The selection of available gear differs depending on whether or not you play as a racer or as a cop, as the priority for each is different: Racers are more focused on evading cops as well as disabling other cars, while the cops are focused on stopping the race at all costs. This means that some equipment is only usable by cops and the same goes for runners.
Using equipments has a cooldown and a limited number of uses, so the idea is to optimize the way you use them for the best possible effect. Your limits on what you can use and how many times you use it depend on the car, whether you are a driver or not, and the course you are racing on.
However, as you use your equipment they become more efficient as continued use helps to achieve milestones and these can be used to improve equipment so it is essential that you use them properly. carefully.
Helicopter
The helicopter is a piece of equipment that can only be used by cops and performs several different functions:
Maintains tracking contact with additional engagement range
Leave crampon strips before the race pack
Upgrading the helicopter's gear increases its fuel capacity for additional deployment time, increases the length of the spike strips deployed by it, and allows it to maintain contact with racers through tunnels .
Roadblock
Roadblocks are roadblocks made up of BPSD vehicles and are used to divert or completely stop riders. They can only be called by cops, placed ahead of runners, and can be upgraded with repeated use.
Improved roadblocks increase the efficiency and size of said blocks.
Jammer
Jammer is a communication and equipment disruption ability available to runners. Activating the jammer disrupts the ability of cops to use their equipment and has the ability to sometimes deactivate equipment already deployed.
They can be activated by runners and can be upgraded as they are used. Upgrading jammers increases its duration and extends the effective radius.
Turbo
Turbo is a boost available to runners that cannot be turned off once activated. It will not disengage until it is exhausted or if it is turned off by contact with the vehicle.
Activating a turbo will take a second to warm up before a power surge begins. During the surge, the car will accelerate to or beyond its maximum speed.
This gear can be activated by races and can be upgraded as it is used. The upgrade increases the duration and acceleration up to the car's maximum speed and beyond.
EMP
EMP (or electromagnetic pulse) is equipment available to cops designed to disrupt the electronics of a targeted vehicle.
Activating an EMP will begin by choosing a target vehicle which, upon successful lockdown, will trigger an EMP pulse. For cops, it will target the closest runner; for runners it will target the closest opponent including cops.
Once an EMP pulse has been fired at a targeted vehicle, the vehicle will be temporarily disabled, forcing the car to slide and damage it. Vehicles that have taken a lot of damage can be shot down by an EMP pulse.
An EMP can be upgraded by using it repeatedly and upgrading it, it will reduce its lock time, increase the damage it deals, and increase its range.
Tip tape
Spike Strips are pretty self-explanatory: they are strips that are laid out on the road and have sharp spikes, meant to damage a car's tires to the point of rendering a car unable to continue.
Activating a strip of spikes in the game will deploy the strip on the road behind you and extend behind you for a certain length depending on how much you have upgraded the equipment.
When a car rolls over a strip of studs, it will spin while taking some damage. While the car's tires are not actually punctured as they would be in real life, the resulting skates as well as the actual damage to the vehicle that is inflicted can cause an accident, so be on the lookout for these bands. .
These can be used by cops or runners and can be improved by repeated use. Leveling the spike bands will increase their length and the amount that decreases when deployed.
I haven't always found much use for all of this as I'm more of a Spike Strips fan than others, but I think every piece of gear has its place in Hot Pursuit Remastered.
Be sure to check out our Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered review!
