THERE was a time when a racing game was a racing game. There was no faffing around with in-depth, strorylines or a seemingly strange blend of genre types. You knew what you were getting, and you were happy with that.

The premise is amazing, racers must travel from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransico all the way across the USA to the Empire State Building in New York, rising in position all the way and becoming the first to the finish line. That said, it’s not one continuous race, but a mixture of races and storyline sewn together to form a tapestry of the road ahead.

With the Need for Speed stamp firmly in place, there’s plenty of cars, boosts and upgrades to be had. These aren’t all available at first, but with some hard work and dedication, they can be unlocked pretty quickly.

Car selection is strange. It’s all done by pulling into petrol stations dotted along the roadsides and choosing a new ride. Some vehicles are best suited to certain terrain, so it’s essential to choose the right motor, although doing so will penalise you heavily.

But even stranger than the car selection are the moments players are expected to mimic button pushes displayed onscreen. These quick time events are out of place in a racing game, and it’s hard to see hardcore race fans enjoying them. It’s an odd combination.

With the trailer directed by action virtuoso Michael Bay, this latest Need for Speed was always going to be an unrelenting pummelling of action, and even if you don’t enjoy the racing or the quick time events, you’re simply not human if you don’t enjoy the cutscenes. They’re the most breathtaking and heart-pounding automotive action scenes ever.

Having the New York destination as the main goal helps to give players a focus and something to work towards, but The Run is not Need for Speed’s finest moment. A clever idea and a brave attempt to fuse genres, it’s a bittersweet contradiction of both brilliance and stupidity.

SCORE: 5/10