Customer Reviews

Need for Speed: Shift

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I can't for the life of me figure out why someone who (in general) likes driving games would not like this game!

Pros:

- The graphics are eye popping and run smoothly throughout on both my PS3s (80GB fat and a 120GB slim).
- The sound is top notch, especially on 5.1 (or better?) systems.
- Driving can be challenging or easy and is highly configurable to let you decide which is best for you.
- There are a ton of different cars to master that all drive differently (as it should be).
- You can upgrade each car with engine, suspension, braking and other technical improvements.
- You can customize the visual aspects of each car if you're into that kind of thing.
- You can be either a precision or aggression style of driver and you earn points for both along the way
- There are many different racing styles represented (standard, manufacturer events, drift for example)

Cons:

- At release, there were some bugs but they have been addressed now as far as I can tell.
- This game melds elements of arcade and simulation racing which may put off hard core fans these genres.


The Need for Speed series is a tale of two franchises really and that is why the widely differing reviews I think. If you are a fan of NFS: Hot Pursuit and other "cops and robbers" racing games, then you will likely not like this game because there isn't a cop in sight. You are racing on tracks and other closed courses and not in city streets with other civilian cars running around. If you need to see flashing red lights in your rear view mirror, or just have to run down a mother and her baby carriage then look elsewhere.

What this game is a pretty simple I think. It provides you with all the best elements of actually racing in environments designed for racing, plus the ability to tweak your ride to a reasonable level. This is where simulation meets arcade to me because while games like Gran Turismo allow you to tinker until your knuckles bleed, NFS: Shift dumbs all that down a bit so you can just concentrate on driving and having fun.

Bottom line is this; If you want an all out utterly realistic simulation, this ain't it. If you want chase epic scenes, running from the cops and driving crazy fast amongst the general population, this ain't it. But if you want to just have fun while driving nice cars on actual race courses with limited tweaking -- then this is the ticket. If you can accept what this game brings to bear, you will enjoy it.

I purchased the game after going off the IGN review (9.0 out of 10). I would not rate it that high personally. The game takes getting used to. I admit to liking the NFSU games, but knew this one was different and closer to a GT racing sim than the earlier titles. Anyway, I think that the game performs well in some areas, not so in others. The load times are ridiculous. The same questions come up on each time you start the game. With the HD in place there should not be such long load times between races and saving. There is no menu option that I see to quit mid-race. Hopefully the cars will be more stable and easier to control at high speeds as you advance through the tiers. The BMW M3 on tier 2 is way too loose even after all upgrades. I probably need to do more tuning but it's hard to keep on the courses. I suppose this is to lend to the more realistic simulation but it's frustrating at times. Drift mode is an adventure; I've never been great at drift racing but the initial impression here is that it's almost prohibitive in it's difficulty. I haven't found the right balance of throttle and brake yet. It seems overly sensitive compared to the previous titles. While it shouldn't be totally easy, it takes a lot of getting used to and I find it annoying at times.

The courses are pretty awesome although many have already been done in the GT series. The graphics are very good. I have not noticed the high speed blurring as mentioned in other reviews, maybe because my car tops out at 150 or so. We'll see when we get into the high end cars if it is noticable.

I typically don't do the online racing because of the issues with rewarding aggressive/dirty tactics in all online play so I can't speak to that experience yet.

I think it is a disservice to gamers that EA did not make it compatible with the racing wheels out there. How does anybody make a driving sim that doesn't work with a wheel controller?

In spite of it's flaws (maybe they are my flaws, not the game?), I am enjoying the game so far. I am giving it a 7.5 after limited game play. Maybe when my skills improve I will look at it differently. Not a bad effort.

