E3 2011: Need for Speed: The Run to use Frostbite 2 engine, has foot chases

The new Need for Speed game, The Run got its premier showing at the EA press conference. For the first time in the series, the game will feature on foot chase sequences.

The demonstration showed a car chase with accurately modelled collisions, powered by the destructability tech in the Frostbite 2 engine. Once the car was totalled, the driver ran from the car and an on-foot chase began.

The chase sequence seemed to consist of a series of quick-time events that powered a series of insane, roof-leaping actions. At one point the driver beats up a cop, steals his car, and the chase resumes.

Need for Speed: The Run will use Autolog, the stat tracking, socialising and stat tracking system featured in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. This time, however, Autolog will track your actions, and use that information to change the storyline. It's unclear right now exactly how the tech will work, but we'll know more when we hit the show floor over the next couple of days.

Tom Senior

Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.