Need for Speed SHIFT Review

Written by: Darren Cartledge Posted: 5th October 2009

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Need for Speed shift's a gear.

Need for Speed SHIFT Details:

	Racing
	PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/PSP
	Slightly Mad Studios
	EA Games

TBC

Out Now

1-2

At the turn of the new millennium EA enjoyed relatively good success with its Need for Speed franchise! First we had Underground 1 and 2, followed by Most Wanted and then Carbon. It seemed gamers liked the illegal street racing direction the series had taken. However EA came under increasing pressure as the pc brigade decided the games company was encouraging reckless driving. So in a bid to keep everyone happy they created Pro Street, a legitimate street racing game and it sucked! EA then decided to abandon street racing altogether and go back to Need for Speed's roots of high octane police chases in a wide open city. However, this attempt failed and by this time it seemed that Need for Speed was on a slippery slope with no brakes. In a last ditch attempt after "considering the franchises future" EA decided to go in a completely new direction. The result of which is, Need for Speed: SHIFT a true racing game that looks to compete with the likes of Forza Motorsport, but have they succeeded in their quest to rejuvenate this classic series?

As I’ve already touched on Need for Speed: SHIFT is unlike any other game in the series and is much more of a racing simulation. This may upset many fans of the franchise that were use to the arcade style racing action it had become known for, especially when you consider that SHIFT often requires precise timing and acceleration control to successfully navigate the various tracks in the game to minimize the risk of spinning out. Something that in arcade racing games you don’t have to worry about! Despite this more realistic approach to car handling Need for Speed: SHIFT hasn’t completely moved away from the series arcade routes! This is reflected in some of the race types which include arcade classics such as Eliminator and Time Attack. Just like any top racing game, SHIFT features all the usual modes, including online play. Career mode is the games main focus and is quite similar to that of Forza yet lacking a little in direction.

Other arcade throw backs that seem to have crossed into this racing simulation are the lack of damage that is inflicting during collisions. Fancy driving into a tyre wall at 200mph with only cosmetic damage? You can in SHIFT. The fact the games damage system seems to have little detrimental affect on the performance of your vehicle, takes away the feeling of realism that the developers so amicably achieved with the games vehicle handling. This for me seems like a strange design choice. Despite almost getting vehicle physics spot on, there is one area where they seem to have fallen short, vehicles are simply to light and it’s not uncommon for all four wheels of your car to leave the ground when going over bumps, or your opponents taking to the air after a fairly hefty hit. I would hazard a guess this has been implemented in order to create spectacular looking crashes, something that again harks back to the series arcade racer roots.

One feature held back from previous Need for Speed games is the upgrade system, it’s a little general offering only staged upgrades depending on the car you’re currently customising, but it does help to give you the feeing your driving your own car. The game also allows you to decorate your ride with a selection of pre-installed liveries to get that racing look. There’s also an option that allows you to craft a custom livery although this system is pretty tricky to use and the results are far less rewarding than you can achieve in the likes of the Forza games.

Generally most of the changes in SHIFT really work for the series, however for me the game does have one flaw that has plagued the franchise for sometime now. That is the lack of challenge on offer? Just as in previous iterations it’s simply too easy to get out in front and win, especially when you start upgrading your car squeezing yet more performance out of it. This of course creates a lack of intensity during races and with little pressure from A.I drivers it can quickly make prolonged play feel a little laborious.

Despite not quite getting everything right with SHIFT, for the most part the developers have done a good job in revitalising the series. This is most evident in the feeling of speed that the game portrays. This really helps bring SHIFT to life and gives it an edge over past instalments, especially when combined with the games new cockpit view which is unique to each car and a true to life representation for each vehicle. The feeling of speed the developers have achieved is even more remarkable when you consider the amount of detail featured on the cars and tracks. Excellent models of some the world’s most prestigious cars grace SHIFT and are rendered brilliantly. These include some top cars from the likes of BMW, Nissan Lamborghini. Even the Bugatti Veyron is featured in the game. Need for Speed: SHIFT also features good lighting effects which show off the various liveries and paint work in full splendour. Of course during a race damage can occur and the game does feature a decent damage system that sees body panels falling off and paint work degrading.

Some of the world’s most challenging tracks are also featured in SHIFT such as Laguna Seca and whilst others are the staples of most racing games such as Brands Hatch. Tracks like the car models also feature a good level of detail with cameramen visibly moving around and filming all of the on track action. Tracks also tend to throw up dust when a car runs wide on a corner. It’s also not uncommon to find yourself driving through clouds of smoke from cars spinning off in front of you. Despite all this detail the game still manages to maintain a consistently high frame rate which in itself is a commendable achievement. All these small details are further enhanced by the games sound design, which includes authentic engine sounds and realistic tyre screeching when you take a corner to fast.

Need for Speed: SHIFT takes this classic franchise in a whole new direction, whilst this may leave a bitter taste in the mouths of some fans, for the most part the games developers have served up a pretty authentic racing experience. Whilst Gearbox have got a lot right with the title, it must be said that certain aspects make it feel like the game has a lack of direction and as a result sits some where in between being a true racing game and an arcade hit. Petrol heads! It’s definitely worth a look, but it’s still no Forza.