It wasn't too bad, it was limited in some ways, but the performance testing was a lot of fun, and watching the panels open individually was very satisfying. I hear you man, I have so many mods on AC that I don't even feel the need to make any new ones!
First of all great video, it´s refreshing to see someone who talks about classic NFS games and gives them the spotlight they deserve. I would love to see your thoughts on the other 5 games (NFS 1 - HP2). And by the way are you from a Spanish speaking country ?, I recognize that accent since I'm also from a Spanish speaking country (Uruguay) and when it comes time speak in english I sound kinda like that, but none the less good job. Cheers.
I was 9 years old when this game came out. It was foundational for me as well. I remember just killing it in evolution mode...until that damn Carrera RS XD
We got our first desktop PC in 2001 and the guy who built it for us gave us this game as a bundle. Best freebie ever. I spent so much time playing this game as a teenager. I would keep coming back to this game all the time. The graphics even hold up well despite the game's age. This game didn't make me an enthusiast, but it did play into my liking of history and this game does do well to show you the history of the Porsche brand. EA needs to make this game accessible to more people....specifically the PC version. I remember trying the PS1 version very recently and going "What is this crap? This isn't NFS Porsche Unleashed!" Glad I grew up oblivious to the PS1 version lol.
Licensing is a nightmare for old racing games, really. There's not much you can do about it sadly. The PSX version is a disappointment for anyone who touched the PC release first, I still cannot comprehend how I played it for so many hours.
I remember Porsche Challenge really fondly even though it only had 1 car, but I had somehow missed this game. I still wish Porsche would appear in more normal racing games, though.
I saw a few videos of Porsche Challenge, it only had a Boxster if I recall. In no small part, Porsche's license used to be unobtanium thanks to NFS PU, hah. EA kept them in a exclusivity deal for ages.
Great game, i remember buying it with my first geforce tnt2 ultra videocard. The Carrera 2.7 was very twitchy and the 911 Turbo was very weighty in the back i remember. Viper Racing is also a great game from this period.
Great video! I grew up with this game too and I credit it with being a big part of why I'm a car and driving enthusiast today. The evolution mode, the performance customization, the demanding simcade physics and the patience-testing "factory driver" mode all made an impression on me that gave me a lasting appreciation for the kind of detailed driving physics in games that allow you to play around with weight transfer and reward smoothness and balance. From what you've said about the physics in this game, I feel like you'd have a lot to say about Grand Theft Auto IV's much criticised vehicle physics model. I wouldn't describe it quite as simcade (although there are mods for that...), but with its exaggerated body roll and complicated interactions between brakes, tyres and weight transfer, I always felt like GTA IV had something in common with NFS 5 in this regard. I loved it, but it wasn't well liked by the GTA fanbase as a whole. Wrong audience for that kind of thing, perhaps?
You know. I thought about it, IV is probably my favorite GTA, minus VC thanks to nostalgia. I never understood the complaints as it felt quite natural for me. In reality, the link between car enthusiasts and GTA is closer than it might seem, haha.
@@YellowbirdYT and that's where i stopped playing the carrer mode, and instead went to mess around with other sh*t in the game. btw, there are 3 addon cars, 2 of which appear in the later NFS titles, that also appear in the PS1 version, oh, and the 928 gts, too.
I would like a remake of PU, with such model families as 718, 918, 991 including circuit prototypes, no huge graphic changes and same damage ♥️We used to play it in a PC club when I was a boy ♥️thank you for this great video 👍
I fondly remember this game, probably the best car handling physics of its era. Once you learned how to do the spins they become second nature (turn the steering wheel back the other way as you hit the 180 mark). It might be one of the best games for learning how to do spins and also for learning rear engine handling. It was because of this game that I can actually be fast in the rear engine cars in games like GT and Forza (where most people avoid the rear engine cars).
It's one of the few non-simulators where the rear engine layout feels somewhat real. Cars understeer if you aren't on the throttle, cars spin out if you lift-off while turning. Really one of the best games to learn the basics, as a kid I struggled. Nowadays I adore it.
I only recently (6mo ago) found out about and played NFS Porsche Unleashed, thanks to a friend who played it when he was a kid. I loved every second of playing it, Evolution and Factory Driver. IN fact I loved it so much that we set up a Hamachi LAN server and somehow got multiplayer to work. I do wish that EA would give us a game like this soon, I'm not sure I will even buy Unbound at this rate.
Porsche unleashed , what can i say ? taught me many things about cars and made me fall in love with the Porsche brand , the game-play is so satisfying once mastered and the economy system in evolution mode , where you buy classic cars ,fix them and sell them for a profit is brilliant , and factory driver story mode was fun , refreshing. great to see some people have my prospect , others follow underground or most wanted thinking it was peak NFS . My favorite era of NFS games was from 1-6 , and my personal favorite is highstakes , but every game from 1-6 , i played religiously , absolutely love them to death My first game to play on the PC back in 1999 was highstakes , so you can imagine the amount of nostalgia i have for these games and thank you for having an amazing usser name , yellow bird , like the CTR1 WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS !!
Well, they kind of did that with Nissan! Jokes aside, I think a game with decent physics can be excellent for most manufacturers, a good look through their history while keeping people invested to keep playing.
25:40 For me, it was the second racing game in my life, after the NFS III Hot Pursuit. But I am also a year older, so when I started playing racing games the NFS Porsche wasnt widely known around here. However I still remember my father buying the MOMO Racing wheel just to play NFS Porsche. At that time my English skills consisted only of words like "race, quit, car". I could not for the life of me find out how to tune those cars cars and I couldnt progress past the golden era. So I moved on. I started playing NFS VI Hot Pursuit II. And TBH although the graphics were a huge improvement, I found the game to be boring. You couldnt place spike strips yourself, and being the cop consisted only of constant ramming into fleeing cars. Just booring. So I switched to the new (at that time) Most Wanted, and found myself completely lost due to my very low language skills at that time. Then, a few years later, sometimes around the year 2010 or so, I tried the Need for speed Porsche again. And I loved it. I mastered driving each and every car, even the very difficult ones like C2.7. I found out how to tune cars and since then I have always looked for games which allow complex car tuning and realistic physics. This brought me to Racedriver Grid and Dirt 1, and later to Assetto Corsa (which I play to this day). And sim racing really started my true passion for cars. In 2017 I´ve decided to fix my dad´s old sports coupe, which has been a pile of rusty parts since early 1990s. And after few years, the complete repair was finished. Then at 2020 I started my automobile diagnostics studies. And now in 2024 I make racecars and sportscars for a living.
Something i dont like about this game is how the late end cars when upgraded heavily outperform the race cars (specifically the 996 variants versus the GT1 and the Moby Dick), also i think i prefer the PS1 car list, although some of the cars appears on PC as DLCs they are poor mans compared to other cars of the same class, (the GT3 and 959 especially were a bit dissapointing after using it in the PS1 version). I also like how in PS1 the music and some elements of the tracks changes according to the era, it really gives it a lot of personality imo.
That's true, the race cars feel kind of pointless as you can beat them with modified cars. The 959 in the PSX is outright broken and it's such a challenge in the class 1 tournament!
@@YellowbirdYT After having played the PSX version multiple times i find the weekend races (you know, the single races, i think they were called like that?) to be much harder. The car however is way too fast for the tracks they were present to you, although i can get use to it now. I feel like it would be better if the tournament was on any of the race tracks. That 959 is on par with the 917k and the GT1, lol.
"Brakes aren't meant to be used in the last ten meters before a corner" got some laughs from me. The poor brakes being abused by us driving the cars to the limit. Anyway I've only ever tried the PS1 version (the ultra arcadey one), I might try the PC version if I can be bothered to check myabandonware sometime. I just love arcade racers with some depth in it's handling physics: Prostreet, Grid 2, Driver SF (technically not a racing game but well), Driveclub, Gravel, and Wreckfest. Wondering if you might cover some of them one day.
