The car models are a step up from last year's version. The sharp edges have been smoothed out a little, but these vehicles are still no match for those found in GT and R4. The bad news is that all of this graphical goodness periodically comes at the expense of the game's framerate. Fortunately, in all but the most extreme cases it holds its own. The audio package in NFS3 featured perhaps the most effective use of surround sound I'd ever heard in a video game, and NFS4 continues that fine tradition.
Engines roar, tires squeal, and sound effects ring out from every direction.
It's a treat for the ears. Less of a treat is the music. Not that it's bad mind you, just not particularly inspiring. The spartan techno beats that pervade the soundtrack offer little in the way of variety or character and wear out pretty quickly. However, the rest of the sound is so good that I prefer to lower the music to background level and crank the engine sounds and ambient effects anyway.