The reason it works so well is that there's nothing else on the PC that does it. It may not be the most original game in the world, but on the PC it looks stunning (okay, if you have a good PC it does). The graphics engine is very capable, conveying speed so realistically that you have to check your pants after a game.

It all falls apart like my mum's meringue when you actually try driving some of the other cars, though. Whether it's a Diablo or a 911, the cars all feel identical, save for the acceleration and braking rates, and the top speed. It's arcade racing at its most immature.

To be controversial, I'd have to say that Gran Turismo suffered in the same way, but in something like TOCA 2 you can feel the difference between each touring car, let along between the Volvo and the Fiesta. It's all down to the subtle relationship between steering wheel and game, enhanced with sultry force feedback effects. Need for Speed has none of this and it's an emptier game because of it.

But that's not to say you can't have a lot of fun playing the game. It's challenging, but there's no emotional attachment and no sense of taking part in real life. With a little more subtlety and thought, the next edition (Christmas, perchance?) should, hopefully, have it licked.