Brilliant review. I remember playing the heck out of this game. And the showcase advertising for the brand really caught me. I really loved the challenge of finding the racing line and the physics were great for the time. What was not mentioned here is that EA actually had DLC cars for the PC version that you could download from the website. Not sure if you can still get them and I don't remember which they were. Correction: Just googled it, it were the 996 GT2, 996 GT3, 928 GTS and 959 and you still can download them from the archived NFS page ...
Yeah, most copies have them installed today as said patch is required for the game to work nowadays. So I didn't mention them, the fact they don't have any events as well. The 959 and 928 could have been pretty useful for progression, but it's what we got. Glad you enjoyed the video!
9:43 Seems that you are playing the fan updated release which removes the possibility of buying the 2.0 engine for the 914 in the year 1970 (which is when the event start), probably to make it more "realistic" since the 2.0 wasnt released in real life in that year i think, but... it makes the car more slower and the race harder as a result. I played the retail version of the game that comes without any updates and you can have the 914/4 with the 914 2.0 engine without having to wait.
I want to like this game, but the fact it only has Porsche cars is a major turn off for me. I like variety in my car lists, both in car type and manufacturer, and this game doesn’t really have that. To me, the definitive NFS experience would be any of the Hot Pursuit games.
Unfortunate, considering Porsche is one of the few manufacturers that could make this work. Sadder still this gameplay structure and level of quality was never really seen again, even in the HP games.
Doesn't are problem, there is a big variety of models with different performance, handling, luxury and others elements, you doesn't need to drive only 911 models.
@@YellowbirdYT there’s some stuff you can do to be able to play it offline, but it’s basically just a quick race mode. Outside of racing against AI, nothing is able to be done offline.
This game really introduced me to Porsches, didn't really care about them before this game... As you said in your video the progression is what got to me and your could really see how your upgrades changed the car's dynamics. Loved this game, still install it from time to time just to get back into it.
Trust me when I say that it is such a missed opportunity that they did not release this for the Sega Dreamcast. You can't just look at the PC version and tell me that it couldn't work on the system. You might have to change some things in order for it to work on the Dreamcast, but certainly not as much as the PS1 version (yes, the PS1 version was developed separately, but still). Not the only game from between 1998/1999 to 2001 that I can't think of where developers and/or publishers had games that could work on the Dreamcast, but missed the chance to put it on there, but this is certainly one big missed opportunity. Though, of course, they definitely should've held the console versions (or rather, console version in this case) until the PS2 came out. The PS2 had already been released in Japan earlier in the month that the game originally came out (March of 2000), and they certainly would've had time to cook up a PS2 version and do some polishes in time as a possible launch title for the system for the North American and European launches. Anyways, great video!
Yep, that is my point exactly. For the year 2000, it has that "next-gen" feel, releasing it only on PC and PS1 was such a missed opportunity. Glad you enjoyed!
Huh, how rare was that 911 speedster exactly, as would you believe I had one at a showroom local to me only a few months ago, granted he was asking 200K but, I thought it was just a generic chop top special, like that boxster they did a few years ago that was featured on top gear, with the beautiful body, but the horrible roof. if I had known that I would have gone in to take a look lol also fyi, the 914 has a unique top gear esque feature to it, do you remember that episode of top gear they did on the miura, with james may hating the countach where they interview Jay Kay about his car how did the window break, I was opening the door, went to shut it, and Crash, oh you mad impetious rockstar you it did it not once, not twice, but thrice, and the 6 came out after the 4, they didnt come out till a few months latter, at which point my dad had bought the 4, so them not having the 6 be available at the start there is accurate and to think the same people who had the speedster wanted a 120 grand for a 914 4 with a 911 T motor in it the really sad part is somehow, someway, he saw a factory 914 6 with the bodykit in germany at the time, and his reaction to seeing it, a fully restored 914 6 in blue was is if i was going to spend that kind of money for I want one with the fenders and the flares I saw which at that point I was like what are you talking about, as they never did flares and chairs on a 4' let alone a 6' only to find somehow he had seen one of the factory GT's rolling around germany just after they had come out. the kind you can actually see in steve mcqueen's Lemans in the background along with the L88's the strange things that man has seen, and the reason he went for it is he had taken a 911 on a test drive and had the back step out on him around a bend and well plow like that 356 you showed off around a bend at the 4:00 to 4:10 mark on the autobahn at 80 mph, like that is a 1 to 1 there of how they handled and he literally felt the tires get to the edge of grip and then let go, slowly though, with almost like a snap, which you can actually see in the clip there when the tire smokes a little, and the weight going one way while the steering wheel went the other, not a good feeling, and someone at the base he was working on went on a test drive of one too, and ended up not only wrecking it, but spending 6 months in hospital too as rear weight bias, 2200 pounds plus a 120 horsepower, on 165mm series tires, a stable car it does not make. ironically damn good brakes though, but if you ever wonder why they put the oil tank in the front for the 72 and for the yellowbird, and went nuts with the rear tires and put spoilers all over them, the front being particularly important to keep the nose down in addition to the oil tank to keep grip on the front until they basically made them midengined like the 6 after that guy from the fast and furious got killed in an improperly maintained F1 engined powered carerra gt with bad tires and poor aftermarket seats with out of date safety belts on them that's why, as unless you know and react properly to it, or its been properly set up with front spoilers and wide rear tires to keep it in check, it will get ya. also with the 4 it went 1.6, 1.7 and then they went to 2 liters, which proved to be way more popular to the 6 and offered pretty decent performance compared to it, without the costly porsche motor so they discontinued it like that's why the cars not rare, or well it is rare, people didnt want it as between that and the gearshift change being vague and imprecise, a trait the 914-6 had througout its life while they finally fixed it in 1973 with a rework on the 4's they thought why dont I go for the cheaper and better car, also the motor on that was one you had to work to get to the higher revs to get the performance out of it, which made it even worse for normal driving as its one of the funny things about collectors, their often dumb stupid people who dont understand why things were the way they were, kinda like the 426 hemi people who pay millions for a passenger car with a motor that was literally made to power military bases in the dead of winter, which between that and the sound is why well you cant beat a 440, it sounds better, drives better and revs better for far less dosh, and was made way longer on the cheap
In 1989, Porsche made the first run of 911 Speedsters, this was the final year of the G-Body generation, in fact in '89 the 964 was released! Anyway, of this first iteration, there's 2,104 produced. In 1994, the 964 Speedster was released and this is the one featured in NFS 5 (PSX release) this one is much rarer with only 936 of the planned 3000 being built, in the end. So yes, they carry insane premiums in today's market.
@@YellowbirdYT hmm so not as rare as I thought, which makes me feel kinda better as the thing had 90 thousand miles on it, and their asking numbers like the thing had 30
As usual, EA didn't understand what they had with Porsche Unleashed. They didn't let their usual developers work on the console ports, hence their bizarre differences to the true PC version, and they never expanded on the concept in future titles. If PU was released in the internet distribution era, I wonder if they would have ever even patched it. They just had no idea how good this game was.
I still remember the first time I played this game back in the day. My cousin got a few games from her dad but she didn't like racing games as much so she gave it to me. Went home and installed it. Loved every second of it, especially driving the early era cars in Corsica.
Yes. NFS PU for the PC is the best NFS game imo. It was my first and I love it! The soundtrack, the educational aspects with so much attention to detail, two career modes, memorable and beautiful tracks with alternate routes, a fairly good damage model, and a satisfying handling model with tuning.
Oh wow that PS1 Slalom looks just like another game that i grew up with! Midtown Madness 2 had essentially identical slalom challenges and they were absurd Also you should make a discord server
I remember Midtown Madness, the first one at least. It came pre-installed with the first PC my family bought, good times. It's on the list of projects, it will come after some time. I have a few projects before which take priority!
I must say, as a teen I played all the nfs games prior to this one, and IMO every single one was better. Something about the gameplay was just totally un-fun. I remember how dissappointed I was when I first tried it, and my friends felt the same way. Perhaps I was missing something, but that's my experience. I only clicked on this video to see if it was a giant troll as I genuinely can't comprehend how anybody could enjoy this game.
