Note: Before reading this, know that I am not basing anything in this game on other Need for Speed games.
Need for Speed: Carbon is a very realistic game. It may seems a little extreme for a racing game to have up to an hour-long learning curve, but it honestly will only take you about 10 minutes to learn if you stick with the standard control scheme. I simply added all the time together that it should take an average person to pick up the controller and learn each of the driving schemes.
Summary: NFS:Carbon is an RPG-based racing game. You take on the role of a character who has returned to the city to... well... race. The game is based on territory control. There are 4 main gangs that oppose you, but there are some other minor gangs that you will come across. The main plot is that you return to the city, someone bails you out right before you are arrested, you meet some people, race for awhile, and eventually have to take down your main rival.
Controls:
There are 5 main control schemes to choose from. You can hold your wii-mote on its side like a steering wheel (my personal choice), or you can use the other various techniques, some that will use the nunchuck attachment to steer and the wii-mote as a gas pedal, and some that are a little different. All of the control settings are very immersive in the game play, and it allows you to do so much more with this game than you could do with an analogue stick.
Gameplay: 8
Very realistic and immersive. You can choose from many different cars and customization options. There are many different types of races to choose from such as sprints, drifting, circuitings, etc. The occasional cop chase also adds a little action to the game as well. However, as with any racing game, the gameplay can get a little repetative at times. Also, some of the races can be quite frustrating at times (EX: falling off the mountain during a canyon drift event). In any case though, the gameplay in this game is excellent.
Graphics: 8
The cut scenes are amazing! They look very realistic and are very sharp. There are a few problems I have with the game play graphics though. Your car does not portray damage like it should. If you run into a wall at 212 mph, you should recieve a little more than a couple scratches. Some of the edges and sharp corners can also be very annoying or look odd in some instances. Most of the time though, you will sense nothing wrong with the graphics unless you are viewing your car close up when you turn a corner or anything like that.
Sound: 9
AMAZING! From the voiceacting, to the tires squealing, to the soundtracks playing during the game, the sound is perfect, except a few things. There are many songs in the game that I do not like, but I do have the option to turn those off. I also wish the game had an option to import your own music. The only other thing wrong is that at some points, the voices of your crew during races can get a little annoying at times.
Replay Value: 9
You can always redo races that you want to improve on, complete the extra bonus races, challenge series, etc. if you have already beaten the game and are looking for extra things to do. All of the races are just as fun the 2nd or 3rd time as they were the 1st time. This game has almost perfect replay value. However, the reason I will not give this replay value a 10 is because you do not gain enough money rebeating other races once you wish to finish your car collection!
With that being said, I am sorry but that is all I have to say for now. This was a rushed review, so if I have missed anything, please feel free to PM me at a later time because, as I said, I had to rush this review. Also, If you have any comments, further questions, or concerns please feel free to PM me. Or check this other player review: http://www.gamespot.com/wii/driving/needforspeedcarbon/player_review.html?id=391324