For me it was EA/Criterions NFS Unbound. I love the NFS series, grew up with it. Open world is usually my kind of thing. I like arcadey racing and sim racing. So what could go wrong right? Turns out a lot in NFS Unbound: Open world bland and uninteresting, music devisive (some tracks are certainly NOT Pegi 12, i wonder if they translated the german tracks back into english for proof reading in that regard, proably not). Car handling strange at best. Cop Mechanics too punishing and boring. Always feels like you are “losing” money (psychologically makes a difference).

But especially bad is the car handling VS the punishing nature of the game systems. Which is basically you lose money when you do something wrong. There is that S class Porsche i have that just drives horribly the minute you have to turn. As if the suspension is made of gummy bears. I mean i could go on and on about the fact that that kind of handling doesnt gel with that kind of cop chasing mechanics for me.

The thing is… they had it all in the Burnout series. Great and snappy handling and fun mechanics. And while certainly loved Paradise i dont think an Open World is necessary for a fun racing game. Take it back to the basics i say. Straight tracks, great handling, fewer but funner cars. Take out other cars. It was simplier times back then.