This game has the best story in a racing game ever. Not because of how charming the cutscenes can be but because it gives you an incentive to keep playing at all times, both by having the coolest car ever made stolen from you at the beginning and by always having a blacklist member around the corner.
I don't regret using a trainer to challenge the blacklist members instantly though. Holy shit does this game get grindy, and the terrible AI and repetitive layouts don't make it any favors. Still a great game though