Need For Speed: Carbon is basically Most Wanted, but with the nighttime street racing vibe of the Underground games.

Almost everything that made Most Wanted so good is here. They have made some welcome changes, especially when it comes to progression. You no longer have to complete milestones to advance. Instead, they are now optional challenges that unlock additional rewards. The game is much shorter as a result, but I don't see that as a bad thing.

Gone is the Blacklist and instead you have to take over an entire city piece by piece. This was a bit of a trend in the mid-2000s. I think it works well here, but the Blacklist approach is superior.

They've also added crew members to help you during races. They add some welcome chatter, but I didn't find their abilities all that useful. Just pick a Scout class and let them win races for you when you're behind.

"Autosculpt" was another new feature they added, but to be honest I prefer the traditional customization options of the older NFS titles.

The big question remains which is better: Most Wanted or Carbon. I think it's a matter of taste. Most Wanted has a much better story and more intense police chases, while Carbon has a much better city and progression. I'd say for me personally, Most Wanted wins by a very narrow margin, just because of the story.

In any case, both games are worth your time and you cannot go wrong with either one.