There are several versions of this game and they vary a lot, here are the 2 most popular ones · PC version is made by Eutechnyx, who made the PSX version of the Le Mans 24h game plus the post-EA NASCAR games until 704Games took over · PSX version is made by Eden Studios, who made all V-Rally games except the newest one plus have been involved in Test Drive Unlimited 1 & 2 plus The Crew 1 & 2
About the last thing you said, they tried to be classic with hot pursuit, but the underground fans hated it and the while sim era with shift didn't sell well either.
I only played at the ps1 version and had no idea that it was so different from the pc. But while objectively the pc version is better, to me the ps1 was amazing. I was 6 when trying to complete it and i never had this much fun with a racing game ever again ( mw 2005 came close). The evolution mode was mindblowing to me, it was the first time i made a buisness decision in my life since you could buy cars in the classic era, and they would gain value with time till you could sell them for muxh more in the modern era, and just figuring it out made me feel like a genious :D Also, i remember there was a freeroaming mode which i loved just because of the absurd car physics. If you tried to have a frontal crash with a ai car, civilian or a racer, their car would fucking flip and fly backwards as it was made of plastic. Thinking of it now i realize how bad it was, but back then it was the most fun thing. There were times where me and my friend would drive on the circuit backwards, because when the ai won the race, all their cars started to move at snail speed, becoming easy targets. Many times the impacts were so bad that the ai car could fly something like 300-400m after the impact, all while backflipping. Damn, i had so much fun with it. Still own the original disk. Of course we did this on custom races because i quickly learned that crashing my car in evolution mode will tank it's price :P I am kinda surprised that you left out the amazing soundtrack, which for me is one of the highlight of the game. And i still watch the porshe evolution videos from times to times ua-cam.com/video/hx4pRlt21F0/v-deo.html
This game still has easily my favorite driving physics ever. In fact, this game ruined the genre for me, as I haven't even found a racing game that would feel nearly as good ever since. The rest of NFS series certainly was a total writeoff for me. I can only wonder why they didn't stick this kind of simcade style on PC and went with cheaper driftcade style instead. Recently bought Assetto Corsa on sale but that didn't feel right either. *Edit:* Thanks for the video, very well made and engaging to follow. Glad to find someone with similar taste to mine making content.
Sleeper game, easily better physics than Gt3 and GT4. Your physics issues might be caused by having too much fps. Unfortunately whilst trying to collect every variant I run to a garage limit, it is impossible to collect all cars. The game is easy, not ruining your own race is the biggest challenge, you can end up shunting pretty hard. After a few replays I end up trying to win with the worst possible car, regardless everything about this game is a joyous ride, even the boring 914 grew on me, frankly the upgrades will make it much better to drive. 928, 959 tournament?! not on my version. there are many better racing games than Gt3 and gt4. This one, toca 2(can feel more weighty on ps1 but I recommend the pc version, some cars are impossible to control on ps1), colin mcrae rally 2(another codies game with the same ps1/pc problem, the analog inputs on ps1 feel nice but are around 10s slower per stage). In this game the cars roll, they react to bumps and jumps like you would expect in reality, the physics feel and look right yet the game is forgiving to those who play with digital controllers like I did back in the day and this footage, the game assists the player on traction and steering. Nfs porsche 2000 on pc is terrific. It's a shame that Gt1 and 2 were so good and advanced yet polyphony went backwards with the physics for the ps2, going early 90's physics were there is no 3d track simulation, no 3d car simulation, and the physics are just a bunch of calculations, racing games have to do more than just look good. The physics on gt2 only needed more polygons for the tracks, higher polling rate on the car physics and the ability to turn off some assists.
I was running it with a frame-rate limiter! It was at 60FPS. The late 90s/early 2000s gave us some brilliant racing games, no wonder most of us became car enthusiasts.
Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed was a fantastic racing game for it's time and even by todays standards. It improved on all aspects of the previous Need for Speed: High Stakes, aside from vehicle variety but I love Porsches so this isn't a con imo. NFS:PU has one of my top 10 favorite soundtracks in all of racing games. If someone were to experience Porsche Unleashed for the first time after playing the most recent Need for Speed titles you would have a great appreciation for it. It will be very evident how much thought and design went into the formers career mode progression. As old as this game is I'd highly recommend it to any racing game fan. Plus you could run this game today on a toaster or a computer at your local library. This game truly hits nostalgia for many who played it in the past.
This game is truly a love letter, not only to Porsche, to sport-cars as a whole. Very (if any) games allow you to experience a ride through history!
@@YellowbirdYT On a side note have you ever tried playing the game with the miniature RC car cheat active? It scales down the cars pretty dramatically which makes the roads much wider. It definitely ruins the overall scale but I remember having fun with it as a kid.
@@xninja166x Not really, I forgot about those cheat codes. Back when games used to have them!
It's technically more advanced but when it comes to gameplay they were two different beasts, great in their own way.
It was the ONLY auto simulator from the whole series. the rest of them are pure arcade. I wish have the old NFS Porsche , with that engine but with today graphics.
I really wish they would have kept making games like this. "Chevrolet unleashed", "Nissan/Datsun unleashed" etc
Funny enough, the concept isn't unique. But this one is the only one I would consider good. Well, that and maybe the Ford Racing series.
Ferrari Unleashed. 😉
Squadra Course Alfa Romeo
Ford Racing
Maluch Racer
World Racing (mercedes)
Skyline (game)
We need more brand/model focused racing games
In fact, there is actually a game based on Chevrolet, (only on Corvette's though), called Corvette. For one side, it has a very twitchy handling and ratter repetitive tracks, while on the other side has a pretty decent visual aspect, an amazing selection of Corvette's, (this game is not called Corvette for no reason), and a mini composed soundtrack.
Exist Over Driving: Skyline Memorial and Over Driving only with Nissan cars.
Everybody needs to thank the german Porsche tuner RUF which has been the go- to " manufacturer" eveytime a " Porsche" appears in an unlicensed game :)
RUF is such a good brand, most people just assume they rip-off Porsche. Personally I find their creations way too original to be called rip-offs and worthy of a spot in most video games, even if Porsches are featured. A few years ago they offered a new CTR, made from scratch, based off the old body. This time it was made in carbon-fiber and it was like a new car!
Gemballa too.
Ever heard of mods
I remember finding out about this game only after playing HP2, UG and UG2. Even back then Porsche was my favourite car brand, so I decided to try out the game. I was thrown away by how difficult it was (for me at the time). Since English isn't my mother tongue, I didn't really know what "Factory driver" or "Evolution mode" were. I just pressed the colourful buttons to see what would happen. I somehow got very close to the end of Factory driver (I couldn't pass the Porsche commercial challenge, since I didn't know how to use manual transmission) so I moved onto Evolution mode. I somehow managed to pass Classic Era without upgrading my cars (I didn't know you could buy parts, let alone install them onto the cars), but the 914 challenge kicked my ass. At that point I decided to stop playing it and play UG instead while waiting for MW to come out. This was all in 2004-2005. Roughly 10 years later I decided I wanted to complete this darn game, since it was the only NFS that I picked up and didn't finish. This time the driving was a pleasant surprise, especially after playing HP 2010 and MW 2012. With my English now far better, I was able to figure out what was going on in the game. Factory driver now made sense. The challenges weren't some random things that you had to do, you had to do them to prove yourself as a good driver for Porsche. Evolution mode was an amazing experience. After finding out how to buy and install new parts for the cars, the races felt like child's play and I finally got to show Dylan (if you know him, you know him) who's boss.
What you said about the Golden and Modern eras, about there not being enough variety when it comes to cars - I somewhat agree. Not having the 924, the 928, the 959, the 968 (yeah, I know that that's a Modern era car by the game's standards, I'm just giving it as an example) and any other version of the 911 other that the 2.7 Carrera RS and the 930 Turbo was disappointing. Although I think that the Modern era was slightly better in this regard than the Golden era. Yeah, unlocking cars for the tournaments that you just beat was kind of a bummer, but you needed A LOT of money during the Modern era (I'm not a huge fan of the "buy used car, fix it and sell it" idea) and replaying those tournaments with a different car actually felt fresh. The different models actually felt different on the road. You could tell if you were driving a 964 Carrera 4, a 993 Carrera 4 or a 996 Carrera 4.
