This ends up working really well as players are forced to spend time with all three of the characters throughout the game, and there’s a good reason to purchase cars beyond simply wanting some new eye candy to look at. Since a Lamborghini isn’t going to do well in dirt, players will need to have different types of cars available. There’s a total of five types of events to compete in (Drag, Off-Road, Drift, Race, and Runner), and each character heads up the areas that lean into their strengths.
Story is definitely a focus in Need for Speed Payback, but the three characters also factor into the gameplay. Throw in a mechanic that complains about being too old for this type of tomfoolery, and you’ve got a cast of characters that’d fit into any street racing movie.
There’s the charmingly egotistical off-road specialist Mac (I think it’s the British accent), a street racer punk named Tyler (I’m waiting on my royalties), and a sassy escape driver named Jess. Players control three different characters in Payback, and each of them brings with them their own charm.