Ok where should I begin? This game fancies itself as some kind of a perfect cross between a sim and an arcade racer, but the truth is that it totally fails to accomplish this goal. It seems that being stuck in the middle ground isn't doing this new NFS installment any favors and let me explain why. Individuals who like arcadish racing games will find this title a bit too difficult for their taste, since some sort of driving physics, albeit exaggerated and inaccurate, still exists and the car is not exactly easy to control. Hardcore sim fans will be thoroughly disappointed as this game is just really not much of a driving simulator at all; physics does not feel realistic, speed feels artificially exaggerated to" enhance the action experience", finally, besides top speed and acceleration, cars do not feel all that much different from one another. Overall, the physics of this game does not even come close in comparison to something like GT5 prologue.

If all this wasn't enough, there is the graphics, which really does not seem all that sharp, as it appears to have been tuned down to prevent frame rate issues. Furthermore, the gameplay was not very impressive at all, as it is an extremely linear progression, which does not allow much freedom whatsoever. Last, but certainly not least, there are compatibility problems with Logitech G25 steering wheel. The wheel feels off-center with a huge center deadzone (I tried playing with the options and didn't help) and finally the force feedback is all messed up - all this adding up to a pretty terrible driving experience with otherwise the best steering wheel on the market.

Overall, this game is stuck in a non-sim/non-arcade land, which really makes it hard to be appealing for fans of either genre. In certain ways it is similar to GRID, but does not have the same impressive graphics, innovative features and crash sequences and so in other words, it brings nothing new to the table. The final nail in the coffin is delivered through its sloppy integration with the Logitech G25 steering wheel, which turns a pretty crappy racing experience into a truly horrid one.

I'll start by admitting I have a temper and little patience for frustration. I tend to get upset, turn a game off, then move on. It takes something special to make me do more than swear at a game before angrily pressing the power button. That said, I actually rage-smashed a Driving Force Pro over this game.

First, the good things: A lot of people are complaining at the blend of arcade and sim. This game is much closer to sim than people are giving it credit for. Just because you don't have to fight the car to keep it on the track (real cars aren't that insanely difficult to drive) doesn't immediately disqualify the game as a sim. The presentation is amazing. Cornering at racing speeds should feel intense and dangerous, and NFSShift conveys this excellently. It may seem artificial and a little too over the top at times, but the sensation of speed is completely unequaled. I literally cannot play GT5P or be excited for Forza 3 (based on its demo) any more because of NFS Shift. That feeling of "barely-in-control" flying down a course just isn't present at all in those other games. If rated on presentation and immersion alone, I'd give NFS Shift a 6/5 if I could. The Forza demo feels like pushing toy cars around a toy track compared to this.

The real problem is the AI. Like many racing games, Shift suffers from crap AI. To its credit, it doesn't crutch on the "rubber-band" mechanic nearly as much as other racers do, but the blatant "unfairness" of the game is maddening at times. The AI is given emotions, it reacts to you as well as the other AI, and sometimes the effect is pretty stunning. As racers jostle with each other, the whole pack gets a little more aggressive, trying to cut other drivers off or even force them off the track. If you tailgate an opponent it wears on them, causing them to take turns faster and faster and risk wiping out in the process. Really well done. But for all of the "human" qualities they gave the AI, it seems the developers also just let the AI cheat to compensate for these quirks or fallacies.

Simply, no matter what you are driving, or what the AI is driving, the "main competitors" (usually the two best AI drivers/cars) will be faster than you. They'll corner better than you. They'll accelerate faster than you. They'll recover from race-losing errors (such as flying off track and head-first into a wall) and still do better than you. It isn't too terrible or noticeable in most of the "normal" races because you generally aren't required to place 1st all the time in order to advance and doing really, really well can still net you that number 1 position, and most events and series only require a podium finish. The problem is a large segment of the game (including its "boss fights" at the end of each tier) is dedicated to 1v1, win or lose, do or die "car battles". A lot of these will force you to choose between one of two pre-configured vehicles. No matter which you choose, you have to fight for your life to stay ahead of the AI. Even worse are the boss fights, where you *are* allowed to bring in your preferred, fully tuned car, and watch it get blown entirely the heck away by whatever the AI is driving. It doesn't matter if every bit of math and tuning is on your side, the AI *will* beat you off the line. It *will* beat you in straightaways. It *will* pull corners faster than you can. Your only real hope is to get lucky and be able to lurch into a leading position either through some risky, "too-fast" turns, knock it off track by slamming into him instead of braking for a corner, or just barely pull ahead and then try your best to box the AI out until the race ends.

