So, yet again, a new category of posts have been added to the site. I felt that this was a correct decision as it would allow me to be less specific about vehicle information in the “For Sale” and “Spots” posts, as I noticed that I was writing way too much about the technical info on the vehicles which were the subjects on the posts. That being said, these “Retrospect” posts will allow me to speak on the older Porsche cars in detail. Not only will I speak of cars in this category, but I will also speak about other Porsche-related subjects, and that is what I am gonna speak about today.

If you have read my “About” page, then you know that Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed was very influential in my love towards Porsche. Having spent many hours playing the game in its entirety, I have accumulated enough information to give an overall view of it. For those that do not know, Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed(or Porsche 2000 as it was known in Europe and other countries) was the fifth entry in the NFS franchise by Electronic Arts. As the title states, Porsches are the sole focus in terms of available vehicles in the game. It was released for the PC and the original PlayStation in the year 2000, with a Gameboy Advance version being released in 2004. Now, I have only played the PC version of the game, and that is the focus of this post. I have seen footage of the PS1 and GBA versions, and the footage alone is enough to conclude that the PC release is the definitive edition of this game.

Since the game focuses on Porsches, the car selection is very broad, with many different models available such as the 356, 911, Boxster, and the 944. As for the variants included, there are many, if not all for a particular car. For example, every variant of the 993 can be selected, from the base Carrera all the way to the GT2. This is also the case for the 356, which allows for the selection of the different body styles and engine options available from when the car first went on sale in 1948, all the way until its production ended in 1965. In addition to this, there are rare vehicles and also some race cars, some examples being the legendary 550 Spyder and the 935 “Moby Dick”. Being from the year 2000, the latest Porsche available is the then-new 996 Turbo, as the 996 was the latest 911 at the time. Car selection aside, the game also allowed for both exterior and interior colour selection, with the possibility of creating custom colours using the colour palette. This was actually one of my favourite features of the game, as it allowed me to visualize how unique Porsches could be, which in the real world would translate to cars that we see that are uniquely specified.

Porsche Unleashed was one of the first driving games to have a full 3D cockpit view, as opposed to other racing games of the time which had 2D views. I can recall having always played with this view most of the time because it would “put” me in the driver’s seat of the car. That brings up another great feature in the game, which was the option to drive soft-top models with either the top up or down, and this would affect what you would hear in the cockpit view. In terms of handling, all cars handled as expected. To give some examples, the 993 Turbo was quick on straights, yet stable during turns, and the 356, while not as fast as the modern cars, would tend to oversteer. For what was meant to be an arcade racer, the handling was done well.

The game had a lot of interesting content in terms of playability. Like most racing games, there is an arcade mode which simply allows you to pick a car and race on your course of choice, which were set in Europe. There was also Factory Driver, in which you were a Porsche test driver and you had to complete missions which involved different tasks such as driving a course with certain maneuvers, delivering a vehicle, or racing the other test drivers. You can say that it kind of gives a glimpse at the life of the Porsche test drivers. Finally, there was Evolution Mode, which is essentially the game’s career mode. Here, you start off driving the 356 to win events and collect money for upgrades and new cars. As you go through events, so does the time, and you will notice how you progress through the different eras of Porsche, such as the arrival of the 911, and other models, until you reach the year 2000.

A neat feature of the game was Porsche Chronicle, which showcased the history of Porsche up to 2000. There, you would see various types of Porsche prints from old ads, sketches, and promo pictures, showing how the cars came to be. There are also informative videos showcasing every different model. For a game meant to showcase a single brand, this was a neat feature. Speaking along, Car Comparison allowed you to compare the performance numbers between all the cars in the game. For someone curious to know how certain models stack up with others, or how a Porsche owned by someone in real life compares to let’s say a lesser or upper model, it was a useful feature within the game. Given that many Porsche models have been released since 2000, such as three 911 generations since the 996, in addition to models that were still a thought at the time such as the Cayenne and Panamera, it is not as useful now.

For its time, Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed was a fantastic driving game, and it followed from the previous NFS titles from the period without disappointment, despite the focal point being a sole car manufacturer. Given that personal use of the internet in 2000 was only beginning to surge in 2000 in addition to computer technology that is not as advanced as today, the game was a very complete package. Having restricted access to the internet and limited computer use as a child back in the early 2000s, this game always kept me busy. As I look back at it today, I have to thank it a lot for allowing me to develop the passion for Porsche, in addition to creating a dream that I someday would like to accomplish: to own a 911. So thank you EA, for turning many individuals like myself into Porsche enthusiasts. I hope that you enjoyed reading this first iteration of the new Retrospect posts, as it will be the first of many.

Best Regards,
Juan Reyes-Abreu

Credit goes to:
-Gamespot and IGN for the screenshots of the game.
-Electronic Arts for the logo of the game.