To conclude, I don't think that this is the greatest NFS ever made, but I do think that it's the greatest game under the NFS name.
PS: I recommend the PlayStation version of NFS High Stakes to everyone who enjoyed the driving physics of the PC version of NFS Porsche Unleashed. I find them very similar, even though High Stakes are more primitive, because of (I guess) hardware limitations.
I can relate. Back then I didn't know a single word of English either! Games were harder thanks to the language barrier, but it did teach me a language so I guess we are even.
Anyone who played this game has PTSD from hearing/reading the name "Dylan" I'm willing to bet money on it.
I know I'm not the only one who try to complete Evolution mode without upgrading the cars because I didn't know the upgrade is exist yet (Of course because English isn't my main language) and the best I can go is 996 Carrera Cup. The 914 tournament isn't that bad compare to the 944 Cup, which is the worst if you don't know how to upgrade your car, the AI car will finish even before you reach half of the race. Thank god you can pass the 944 tournament and go for the 930 Turbo tournament by buying 930 3.0, which does fairly well in the tournament. And then buy the new 944 Turbo S to pass the 944 tournament
Dylan is the Ram Rod of the Porsche Unleashed. And unless you tune your car well, you mostly know him from behind.
You're not the only one who grew up with the game. It was my first pc game I saw my brother play and also thr first game I myself have played, it started my love for porsche and cars in general. It's nice to know that I'm not the only person who felt this way for this truly underrated game.
That is a good story. Kind of confirms my theory about car enthusiasts of a certain age, we all got here thanks to videogames, hah.
Same. But I played ps1 version first.
@@ademuhamadrizky7215 If you ever get the chance you must try the pc version
Just discovered your channel through Tokyo Extreme Racer video, and you has a potential to become one of the best old Racing games UA-camr
Can't wait for you to cover some classics like Midnight Club, Juiced and other cool stuff from 2000's!
Thank you! I do aim to make more content, even outside racing game. There might be a video on one of those classics in the way, maybe.
This takes me back a while. Porsche Unleashed is the reason I'm still looking for a 911 as my aspirational car. A few more years and it might become a reality.
Can relate. You'll get there!
Man, your work is so underappreciated. I just played this game, boy do I love it. The shitty texture of the road, colorful and clear sky, driving physics and of course, Porsches.
Well thank you! This game surely means a lot to me.
This game is the reason why I own a 2000 Boxster S today.
Nice! Hope it's serving you well, I relate to this, even if they are still part of my dreams.
As someone who grew up with both Underground 2 and High Stakes it's really cool to see that in recent years the classic NFS games have been receiving a lot more attention. Even though I do like the BlackBox era and most of my time with the series growing up was spend on those games, there's no denying that there was something truly special about those older NFS games. In the same way how boomer shooters have become a thing in recent years, I think we need some back to basics boomer racing games that can capture the essence of those late 90's racing gems.
Some products are timeless, they end up being enjoyed by people decades after their release. Some other are a product of their time, even if they are excellent, these products tend to be hard to approach after this period and its trends fade away. I always try to make that difference, as you can't repeat a formula and expect it to work when it has already been done way too many times.
The game handles well with a controller, though depending on your MB's USB board controller, the peripherals you have, and just dumb luck, getting an analog controller to register is an utter pain. My old ASUS motherboard I had to play switchboard with the ports to use one, while my new MSI motherboard was perfectly plug-n-play after turning the RGB driver off, for some reason. Weird stuff, High Stakes didn't have this problem, so I wonder how the devs broke it...
And here's a protip for yall. Check the car's showcase specs. At the end of the day, the best trim level of each car after upgrades in this game (especially the 356es) is more often than not going to be the one with the highest redline. The engine upgrades in this game do not affect the car's maximum RPM, so getting a trim with a larger engine already in but a lower redline in its specs rather than engine swapping the car with the smaller engine with 200 more RPM with the bigger engine is just going to gemp your acceleration and top speed. A very weird programming oversight if you ask me.
Yeah, this game has fame for being really picky with hardware. I had no problems to play with a controller (funny enough, I have an ASUS mobo) but I can't guarantee everyone will have a smooth ride trying to make it work.
9:36. To be fair at least they included the 1.7. the 1.8 and 2 liter version of the 914 and you can also do an engine swap if my memory serves me right if you bought a less powerful version. ^ ^ I love this game even today. The only thing I miss from this game is that you can't use the 959 in evolution mode which doesn't make any sense since this car was the world’s first-ever production car to have active suspension. Also a Porsche 912 could have been fun which is basically 1.6-liter air cooled flat-4 from the last of the 356s with a 911 body. Thanks for making a video about this classic it really deserves the attention probably the most underrated NFS in the franchise.
The engine swaps and bigger engines are locked until you complete the 914 championship. This fact alone makes them kind of useless.
@@YellowbirdYT I didn't know this. I repeated this championship a lot because it's one my favourite thanks to handling of the 914 but didn't know about this. It was probably just a mistake by the developers however it is more fun once you achive the more powerful 914s.
It's incredible to find a channel with well crafted videos with good editing, material and commentary
Can't wait to see your growth and more content in the future, peace!
Much appreciated! There is always something in the works here, either with videogames or car culture as a whole.
I remember first being introduced to this game back in 2005 when my dad had downloaded the game demo from a flash gaming website.
Great rap at 19:17
Awesome video, much appreciated. One of my favorite racing games, although I only could play on psONE, and it wasn't as awesome as it would have been on PC.
Thank you! I think the PSX had massive shoes to fill, it would never be as good. But they surely dropped the ball for me, again, it's not the worse game of the world!
I was just playing this game a few days ago, for some reason one of the songs of this game was playing in the back of my mind and i knew that i needed to get this game again after so long
First of all, thank you for acknowledging this game. I’ve played many Need for Speed titles-yes, even the first one on DOS-and also Need for Speed: V-Rally 2 on both PS and Dreamcast which was not a NFS franchise, Hot Pursuit 2, Underground 2, Most Wanted, Carbon, and the last one for me was ProStreet. However, I eventually reached a decision: the newer NFS games weren’t worth my time.
Now, if you ask me which version stands out as the best, my answer would undoubtedly be Porsche 2000 Unleashed. Why? Let me break it down:
Physics Engine: Among the NFS series, Porsche 2000 Unleashed boasted the best physics engine. The handling felt authentic, and the vehicle dynamics were spot-on.
Soundtracks: The game’s soundtracks were a masterpiece. They set the mood perfectly, enhancing the overall experience.
HUD Customization: The ability to customize the heads-up display (HUD) was a game-changer. It allowed players to tailor their interface, making it feel more personal.
Visuals: The environments in Porsche 2000 Unleashed were stunning. What’s more, they didn’t suffer from the odd color filter that plagued Most Wanted. The attention to detail was commendable.
Now, I haven’t mentioned every positive aspect of the game because later titles improved in various areas. But the sheer fun I had with Porsche 2000 Unleashed-both on PC and the PS version-remains unmatched. It’s a masterpiece that some fans of the Black Box titles might have missed out on because they were too young back those days to play video games. Speaking of Black Box games, while they’re undeniably fun, their physics were so poor, childish, unrealistic and awful. Cars felt like they lacked any suspension system at all (even Crash Team Racing handled better!). And let’s not even get started on the OST-some tracks were acceptable, but others missed the mark.
In summary, Black Box NFS titles are enjoyable, but they don’t claim the top spot. That honor goes to Porsche 2000 Unleashed.
By the way, your driving skill is bad!
I'm in the same case like you, this game was my first racing game and because of it I'm a Porsche fan
Can't believe how many points this video ticks in my case. This is also the first racing game I ever played, although the PS1 version. Although as you said those unbreakable street lamps and signs were annoying, they taught you a good lesson how to properly enter a turn in order not to hit them. But yeah, this game also made me a car enthusiast (not extremely tho), at specially for the Porsche cars. It's became my favorite sports car and still is...and I still dream of owning one. But yeah, the PC to PS differences are amazing IMO.