It's supposed to be challenging, but all it is is frustrating. Fun isn't even on the same map as these races. I'm all for a game being difficult if it is still fun, if there's some semblance of fairness, but knowing your vehicle and tuning mean so little in so much of the game, and it really only comes down to luck, is a significant disappointment.

Setup:
PlayStation 3 120 GB
Logitech G27 Racing Wheel for PC and PS3

I have yet to wreck my car so bad that I couldn't drive it any longer on NFS:Shift. It is a much better sim than any previous NFS game. The arcade mode is still there in that you can use any car ahead of you to slow down into a corner. Get behind? Drive like a maniac and then slam into the cars ahead, sure the hood will crumple but you will blast them off the track and if your good you can then run ahead on to the next set and slam into them. Its like a mix of a demolition derby and a racing sim.

There are a ton of redeeming qualities in this game though, so dont think its all bad;

Cockpit:
The cockpits of these cars look very authentic. I am a fan of Top Gear and have seen every car in this game on that show several times (except the Camaro) and the cockpits here look identical. When you drive a car it tallies up the miles you have driven it which is cool to say you have driven a few thousand miles in car X. It makes you want to keep a car longer just so you can become more proficient.

AI:
Not bad, many of them want to kill you and they will try to run you off the road. Which can help you get ready for online races because they will do the exact same thing.

Cars:
Very accurate but indestructible. Drive a Zonda or Veyron into a wall at 200 MPH and it will only dent the hood slighlty and may break the lenses.

I can only compare this to another driving sim even though its an off road rally game. Comparing this to Dirt 2 and you will see some glaring issues. First off in Dirt if you hit a wall or even a hay bale at speed you may risk ripping a body panel off or even the wheel; ending your race. In Shift you can slam into anything you want and it will keep on going.

Issue 2: the gravel is impossible to turn on. I realize hitting gravel at high speed means you can not turn as sharply but in Shift you hit it at anything over 20 and you will hit the wall.
Issue 3: The car customizing is really difficult to do. Want to do ralley stripes on your car, it can take 30 minutes or more to get them all in place, hit a wrong button and all that work is gone.


Pros:

>> Wonderful car models
>> Drive some of the rarest cars on the planet
>> Accurate cockpits
>> Cool animations when you hit things

Cons:
<< Ultra difficult 1 on 1 sponsored races (if the guy gets away you might as well reset)
<< Very easy to win races by using cars ahead as bumpers to slow into corners
<< Little to no consequence for whacking a car or a wall


Overall this is a very good racing arcade game. I will not call it a full on racing sim yet, maybe with the next iteration.

Thanks for reading my review.

If you want a real world sim game then this is it. This is the BEST racing sim for NFS and the PS3. They put a lot of effort into this and I cant wait for part 2.

I wanted to add my two cents, even though it'll probably get lost in the huge bag of Amazon's reviews. I've owned this game for almost a year now, I play on my PS3 with a Logitech Driving Force GT wheel, and I'm still turning to it to get my fix of track racing.

I've taken my [real] car out to the track a few times (NFS:Shift doesn't do autocross) and my overall reaction to the game is that it feels and plays wonderfully. The unique camera jostling and tunnel-vision effects help immerse the player in the game and allows them to "feel" the Gs through a corner better than any other racing game I've played. That being said, yes it has a slight arcade-y vibe to it, but turn off all the fancy computer aids like stability management and traction control (I think they may also have brake assist and other non-purist features like that), and you've got yourself a rather realistic racing sim. The graphics are beautiful, the physics are realistic, the engine noises sound great (I can't personally vouch for the authenticity of a specific Ferrari or Porsche engine note, unfortunately). It's the little things that I enjoy, like requiring the driver to shift into first gear on the grid before the green, and being able to feel the bumps in the road surface.

