But in Unbound there’s little of Criterion’s trademark aggression, replaced with a different kind of swagger that tries far too hard from time to time.

What’s perhaps most egregious about Unbound is that it’s from Criterion, once regarded as the kings and queens of the arcade action racer, who once gave us Burnout, and who swooped in to save the Need for Speed franchise with 2010’s Hot Pursuit, one of the best of the series to date.

Nothing about it is particularly offensive or badly designed, but neither does anything feel unique or stand-out besides the arguably misguided art style. I should preface the rest of this review by saying that Need for Speed Unbound isn’t a bad game. Which laboured point now brings us to Need for Speed Unbound, a serviceable racer that attempts – and almost manages – to hide its shortcomings behind some flashy anime razzle-dazzle. But just as a fresh coat of paint can revive an old wall, or a little make-up around the eyes can make almost anyone look just that little bit less dead inside, so too can a touch of artistic flair hide a lack of genuine freshness in a video game.

Over the decades there have been as many ugly masterpieces as beautiful disasters, and it’s almost impossible to tell one from the other without playing them. But while the idiom is certainly true, it’s rarely more applicable than when discussing video games. It’s something I tell myself regularly, as each year my face becomes a little more craggy, my eyes a little more haunted. Minimum and recommended system requirements have also been shared, which PC users can check out below.Looks aren’t everything. For everyone else, the game launches on December 2 at 7AM GMT / 8AM CET / 2AM ET. As for when Need for Speed: Unbound launches, Palace Edition and EA Play users can start playing the game from November 29 at 7AM GMT, with a regional map for the launch available to check here.

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