I would agree with that statement, but the handling in the PSX release is super sensitive for my taste, you kind of have to throw the cars at a weird angle, it never feels natural for me. Honestly, I'm impressed there's so much people with a similar experience as mine, goes to prove my point that racing games have raised this generation of car enthusiasts.
@@YellowbirdYT There is an option in the pause menu actually to configure the car sensitivity and in the car tuning before the race it also can be configured (but as another bar, is not the same). It seems that they know it.
Sir this is quality content, me subscribing
I always aim for the best, glad to have you onboard!
The evolution mode gave you the opportunity to choose between tournaments of a given time and era. E.g. you didnt have to absolve the first 911 turbo tournament right away with the 75 3.0 but at a later point with the 78 3.3 if you had finished another tournament before
Actually, that is the only time when you're allowed to choose. You can do the 911 Turbo tournament once the 3.3 is unlocked and wrap the Golden era by doing the 944 cup in '88, which means the 944 Turbo S will be unlocked. That is usually how I do it. After that, it's mostly a linear progression!
I remember getting this game on a flea market for a few euros long long time ago and it was a very unique experience for sure.
I really love games that focuses on one car manufacturer (like OutRun 2006,Ford Racing,etc.) because it gives the chance to show the brands legacy and historical moments and Porsche Unleashed is a great example.
I really would love to see another game that focuses on only one car brand and features these similar traits like Porsche Unleashed did but more fledged out.
Oh and don't forget the soundtrack though: the OST is a banger
Hello!!
You should repair your copy of the game and sell it back on a flea market for a higher price
First video game I ever played as well, I was 4 years old and had the time of my life playing this. Everything you said about the PC version was spot on! I remember downloading the patches from EA's website for the 959, 996 GT3 Cup, 993 GT2 Race Version, and 928 GTS wishing these cars were in Evolution mode or at least tunable. The transition from Classic Era to Golden Era was extremely difficult and the Factory Driver events you described reminded me of all the difficulties I faced with this game. However, I agree 100% with you that this game was a masterpiece. My ultimate racing game dream is for EA or someone else to release an updated version of this game with a complete car history list, remaster/add tracks to the game, and keep remaster the original soundtrack. I just feel like there are a small amount of people like us who realize a quality game like this and don't want to see flames and obnoxious wings/body kits on their cars like most of the car culture today wants. No shade on Underground and Most Wanted, or even games leading up the the end of the black box era - those games were amazing in their own way, but the new Need For Speeds today are way too bland and have no substance.
Tbh, there's another great video, and I think your commentary is very great! The game was very good, and the soundtracks are pretty good too.
Thank you! Early NFS had some brilliant songs.
I can't believe this game still works on windows 10.
It is a bit of a challenge, but yes.
i feel like the pc devs went all-in on ambitiously including every possible 356 variant and then ran out of time to do the same for the rest of the catalogue. the ps1 version is a worse game but i think it has a more well-rounded car list overall. funny thing is the 928 and 959 you mentioned in the video were actually dlc cars, along with the 911 gt2 and gt3, and originally were only playable in quick race and didnt have any events in evolution mode. the 959 in particular was a really glaring omission. did one of the patches or a mod add tournaments for those cars? the last time i played it i of course installed certain patches to make the game run, but it wouldve been cool to get to race those cars in evolution mode.
They split the catalogue between the PC & the PS1 versions on purpose
PC only got 928 GTS as DLC but the PS1 got the whole 928 range
NFS Porsche was one of my first games on PC. Shame there were few things cut from PC version that appeared on PS1 - cars. Makes me wonder why did they drop the idea of implementing 924, 968, 917 in PC release, especially when they released few DLC vehicles (959, GT2, GT3, 928 GTS)
Beats me, really. I think it's down to different studios making both games, which probably meant they wanted to change the line-up slightly to separate them. Shame, really.
Although the DLC cars can appear in career mode with the essensial patch and they have its own price and parts, but no race allows them to be used, even ones that have no restrictions, so probably they wanted to include it, but like always probably a lack of time to implement them properly.
One of my favourite games of all time. I'm still playing it with the 3D mod it looks great 23 years later. I used to play it online also but I didn't have a very good connection back then. Last I checked (years ago) there is still a server hosting it but no one is ever on. Shift & Shift 2 weren't bad but I like PU better. Yes I wish they made more like this. 😎 If you're using a gamepad (& I see you are) you have to play with a wheel & pedals. The only way to play any driving game. Thanks for reminiscing. 👍
NFS was a simcade to begin with. NFS PU was such a classy game. I made a mod for it in 2007, converting a LP640 into the game. I had to plugin like a 100 different variables. The version you have also happens to have the reflection mod I made. Nice to see it after all this time. I've been playing the PS1 High Stakes for a while now, really enjoying it, since it has similar physics. Anyway, great video bro!
That's interesting, I got a few patches to make it work properly (recording it wasn't easy, though) and I assume it must have been among the stuff I installed. Always nice to see people working to improve these games, they deserve a bit more love. Thanks!
@@YellowbirdYT Most certainly. The original game has a plastic-like shine which looked terrible. I tried my best to make something that'll look good on any car, and it made a significant improvement, although real-time reflections would have been ideal.
Unfortunately modding this game had many limitations, unlike NFS High Stakes on PC. Couldn't edit the tracks, couldn't have an animated driver in a mod car, and we couldn't increase the size of the textures on anything that came with the game. Which is why I haven't made a mod in about 14 years now. Someone will need to develop the tools for us to create a true remaster.
I'm really digging the Assetto Corsa modding community these days, by far the closest thing to what Classic NFS used to be. But it is nice to see you and your audience appreciating this thing of beauty.
@@AmirGTR PU was a bit of a nightmare, wasn't it? I don't really think this situation will improve, I settle with playing this game on modern hardware.
Assetto is an excellent game, good to see you found a better place for your skillset. Personally I can't play much Assetto as I spend more time looking at mods than driving!
@@YellowbirdYT It wasn't too bad, it was limited in some ways, but the performance testing was a lot of fun, and watching the panels open individually was very satisfying.
I hear you man, I have so many mods on AC that I don't even feel the need to make any new ones!
First of all great video, it´s refreshing to see someone who talks about classic NFS games and gives them the spotlight they deserve.
I would love to see your thoughts on the other 5 games (NFS 1 - HP2).
And by the way are you from a Spanish speaking country ?, I recognize that accent since I'm also from a Spanish speaking country (Uruguay) and when it comes time speak in english I sound kinda like that, but none the less good job.
Cheers.
I do have plans to make videos on the rest of pre-underground NFS! And yes, I am. The accent is a giveaway indeed, haha.
@@YellowbirdYT Buenísimo, gracias por responder, ando revisando tu canal y la verdad que te ganaste mi suscripción.
Un saludo.
The physics in this NFS are unmatched.
Absolutely.
This game is the reason why I own 911 997 carrera S after 24 years of need for porsche
Congrats!
This was the first racing game i played on pc and i was blown away by how good this game is and even still today it's awesome game
Great video I'm subbing!
Glad you enjoyed! There's more on the way.
I was 9 years old when this game came out. It was foundational for me as well. I remember just killing it in evolution mode...until that damn Carrera RS XD
We got our first desktop PC in 2001 and the guy who built it for us gave us this game as a bundle. Best freebie ever. I spent so much time playing this game as a teenager. I would keep coming back to this game all the time. The graphics even hold up well despite the game's age. This game didn't make me an enthusiast, but it did play into my liking of history and this game does do well to show you the history of the Porsche brand. EA needs to make this game accessible to more people....specifically the PC version. I remember trying the PS1 version very recently and going "What is this crap? This isn't NFS Porsche Unleashed!" Glad I grew up oblivious to the PS1 version lol.
Licensing is a nightmare for old racing games, really. There's not much you can do about it sadly. The PSX version is a disappointment for anyone who touched the PC release first, I still cannot comprehend how I played it for so many hours.