Turning to my one huge pet peeve about this game... You can be the best driver out there, but if you play against a cheating 14-year-old that rams into your car to brake himself in the first corner, you're done. It can be really frustrating and I would really like to see the developers release an update to allow ghosting in online races, to avoid intentional crashing. But you can always do what I do and just drive a quick race on the nurburgring over and over and over... :D

If you're a fan of racing games, unless you only play super arcade-y games like RUSH 2049 or Ridge Racer, at least give this game a shot. I wasn't too comfortable with it when I started playing it either (first hour or so), but I quickly warmed up to it and it's one of the best racing games I've played.

I was a pretty avid follower of NFS. Mainly on my computer. This time around I got NFS Shift for the PS3 instead. Going from a joystick to an analog stick was interesting and took some getting used to, but after that the game was a wonderful experience.

I appreciate the games fine tuning aspects of what type of racing you want. I will warn right now that NFS is not a full sim. You can turn off all driving aids, but you will spend most of your time off track and spinning in circles if you do. There is no way to control the higher tier cars without some sort of driving aids. I have mine set up with no braking assist, no traction control, low stability control and low driving aid. This set up allows me to keep the car competitive without it becoming frustrating. Yes, the steering assist set on low still gives a healthy amount of under steer, but it also keeps one from spinning out uncontrollably.

The game itself is fun. You can race in a variety of cars, and I love the tuning options, you can get as detailed or as vague as you want. Quick tuning is a must for your cars. AI isn't too difficult on normal, if set higher up it becomes vindictive. But I do like that the "catchup" feature is not very prevalent in the game. If you get ahead, you usually stay well ahead.

Graphics are decent, I wouldn't say they are great, but they do a decent job in representing the cars, the tracks are so so. Damage detail is very basic.

Audio is horrible, Sound Effects are great. I am not sure who or what decided on the music for the game but it is annoying. Thankfully it isn't present when actually racing. The car engines and exhaust sounds are very well done and can be music to someone's ears.

Learning curve, yes it is there. You will have to decide for yourself what type of set up works for you. But the great thing is that NFS allows you the freedom to do this. From the tuning of the car, to the tuning of the driving abilities it gives you a great range to find what is right for you.

All in all it is a very decent showing for the NFS franchise.

I used to have a racing game that enjoyed playing when I had a PS1. Boy, does this game ever blow that one away! In fact, I've never played a racing game that was more fun than this one.

On this game you can buy & trade cars, change the paint job and customize them visually. The more you win, the better cars you're able to buy and the more upgrades you're able to do. I must concede that I'm partial to a souped-up Lamborgini that I picked up. I can dominate a lot of racetracks driving it! You can also buy more than one car > you have maxed out your upgrades.

The controls are similar to GTA, which is a good thing as the controls are fairly logical. One nice thing is that you don't have any annoying "checkpoints" of earlier racing games.

The game does a great job of providing variety in races. You can race "manufacturers challenge" where every driver gets the exact same car (that way nobody has an advantage w/their vehicle). You can do head-to-head challenges between two different cars. There are also lap eliminator & time eliminator races that are thrown in as well.

Almost all of the major car manufacturers are on the game; Nissan, Toyota, Aston Martin, Chervolet, Ford, Lamborgini, Audi, Mercedes, etc. The only major brand that is omitted is Ferrari. That's too bad as I'm a huge fan of Ferrari! Ostensibly, the licensing didn't work out as I can't see the makers of the game simply forgetting about such a major manufacturer of exotic automobiles.

