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Need for Speed Shift
Back to reviewsGame Reviewed: Need For Speed
Shift
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
Reviewer: Luis
Platform: XBOX 360 (Also on PS3, PC, PSP & iPhone)
Category: Racing
ERSB Rating: E
Game Summary
Until
now, there have been twelve games from Electronic
Arts in the Need for Speed franchise.
They have all been based around an arcade style of racing
rather than a
simulation like the popular Playstation franchise Gran Turismo. The
things that
have set the Need for Speed apart have always been being able to
completely
customize your car and racing on city streets with different race
options, such
as drifting, time challenges, head to head, lap knockouts, drag racing,
and
police outruns. The
13th
game, Shift, however, is the franchise’s first entry into the racing
simulation
world, which makes it totally unlike any other Need for Speed to date.
By
simulation I mean that there are no police. All of the
racing in this game takes place on tracks, a franchise first. The physics have greatly
improved as well,
making the driving much more realistic.
Thankfully they did manage to keep alive the variety of
racing modes
that Need for Speed is known for which is something most simulation
racing
games are missing. In
fact, they have
actually added a couple. Manufacturer
competitions feature the same car from the same manufacturer; only the
driver’s
skills will help you win these races. This Need for Speed does not
include drag
racing, like some of the more recent entries, but it does bring back
drift
racing. Other new
racing options include
car competitions; an example is racing the Subaru WRX Sti against the
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
There
are also three new features that really separate
Shift from the other racing simulations and from previous Need for
Speeds. The first,
and probably the most important,
is that the game does not give you too much to handle too soon. The game starts you off
with a test run and
automatically adjusts the difficulty to your abilities.
Then, as the game progresses and your skills
improve, the game gradually becomes more difficult.
As you race you win money and build points
that you can use to buy upgrades for your car and as well as purchase
new
vehicles. The points also allow you to unlock tracks and higher levels
of
competition. The
second new feature
worth mentioning is the new cockpit view.
It is a first person view for racing, from the eyes of the
driver. You see the
entire inside of the car with
great detail. Each
dash is specific to
the make and model. The
third feature is
a crash animation. When
you crash in
this game, depending how fast you are going, the screen shakes, blurs,
cracks,
the driver groans or yells, and your car takes a realistic amount of
damage. This is a
great, entertaining, realistic
driving game that will last whoever is playing it for quite some time.
What Parents Need
to Know
Violence
The
violence in this game is all based on two things,
accidents and driving aggressively.
The
first part can get pretty serious; however, it is all just physical
damage and
does not affect how your car drives.
The
second, driving aggressively, is encouraged.
From hitting your opponents off the course, drafting
behind them, and
drifting around corners it is encouraged in this game to do these
aggressive
driving techniques.
Language
There
is no bad language in this game.
Sexual Content
There
is none.
Spiritual Content
There
is none.
Conclusion
Need
for Speed Shift is a great racing game. Personally, I miss
the
arcade style racing of
past Need for Speed games, but Shift is still lots of fun.
The
many different options for cars, racing,
and dynamic difficulty level make this a game that can be played over
and over. I would easily recommend Need for Speed Shift
for anyone of any age who enjoys a good racing simulation.