The PSX version is a little disappointing but it is still a good game
I remember Porsche Challenge really fondly even though it only had 1 car, but I had somehow missed this game. I still wish Porsche would appear in more normal racing games, though.
I saw a few videos of Porsche Challenge, it only had a Boxster if I recall. In no small part, Porsche's license used to be unobtanium thanks to NFS PU, hah. EA kept them in a exclusivity deal for ages.
2:07 reminds me to Trial Mountain.
Great game, i remember buying it with my first geforce tnt2 ultra videocard. The Carrera 2.7 was very twitchy and the 911 Turbo was very weighty in the back i remember. Viper Racing is also a great game from this period.
Great video! I grew up with this game too and I credit it with being a big part of why I'm a car and driving enthusiast today. The evolution mode, the performance customization, the demanding simcade physics and the patience-testing "factory driver" mode all made an impression on me that gave me a lasting appreciation for the kind of detailed driving physics in games that allow you to play around with weight transfer and reward smoothness and balance.
From what you've said about the physics in this game, I feel like you'd have a lot to say about Grand Theft Auto IV's much criticised vehicle physics model. I wouldn't describe it quite as simcade (although there are mods for that...), but with its exaggerated body roll and complicated interactions between brakes, tyres and weight transfer, I always felt like GTA IV had something in common with NFS 5 in this regard. I loved it, but it wasn't well liked by the GTA fanbase as a whole. Wrong audience for that kind of thing, perhaps?
You know. I thought about it, IV is probably my favorite GTA, minus VC thanks to nostalgia. I never understood the complaints as it felt quite natural for me. In reality, the link between car enthusiasts and GTA is closer than it might seem, haha.
I used to play Porsche Unleashed lots as a child. The game was soo fun and great!!!!
This was my first video game on pc, now 20 years later i own 70 models of Porsche Hot Wheels and Matchbox, Danke Porsche and EA
that 914 part is where i was stuck at, damn pain in the ass.
Welcome to the club, so was I. Quite the unforgiving races!
@@YellowbirdYT and that's where i stopped playing the carrer mode, and instead went to mess around with other sh*t in the game.
btw, there are 3 addon cars, 2 of which appear in the later NFS titles, that also appear in the PS1 version, oh, and the 928 gts, too.
That was the moment when buying performance parts and grinding club races kicked in. :D
I would like a remake of PU, with such model families as 718, 918, 991 including circuit prototypes, no huge graphic changes and same damage ♥️We used to play it in a PC club when I was a boy ♥️thank you for this great video 👍
I discovered it in a similar way, I'm glad I been able to bring those memories back!
I think a racing game that follows the evolution idea but with a focus on all brands would be a better idea imo.
@@sebastiankulche That is not possible since would be very expensive a license from a lot of cars from the same brand.
@@Victor_2000s Gran Turismo? Forza?
@@sebastiankulche I mean cars from the same brand like NFS did with Porsches with different engine variants and other elements.
This is my first NFS game too and back then (2010-2012 somewhere aroudn this time) as a kid it was amazing
I fondly remember this game, probably the best car handling physics of its era. Once you learned how to do the spins they become second nature (turn the steering wheel back the other way as you hit the 180 mark). It might be one of the best games for learning how to do spins and also for learning rear engine handling. It was because of this game that I can actually be fast in the rear engine cars in games like GT and Forza (where most people avoid the rear engine cars).
It's one of the few non-simulators where the rear engine layout feels somewhat real. Cars understeer if you aren't on the throttle, cars spin out if you lift-off while turning. Really one of the best games to learn the basics, as a kid I struggled. Nowadays I adore it.
The Crown for handling physics circa 2000 would have to go to Grand Prix Legends for me, with this game second.
@@C.I... I want to try Grand Prix Legends one day, but it's good to hear NFS Porsche rates high for you as well.
I only recently (6mo ago) found out about and played NFS Porsche Unleashed, thanks to a friend who played it when he was a kid. I loved every second of playing it, Evolution and Factory Driver. IN fact I loved it so much that we set up a Hamachi LAN server and somehow got multiplayer to work. I do wish that EA would give us a game like this soon, I'm not sure I will even buy Unbound at this rate.
Porsche unleashed , what can i say ? taught me many things about cars and made me fall in love with the Porsche brand , the game-play is so satisfying once mastered and the economy system in evolution mode , where you buy classic cars ,fix them and sell them for a profit is brilliant , and factory driver story mode was fun , refreshing.
great to see some people have my prospect , others follow underground or most wanted thinking it was peak NFS .
My favorite era of NFS games was from 1-6 , and my personal favorite is highstakes , but every game from 1-6 , i played religiously , absolutely love them to death
My first game to play on the PC back in 1999 was highstakes , so you can imagine the amount of nostalgia i have for these games
and thank you for having an amazing usser name , yellow bird , like the CTR1
WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS !!
This is the game I want them to remaster and update the game.
It does deserve more love, yes.
Fun fact: this was also KuruHS' favorite NFS, like NFSMW
12:48 i LOVE the transaxle porsches please make that vid
For sure! It is on my list of future projects. They're an interesting case.
@@YellowbirdYT thank you for replying and i totally agree with you, theyre one of my favorite cars of all time with the 944 turbo s being at the top
Just a fun guess what if Polyphony be like making a Gran Turismo spin-off exlclusively having only Toyotas as the cars
Well, they kind of did that with Nissan! Jokes aside, I think a game with decent physics can be excellent for most manufacturers, a good look through their history while keeping people invested to keep playing.
25:40 For me, it was the second racing game in my life, after the NFS III Hot Pursuit. But I am also a year older, so when I started playing racing games the NFS Porsche wasnt widely known around here. However I still remember my father buying the MOMO Racing wheel just to play NFS Porsche. At that time my English skills consisted only of words like "race, quit, car". I could not for the life of me find out how to tune those cars cars and I couldnt progress past the golden era.
So I moved on. I started playing NFS VI Hot Pursuit II. And TBH although the graphics were a huge improvement, I found the game to be boring. You couldnt place spike strips yourself, and being the cop consisted only of constant ramming into fleeing cars. Just booring.
So I switched to the new (at that time) Most Wanted, and found myself completely lost due to my very low language skills at that time.
Then, a few years later, sometimes around the year 2010 or so, I tried the Need for speed Porsche again. And I loved it. I mastered driving each and every car, even the very difficult ones like C2.7. I found out how to tune cars and since then I have always looked for games which allow complex car tuning and realistic physics. This brought me to Racedriver Grid and Dirt 1, and later to Assetto Corsa (which I play to this day). And sim racing really started my true passion for cars.
In 2017 I´ve decided to fix my dad´s old sports coupe, which has been a pile of rusty parts since early 1990s. And after few years, the complete repair was finished. Then at 2020 I started my automobile diagnostics studies. And now in 2024 I make racecars and sportscars for a living.
That is an excellent journey, indeed.
Something i dont like about this game is how the late end cars when upgraded heavily outperform the race cars (specifically the 996 variants versus the GT1 and the Moby Dick), also i think i prefer the PS1 car list, although some of the cars appears on PC as DLCs they are poor mans compared to other cars of the same class, (the GT3 and 959 especially were a bit dissapointing after using it in the PS1 version).
I also like how in PS1 the music and some elements of the tracks changes according to the era, it really gives it a lot of personality imo.
That's true, the race cars feel kind of pointless as you can beat them with modified cars. The 959 in the PSX is outright broken and it's such a challenge in the class 1 tournament!
@@YellowbirdYT After having played the PSX version multiple times i find the weekend races (you know, the single races, i think they were called like that?) to be much harder. The car however is way too fast for the tracks they were present to you, although i can get use to it now. I feel like it would be better if the tournament was on any of the race tracks. That 959 is on par with the 917k and the GT1, lol.
That weekend race with the 959 is a disaster, you crash into everything!
@@YellowbirdYT The hardest one for me was the 968 and 356. Even with the best car and turning perfectly you can barely win, lol.
