Quick Look: Need for Speed: The Run PS3 Demo (With Gameplay Video)

Electronic Arts and its Black Box studio have finally released a demo for their upcoming racing game, Need for Speed: The Run, highlighting the all-new Frostbite 2 engine and showcasing just what the racing title can do.

We've had a quick test drive with the demo, so let's see if The Run is a worthy successor to the mighty impressive NFS: Hot Pursuit of last year, or if it's going to crash before it even starts its engine.

Like I've said in my hands on with the game earlier this year at Gamescom 2011, NFS: The Run is a beautiful game, showcasing that the Frostbite 2 engine can also be successfully used in racing games, not just in first person shooters like the upcoming Battlefield 3.

Still, at least in the first Desert Hills race, the game does bear a striking resemblance to last year's Hot Pursuit. There are a few touches, like the lens flare in the middle of the race, which does leave a lasting impression on players. The Independence Pass race, however, really shows off the new engine through the avalanche and special snow effects

Car handling has also been changed, as opposed to the more arcade-ish Hot Pursuit, with vehicles sticking closer to the road, while their drifting nature has been seriously reduced by a more powerful handbrake. As such, when you approach a tight corner like the first ones in Desert Hills or Independence Pass, the handbrake really affects your speed, besides sending the back of the car into a drift.

The environment also has a bigger impact on the race, as you can't just depend on the invisible walls to keep your car on the road. Now, rocks and other debris behave naturally and will cause serious damage to your ride, culminating with the 'Wrecked' screen, which you'll be able to see before the end of the Desert Hills race in the video above.

Thankfully, there's a special checkpoint system in place, so you won't have to restart the whole race just because you made a mistake inches from the finish line.

Overall, however, NFS: The Run feels like an evolution for the racing series, and will seriously contend for the best racing game of the year award against Forza Motorsport 4.

The demo for the game is now available on the Xbox 360, but only for Gold subscribers, and on the PlayStation 3, being released yesterday in North America, and today, in Europe. Until the download completes, check out a playthrough of the demo below.