If you like racing games, then more than likely you will like this one. Sure, the laws of physics are toned down in the game, but to have more realistic physics would be to degrade the playability of the game. This is at once one of the most frustrating games I've ever played, and at the same time it's one of the funnest games I've ever played. You can drive with the precision of Mario Andretti, or you can be so aggressive that you make NASCAR drivers look like downright courteous operators. In short, it's everything a racing game should be!

First, let me say that this game has its share of technical problems. So why do I give it 5 stars? I'll get to that in a moment. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. Load times are rather long, and as you get farther into the game, they can get really long. There's a bit of frame rate slowdown occasionally, but it's not at all common. However if there are 10 cars ahead of you and 5 of them are having a massive collision, the frame rate can drop to 0 for a second, and next thing you know you're 100 yards farther down the track than you were before. The sound can cut out on occasion, requiring you to quit the game and restart it. Again, this is rare. There's also a problem with the replays - if you're using a steering wheel, the replays cause the wheel to turn, which in turn causes the on-screen menu to start cycling through its options, creating an annoying clicking sound. In the past, a couple of tracks had terrible slowdown problems, causing the game to run in slow motion. However, they've fixed this with a patch which you can download for free.

So now the good stuff. Technical problems aside, this game is an absolute blast to play. They start you off with a race in which your driving abilities are analyzed. The game then sets the difficulty level to suit your experience level. You can also manually choose whatever difficulty you want, from casual to professional. And you can set the AI opponents to easy, medium or hard. With casual difficulty, the cars almost drive themselves, you don't even need to use the brakes. With professional difficulty, it's a very good driving simulator, and quite realistic. And you can choose anything in between. So it appeals to just about any race fan, from beginner to expert.

As far as the cars and tracks, there's an excellent selection. Other games may have more cars, but this game has about as many as I could want. A very nice selection of American, European and Japanese cars, from low powered ones like you might actually own, to the most exotic and expensive stuff made in the world. I believe there are about 68 total. There are also two DLC packs, the "Team Racing" pack - which is free - includes some nice classic American muscle cars. The "Exotic" pack - which is not free - includes a nice selection of 7 exotic sports cars, along with a new track and a whole pile of extra events to race in. The selection of tracks in the game is about as good as anything on the market. Seriously, you will never get bored with the selection of tracks because there are just so many of them. And it's even got the Nurburgring!

The game is arranged into 4 tiers. You start on tier 1, with the lower powered cars. After you've gained enough experience, you move to tier 2, with more cars and a wider variety of tracks, and then to tier 3 and 4. The 5th group of races is the Need for Speed World Championship, which is a series of about 10 races. There's also a "star" system - you earn stars for various things: 3 stars for a 1st place finish, 2 for 2nd, 1 for third. You can also get a star for completing a lap within the specified time, running a clean lap, earning enough points for precision driving or aggressive driving, etc. There are 50 levels total, and each time you make it to a new level you get a prize of some sort. It might be cash, or access to more features. So all throughout the game there are a myriad of incentives to keep you working towards getting better and achieving a higher level.

The best part though is the driving. It's just so fun and immersive. The force feedback you get if you use a steering wheel is awesome - you can feel every bump and ripple in the track, and feel the tires losing traction and then gaining it back again. It really feels like you're driving a race car. The sound is also excellent, with directional sounds coming from all sides if you've got a surround sound system. Hit a wall on your left? You'll get a big crashing sound to your left. Collisions also cause your vision to momentarily go blurry and the color disappears, which goes even further to immerse you in the experience. And the cars are an absolute blast to drive. They all have their own unique handling and acceleration. There's no such thing as two cars that feel the same to drive. The physics are very realistic if you set it on professional or even experienced difficulty level. By the end of a long endurance race, I notice I'm sweaty, my arms are a bit tired, and my nerves are frayed. In other words, it provides that visceral and emotional experience that few others can match.

Overall, a great game. My favorite racing game of all time, hands down. I think I've got over 200 hours into it so far, and still having a blast.