@@YellowbirdYTBtw, did you know how can i unlock the GT2 or the GT3 to unlock in the career mode in the PC version? Im just a lover of that car 😊
You can bind steering, throttle and brake percentage to individual keyboard buttons. Getting a kind of emulated analog input.
The 914 may be a bad car in this game, but it's probably my favorite Porsche for how much of an oddball it is
This one of the couple of nfs i missed and it looks great and the features
I believe my first nfs was high stakes on ps1. I remember playing the Porsche and getting busted in the town. Now I've played nearly every entry :D
High stakes on PC is a totally different game. Ive beat it on psx but I can't find the ROM for PC :(
@@jroberts8263 Not totally, the PC cop can be found only on online stores like eBay.
"Brakes aren't meant to be used in the last ten meters before a corner" got some laughs from me. The poor brakes being abused by us driving the cars to the limit.
Anyway I've only ever tried the PS1 version (the ultra arcadey one), I might try the PC version if I can be bothered to check myabandonware sometime.
I just love arcade racers with some depth in it's handling physics: Prostreet, Grid 2, Driver SF (technically not a racing game but well), Driveclub, Gravel, and Wreckfest. Wondering if you might cover some of them one day.
Prostreet is surely on the list. I always wanted to try Driver SF, but I will have to look into it!
Brilliant review. I remember playing the heck out of this game. And the showcase advertising for the brand really caught me. I really loved the challenge of finding the racing line and the physics were great for the time. What was not mentioned here is that EA actually had DLC cars for the PC version that you could download from the website. Not sure if you can still get them and I don't remember which they were.
Correction: Just googled it, it were the 996 GT2, 996 GT3, 928 GTS and 959 and you still can download them from the archived NFS page ...
Yeah, most copies have them installed today as said patch is required for the game to work nowadays. So I didn't mention them, the fact they don't have any events as well. The 959 and 928 could have been pretty useful for progression, but it's what we got. Glad you enjoyed the video!
9:43 Seems that you are playing the fan updated release which removes the possibility of buying the 2.0 engine for the 914 in the year 1970 (which is when the event start), probably to make it more "realistic" since the 2.0 wasnt released in real life in that year i think, but... it makes the car more slower and the race harder as a result.
I played the retail version of the game that comes without any updates and you can have the 914/4 with the 914 2.0 engine without having to wait.
Interesting, I admit I never heard of this patch. I'll have to look it up.
NFS 4 and 5 are the best titles in the franchise. I still play them every few years.
I used to enjoy it a lot back in my childhood times. Really in love with the handling, and the upgradable cars.
I want to like this game, but the fact it only has Porsche cars is a major turn off for me. I like variety in my car lists, both in car type and manufacturer, and this game doesn’t really have that. To me, the definitive NFS experience would be any of the Hot Pursuit games.
That is probably the biggest issue with this game. I can look past it thanks to its unique evolution mode, but I get why some can't.
Unfortunate, considering Porsche is one of the few manufacturers that could make this work. Sadder still this gameplay structure and level of quality was never really seen again, even in the HP games.
Doesn't are problem, there is a big variety of models with different performance, handling, luxury and others elements, you doesn't need to drive only 911 models.
This was a great game. I still think Motor City Online would have been the best NFS game if it had kept the label through development.
Motor City Online is an interesting case. But I'm not certain if it can be played today, hah.
@@YellowbirdYT there’s some stuff you can do to be able to play it offline, but it’s basically just a quick race mode. Outside of racing against AI, nothing is able to be done offline.
This game was Lengend, raise your voice for this game to get remastered
This game really introduced me to Porsches, didn't really care about them before this game... As you said in your video the progression is what got to me and your could really see how your upgrades changed the car's dynamics. Loved this game, still install it from time to time just to get back into it.
Can relate. Upgraded and stock cars feel so different, and those upgrades were more than required to beat Dylan and the others!
Was a fantastic game
What the hell is this resolution
Holy Moly
Trust me when I say that it is such a missed opportunity that they did not release this for the Sega Dreamcast. You can't just look at the PC version and tell me that it couldn't work on the system. You might have to change some things in order for it to work on the Dreamcast, but certainly not as much as the PS1 version (yes, the PS1 version was developed separately, but still).
Not the only game from between 1998/1999 to 2001 that I can't think of where developers and/or publishers had games that could work on the Dreamcast, but missed the chance to put it on there, but this is certainly one big missed opportunity.
Though, of course, they definitely should've held the console versions (or rather, console version in this case) until the PS2 came out. The PS2 had already been released in Japan earlier in the month that the game originally came out (March of 2000), and they certainly would've had time to cook up a PS2 version and do some polishes in time as a possible launch title for the system for the North American and European launches.
Anyways, great video!
Yep, that is my point exactly. For the year 2000, it has that "next-gen" feel, releasing it only on PC and PS1 was such a missed opportunity. Glad you enjoyed!
Huh, how rare was that 911 speedster exactly, as would you believe I had one at a showroom local to me only a few months ago, granted he was asking 200K but, I thought it was just a generic chop top special, like that boxster they did a few years ago that was featured on top gear, with the beautiful body, but the horrible roof.
if I had known that I would have gone in to take a look lol
also fyi, the 914 has a unique top gear esque feature to it, do you remember that episode of top gear they did on the miura, with james may hating the countach
where they interview Jay Kay about his car
how did the window break, I was opening the door, went to shut it, and Crash, oh you mad impetious rockstar you
it did it not once, not twice, but thrice, and the 6 came out after the 4, they didnt come out till a few months latter, at which point my dad had bought the 4, so them not having the 6 be available at the start there is accurate
and to think the same people who had the speedster wanted a 120 grand for a 914 4 with a 911 T motor in it
the really sad part is somehow, someway, he saw a factory 914 6 with the bodykit in germany at the time, and his reaction to seeing it, a fully restored 914 6 in blue was is if i was going to spend that kind of money for I want one with the fenders and the flares I saw
which at that point I was like what are you talking about, as they never did flares and chairs on a 4' let alone a 6' only to find somehow he had seen one of the factory GT's rolling around germany just after they had come out.
the kind you can actually see in steve mcqueen's Lemans in the background along with the L88's
the strange things that man has seen, and the reason he went for it is he had taken a 911 on a test drive and had the back step out on him around a bend and well plow like that 356 you showed off around a bend at the 4:00 to 4:10 mark on the autobahn at 80 mph, like that is a 1 to 1 there of how they handled
and he literally felt the tires get to the edge of grip and then let go, slowly though, with almost like a snap, which you can actually see in the clip there when the tire smokes a little, and the weight going one way while the steering wheel went the other, not a good feeling,
and someone at the base he was working on went on a test drive of one too, and ended up not only wrecking it, but spending 6 months in hospital too
as rear weight bias, 2200 pounds plus a 120 horsepower, on 165mm series tires, a stable car it does not make.
ironically damn good brakes though, but if you ever wonder why they put the oil tank in the front for the 72 and for the yellowbird, and went nuts with the rear tires and put spoilers all over them, the front being particularly important to keep the nose down in addition to the oil tank to keep grip on the front until they basically made them midengined like the 6 after that guy from the fast and furious got killed in an improperly maintained F1 engined powered carerra gt with bad tires and poor aftermarket seats with out of date safety belts on them
that's why, as unless you know and react properly to it, or its been properly set up with front spoilers and wide rear tires to keep it in check, it will get ya.
also with the 4 it went 1.6, 1.7 and then they went to 2 liters, which proved to be way more popular to the 6 and offered pretty decent performance compared to it, without the costly porsche motor so they discontinued it
like that's why the cars not rare, or well it is rare, people didnt want it as between that and the gearshift change being vague and imprecise, a trait the 914-6 had througout its life while they finally fixed it in 1973 with a rework on the 4's
they thought why dont I go for the cheaper and better car, also the motor on that was one you had to work to get to the higher revs to get the performance out of it, which made it even worse for normal driving
as its one of the funny things about collectors, their often dumb stupid people who dont understand why things were the way they were, kinda like the 426 hemi people who pay millions for a passenger car
with a motor that was literally made to power military bases in the dead of winter,
which between that and the sound is why well you cant beat a 440, it sounds better, drives better and revs better for far less dosh, and was made way longer on the cheap
In 1989, Porsche made the first run of 911 Speedsters, this was the final year of the G-Body generation, in fact in '89 the 964 was released! Anyway, of this first iteration, there's 2,104 produced. In 1994, the 964 Speedster was released and this is the one featured in NFS 5 (PSX release) this one is much rarer with only 936 of the planned 3000 being built, in the end. So yes, they carry insane premiums in today's market.
