Need for Speed Unbound driving effects let you set your own level of anime

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Get the visual flare that suits your anime tolerance

Need for Speed Unbound
(Image credit: EA)

Need for Speed Unbound has layered, toggleable driving effects that let players make the game look exactly as anime as they want. 

The game's official Twitter account released a new snippet of gameplay showing off a range of these effects, from heavily inked smoke trails to pop-ups best described as augmented reality graffiti.

"Yes, you can turn the effects off," the account clarified in a reply. "In fact, you can choose to never put them on in the first place. Just like any other part of a car."

That being said, a follow-up tweet confirmed that while almost everything is up to each player, "basic tail smoke and trail lights can't be disabled," but "everything else can." This seems to be a compromise for establishing the game's basic visual style while putting everything possible in the hands of players. 

The end result of all this customization is basically an unseen slider labeled "Must be this anime to drive". If you crank everything to max and really pile on the effects, this will be the flashiest, most cartoonish Need for Speed ever made by a wide margin. But if that's not your bag and you'd rather tone everything down, it looks like you can still squeeze a fairly typical, more subdued aesthetic out of things. 

The first official trailer for Need for Speed Unbound was loudly, proudly anime as all get-out, with the game's cel-shaded filter affecting everything from cars to drivers. The game's due on December 2, but with pre-orders granting three-day early access, it's technically out on November 29. 

The Need for Speed Unbound car list is over 140 vehicles strong. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.