by Chris Buffa on Monday, September 14, 2009
Need for Speed: Shift's title couldn't be more apropos. Electronic Arts ditched the cheesy cut scenes and lame voice actors (staples of previous games in the series) and focused on making one of the most intense racers available, a superb mix of simulation and pure, arcade style speed. It's so good that we suggest you rush out and purchase a copy ASAP, providing you want to know what it feels like hit a wall going 150 miles per hour.
The cockpit view is the first thing that stands out. EA spent just as much time modeling the inside of these cars as the outside, perfectly capturing the (for example) Lamborghini Gallardo's lavish interior, complete with big steering wheel and leather seats. Bottom line, this is probably as close as you'll come to driving an Aston Martin, Pagani Zonda or Corvette Z06. Of course, if you ride a Honda Civic Si to work, Need for Speed: Shift will give you deja vu.
You'll get the most out of Shift if you play from inside the car. Click to see more images from the game...
Although you can leave the cockpit for a more traditional third person view, we urge you to stay behind the wheel. Not only do the interiors look amazing, but developer Slightly Mad Studios did exceptional work capturing what it's like to go insanely fast, thanks to a dynamic camera that pitches you around depending on how rough you handle the car, as well as sweet g-force effects that causes the screen to blur. All of this combines to form one of the most terrifying (and most of the time, exhilarating) virtual racers out there. When you go 200mph, you feel like the car's flying.
That's both good and bad, depending on your skill behind the wheel. If you master the game's tracks (a list that includes Willow Springs, Laguna Seca and Nurbergring), you'll have a blast screaming around turns, nudging opponents out of the way and blasting across the finish line. Lose control, and you'll bear witness to some of the most realistic crashes in video games. As soon as you hit something (a stack of tires, a rival car, a wall), the screen shakes violently, colors blur and then slowly return back to normal. Not only will this leave you slightly disorientated, but perhaps feeling a little guilty after demolishing a $200,000 car. Of course, if you love breaking things, you'll enjoy busting up Shift's expensive rides. EA did an excellent job with the damage modeling. Cars trade paint, get crunched and even fly into the air.
Thankfully, you'll like watching this game as much playing it. EA kept things simple, as you compete to earn cash and purchase more expensive cars, but Shift handles like a dream. All of the cars sport dramatically unique features that allow for different types of driving experiences. They all feel a bit loose (it's easy to lose control and slide), but for the most part, you'll quickly get the hang of things. The controls, even with the analog stick, feel responsive, and driver assists will help you stay on the road.
Everything about this racer screams high quality, especially the well-detailed graphics. Click to see more images from the game...
Most importantly, it's a lot of fun, largely because of the driver profile. In games like Gran Turismo, one mistake can cost you the entire race. While that also holds true in Need for Speed: Shift, you earn points for just about everything, win or lose. Take first place and you'll receive points. Follow the green assist line? Points. Drift? Points. Successfully dominate curves? Points, points and points. The more points you accumulate, the more cash you earn. You may even receive a bonus car and assorted parts to make upgrades.
On top of that, Shift's Career Mode is a collection of tiers, one progressively harder than the next. During play, you'll earn stars that'll open up additional tiers. Some will let you pick any car, while others will put everyone (you and the computer) behind the wheel of a specialty vehicle (a certain type of BMW, for instance).
While that's cool to a point, this tier setup makes Career feel more like a checklist of events. If anything, this gives Shift less personality than some of its predecessors. That's actually our only complete. EA put a ton of effort into the racing, but we could've used additional modes.
After dominating the single player arena, you can hop into the online world. Shift lets you enjoy a Quick Race (ranked or unranked) against others, and Driver Duel pits you against another gamer in a battle to climb the ladder of success; it's a three round competition. While not the most advanced online package, we're confidant that you'll have plenty to smile about.
Need for Speed: Shift is a wonderful re-imaging of Electronic Arts' classic series and one of 2009's best racing games. The combination of exquisite graphics and hardcore crashing delivers an adrenaline shot to players who drool over squealing tires, burnt rubber and exotic muscle machines.
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