Need For Speed Underground Goes Open World In This Slick New Racer

Published Aug 24, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream. You may know him as the former Managing/Reviews Editor of Destructoid, where he published hundreds of game reviews across every genre, including MMOs, sports games, and Metroidvanias. Find Chris on Twitter @_SRChris. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Need for Speed Underground turns 23 years old this year, but it made a huge mark on the street racing genre. The Fast and the Furious came out a few years earlier and stoked the flames of street racing across almost every medium, and while that film series is still going, the genre isn't always thriving in the gaming industry, even on Steam. Every so often, a major franchise will re-emerge, or something original will pop up, but it's not exactly a genre you see every month. If you're missing the underground racer genre, you might want to check out this game hitting Steam. Developed by Sealime, Heatwarped is set to arrive on Steam in the future (currently, there's no release window or date). Here's the rub: "Ratfield sits atop an underground racing scene. Conquer the streets by warping the odds in your favor. Customize your ride to the max, meet up with other racers from your pda's racing forum to compete, and build respect." Heatwarped is specifically set in the 2000s, when the underground racing scene was really taking off in the mainstream. There are car spoilers galore, and a soundtrack inspired by "night driving." If you're into the idea of playing a street racer in 2026, you can try a demo for the game now. While the release date is up in the air, it is playable, which is a good sign. So far, fans are taking to it, noting how it controls like a classic PS2 racer (as a compliment). While the visuals might not take on major studios, the gameplay is evidently well-crafted, and the controls are responsive and tight. This could be a second coming of PS2-era racing if everything works out. Need for Speed: Underground still has a place in fans' hearts, given its huge following, high sales numbers, and stellar reviews. In it, you could traditionally race on the street, but also play more out-there parameters like drifting and drag racing, while bringing back franchise modes like Knockout. It's one of the easiest games to recommend for the series because of how much personality it has. Street racing returned in 2022 with Need for Speed Unbound, which is the last current game in the series. Sadly, EA readjusted developer Criterion Games' priorities, so the entire series is basically in limbo right now. With games like Heatwarped on Steam, however, people are keeping the tradition alive. Brand Valve Original Release Date September 12, 2003