@@YellowbirdYT hmm so not as rare as I thought, which makes me feel kinda better as the thing had 90 thousand miles on it, and their asking numbers like the thing had 30
21:34 My eyes, didn't you know the ps1 version have native widescreen resolution?
As usual, EA didn't understand what they had with Porsche Unleashed. They didn't let their usual developers work on the console ports, hence their bizarre differences to the true PC version, and they never expanded on the concept in future titles. If PU was released in the internet distribution era, I wonder if they would have ever even patched it. They just had no idea how good this game was.
I still remember the first time I played this game back in the day. My cousin got a few games from her dad but she didn't like racing games as much so she gave it to me. Went home and installed it. Loved every second of it, especially driving the early era cars in Corsica.
Corsica is probably the most beautiful track in the game!
Yes. NFS PU for the PC is the best NFS game imo. It was my first and I love it! The soundtrack, the educational aspects with so much attention to detail, two career modes, memorable and beautiful tracks with alternate routes, a fairly good damage model, and a satisfying handling model with tuning.
It was a pretty complete game, reason why I think it deserves to be remembered.
Oh wow that PS1 Slalom looks just like another game that i grew up with! Midtown Madness 2 had essentially identical slalom challenges and they were absurd
Also you should make a discord server
I remember Midtown Madness, the first one at least. It came pre-installed with the first PC my family bought, good times.
It's on the list of projects, it will come after some time. I have a few projects before which take priority!
I must say, as a teen I played all the nfs games prior to this one, and IMO every single one was better. Something about the gameplay was just totally un-fun. I remember how dissappointed I was when I first tried it, and my friends felt the same way.
Perhaps I was missing something, but that's my experience. I only clicked on this video to see if it was a giant troll as I genuinely can't comprehend how anybody could enjoy this game.
Can you Made
Ps1 version on this game?
Both are same title but different games
🙏🙏🙏
My Fav NFS From the PS1 Era
NFS High Stakes
High Stakes on the PS1 is a brilliant game too, another game I played for hours and hours.
@@YellowbirdYT me too
I've played every single NFS since
Road and Track Presents the Need for Speed
@@RiC3R69 That one deserves to be looked at one day, interesting concept indeed.
One could say those 16 years were RUF
Hah, yeah, one can say. Still, RUF is a bit more interesting than a Porsche replacement.
IMO, better than Gran Turismo. It was basically a GT with Porsches after all.
There are several versions of this game and they vary a lot, here are the 2 most popular ones
· PC version is made by Eutechnyx, who made the PSX version of the Le Mans 24h game plus the post-EA NASCAR games until 704Games took over
· PSX version is made by Eden Studios, who made all V-Rally games except the newest one plus have been involved in Test Drive Unlimited 1 & 2 plus The Crew 1 & 2
What other versions there are besides GBA?
I want to play this on my Windows 10 PC, but it doesn't work 😢
*An exclusive for 16 years
I wish I still had a disc drive to play this! I can't find the ROM for this or High Stakes :(
nfs porsche unleashed, otherwise called as the nfs game that other racing games waited 15+ years before the contract ended
That is a brilliant way to put it too, yes. Remember how GT3 had a 996 911 GT3 model developed and they had to remove it? Here's why.
About the last thing you said, they tried to be classic with hot pursuit, but the underground fans hated it and the while sim era with shift didn't sell well either.
my first ps1 game!!!
People still play this on iplounge, though mostly weekends, best handling ive ever seen in a racing game.
Ah yes, I heard about IPLounge, but never made it work. I know there's a dedicated group who still play, but I had no clue of its size.
Let's not even talk about the parts system and tuning
I only played at the ps1 version and had no idea that it was so different from the pc. But while objectively the pc version is better, to me the ps1 was amazing. I was 6 when trying to complete it and i never had this much fun with a racing game ever again ( mw 2005 came close). The evolution mode was mindblowing to me, it was the first time i made a buisness decision in my life since you could buy cars in the classic era, and they would gain value with time till you could sell them for muxh more in the modern era, and just figuring it out made me feel like a genious :D
Also, i remember there was a freeroaming mode which i loved just because of the absurd car physics. If you tried to have a frontal crash with a ai car, civilian or a racer, their car would fucking flip and fly backwards as it was made of plastic. Thinking of it now i realize how bad it was, but back then it was the most fun thing.
There were times where me and my friend would drive on the circuit backwards, because when the ai won the race, all their cars started to move at snail speed, becoming easy targets. Many times the impacts were so bad that the ai car could fly something like 300-400m after the impact, all while backflipping. Damn, i had so much fun with it. Still own the original disk. Of course we did this on custom races because i quickly learned that crashing my car in evolution mode will tank it's price :P
I am kinda surprised that you left out the amazing soundtrack, which for me is one of the highlight of the game. And i still watch the porshe evolution videos from times to times ua-cam.com/video/hx4pRlt21F0/v-deo.html
I should have made a small section for the soundtrack, even if most of the background music is from both releases!
the game modes are really great
the classic model of porsche suddenly become expensive as the game progress and we can sell old cars for profit
Luckily this game doesn't have a Porsche Carrera 💀
Carrera GT was a recently concept back in the 2000 year.
It's has the 550A spyder 😆& the widowmaker 930 Turbo though
This, prostreet and heat are my top games of this franchise
I wished the playstation would've received a better port.
I wish they used NFS4 as a base, it would have made for a better game overall. Ah well, can't have everything in life.
I personally prefer the way it is.
Same.
This game still has easily my favorite driving physics ever. In fact, this game ruined the genre for me, as I haven't even found a racing game that would feel nearly as good ever since. The rest of NFS series certainly was a total writeoff for me. I can only wonder why they didn't stick this kind of simcade style on PC and went with cheaper driftcade style instead.
Recently bought Assetto Corsa on sale but that didn't feel right either.
*Edit:* Thanks for the video, very well made and engaging to follow. Glad to find someone with similar taste to mine making content.
You're welcome, I appreciate this game a lot and I'm glad it shows through this video!
NiC3
Sleeper game, easily better physics than Gt3 and GT4. Your physics issues might be caused by having too much fps. Unfortunately whilst trying to collect every variant I run to a garage limit, it is impossible to collect all cars. The game is easy, not ruining your own race is the biggest challenge, you can end up shunting pretty hard. After a few replays I end up trying to win with the worst possible car, regardless everything about this game is a joyous ride, even the boring 914 grew on me, frankly the upgrades will make it much better to drive. 928, 959 tournament?! not on my version.
there are many better racing games than Gt3 and gt4. This one, toca 2(can feel more weighty on ps1 but I recommend the pc version, some cars are impossible to control on ps1), colin mcrae rally 2(another codies game with the same ps1/pc problem, the analog inputs on ps1 feel nice but are around 10s slower per stage).
In this game the cars roll, they react to bumps and jumps like you would expect in reality, the physics feel and look right yet the game is forgiving to those who play with digital controllers like I did back in the day and this footage, the game assists the player on traction and steering. Nfs porsche 2000 on pc is terrific.
It's a shame that Gt1 and 2 were so good and advanced yet polyphony went backwards with the physics for the ps2, going early 90's physics were there is no 3d track simulation, no 3d car simulation, and the physics are just a bunch of calculations, racing games have to do more than just look good. The physics on gt2 only needed more polygons for the tracks, higher polling rate on the car physics and the ability to turn off some assists.
I was running it with a frame-rate limiter! It was at 60FPS. The late 90s/early 2000s gave us some brilliant racing games, no wonder most of us became car enthusiasts.
you are right