Need for Speed is the long running franchise from Electronic Arts which has been driving up roads and circuits all over the world. Now EA has released the latest in the series, Need for Speed Shift, which takes driving off the streets and onto some of the world’s most famous circuits. The game is developed by Slightly Mad Studios in conjunction with EA Black Box.
Need for Speed Shift really takes the racing experience to a new level with an ultra-realistic cockpit view. Driving from within the car gives a renewed sense of power as you put the hammer down to accelerate off the starting grid, or muscle the car around a corner. Of course you can also use the ever-popular helicopter out-of-car view to drive. The game even features a dash cam which gives pretty much the same view as a cop’s dash cam. So fans of the television shop Cops, will be thrilled to find this sort of a view packed into the game. Another notable feature is the game’s HUD. Shift offers a dynamic HUD, which is versatile, giving you all the vital information you need, and at the same time, not overloading your brain with unnecessary on-screen data. It is subject to g-forces in the game and slides a bit, to the opposite side, when you take a corner at high speed. It even shakes about violently when you “occasionally” crash into the “unavoidable” obstacle.
The cars in the game are extremely detailed, and represent the real world cars to a great deal. European, Japanese, American cars are available for a price. Car customization in Need for Speed Shift is one feature that every gamer will delve into, tuning their virtual racing machine to its limits. There are three levels of you basic upgrades, Stage I, II, and III, which include engine work, and other mechanical work. Then there are Aerodynamics upgrades and Race Parts upgrades, which give your machine the edge at a top level race or event. A few cars can be Works converted to match up against some of the best track racing cars in the world. Players also have a variety of paint options when it comes to choosing and customizing the look of their rides. Many logos from various categories can be applied on different body panels of the cars that a player owns for no cost. The only negative point is that in the beginning, you have a very limited number of paint options at your disposal. As you go ahead in the game, different paint schemes and finishes get unlocked.
The driver profile system in the game offers a rather deep gameplay experience. Your driving skills and abilities are judged on the basis of two factors, precision and aggression. Each race you compete in, earns you driver profile points based on your aggression and precision in that race. Earn enough points over the course of a few races and you acquire new levels in the driver profile. Each time you “Level-Up”, there are rewards to be earned such as additional garage slots for the cars you purchase, new paint schemes, and sponsors with the promise of cash.
Need for Speed Shift features many different types of racing, including the regular race, the extremely popular drift competitions, manufacturer competitions in which all competitors are given the same car to race in, and car battles, a mode which pits one car against the other. In a car battle you have to first choose one of two cars. Then, beat your opponent to the finish line or get ahead of him by 5 seconds and victory is yours. A nice way to get to try out cars, without having to spend hard earned cash to buy them, is to enter in the invitational events that the game throws up. These events have car restrictions and let you jump into powerful vehicles to compete against a myriad of opponents. The events also tend to offer bigger rewards than your normal tiered races and quick races.
Graphics in the game are great and deliver a full-blooded racing experience. Putting you in the driving seat, the game delivers a well constructed crash dynamic. The cars shimmer in the sun, as they overtake, brake, corner, and crash into the barriers. The cockpit is very well constructed with all tiny gadgets and gauges giving data to the driver. Game graphics are sharp and, as all game graphics should, unconsciously make their way into a solid game. Graphics get a healthy 9 out of 10.
Gameplay is so constructed to enhance an already great racing experience. The driver profile is a system which allows you to earn all your points and stars based on how you drive. The game’s career throws you into the fray competing against drivers with their own unique personalities and driving styles. One Japanese driver is compared to a small dog, constantly “nipping” at your heels, based on his on-track driving style. You can even practice running laps around the circuits available in the game by setting the number of opponents to zero in a quick race. This is a good way to master all the corners and beat previously set lap times. In the career, your main aim is to acquire a driver’s seat at the World Tour where the best drivers compete for the top step of the podium. A few really challenging street tracks add to the excitement. There is little or no pit-to-car radio transmissions during a race or event, which is a minor blight, plus the fact that the damage you incur to your ride just disappears when you are done with the race. A feature missing from Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 is the after-race damage which you have to pay to repair. Gameplay receives an above average 8.3 out of 10.
Sound in the game is as true to life as possible. There is nothing like hearing the roar of all those engines when you are sitting at the starting grid. Revving and over-revving your engine in real life may not be good for the road car you have, but in the game it does wonders. And although the game sound is great, there are sounds for many more tiny things that we can think of, which are not featured in the game. Game sound receives a hearty 8.2 on 10.
The Final Word: A graphically, very pleasing racing simulation. Need for Speed Shift is made to be played with most of the driving assists turned off, and can get really boring with more than a very limited number of assists on. The lower the car, the better the driving experience, especially from the cockpit view or the cop dash-cam-like view. One of the closest to the real things in a game which is not based on Formula One, the game should keep you driving around the tracks taking out opponents for quite a while.
Graphics: 9/10.
Gameplay: 8.3/10.
Sound: 8.2/10.
Overall (not an average): 8.6/10.