Need for Speed: Rivals
Players assume the role of both cops and lawbreakers in Need for Speed: Rivals, which is the inaugural outing of Ghost Games – the rebranded EA Gothenburg studio in Sweden. Ghost Games is made up of talent moved over from UK-based Criterion Games, best known for its work on the Burnout series and shooter Black, along with former DICE staff.
What it feels like
High-speed chases, narrow escapes, and competitive racing create sustained kinetic rush and thrilling moments. Pursuing and being pursued generates edge-of-seat pressure, particularly for racers evading cops. Arcade racing sensibility and destruction-friendly mechanics invite mischievous experimentation and fun over seriousness.
What it's about
Street racing as an illegal activity frames the cops-versus-racers conflict within a criminal underworld setting. Cops pursuing lawbreakers and enforcing the law is a secondary thematic layer alongside the racing.
How it plays
Driving and vehicle control is the fundamental interaction; all gameplay revolves around piloting cars. Cops pursue racers using awareness and detection; racers evade by managing detection and line-of-sight. Vehicle combat and pursuit mechanics involve targeting and engagement systems though not traditional gunplay.
How it looks and sounds
The camera follows vehicles from behind or above, the standard perspective for arcade racing. Optional first-person cockpit view available as noted in user tags, though not the primary perspective.
How it's structured
Cops vs. Racers competition is the core gameplay loop, with direct antagonistic multiplayer encounters as the defining feature. A large continuous open world is the primary canvas for racing and cop/racer pursuits, directly supporting the seamless multiplayer experience. Cops and Racers play by fundamentally different rules and have opposed objectives within the same space.
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