As the world is whizzing past you at a couple hundred kilometres an hour, Shift makes it very easy to forget where you are. Eventually, in a (arguably unnecessary but nonetheless welcome) nod to previous street-style Need for Speed games, you can unlock nitrous tanks for speed boosts at critical moments. Like the Tiered structure of the career, each level of upgradeable car part must be earned, which again, all relates back to your rank, money and desire to pursue pure racing or aggressive style and points. Rather, it's there for players who want the depth they've come to expect after years of Gran Turismo conditioning. ![]() Paint jobs and obligatory trashy decals aside, tuning isn't forgone in Shift. Garage spaces are initially limited, which is fine you'll unlock a lot more as you progress towards level 50 in your career. It's not going to hold up when compared with rival titles, but generally speaking, Shift cuts out a lot of the low-end rides and gives you a good cross-section of performance vehicles and some stunning classic cars, including this writer's favourite, the Skyline 2000 GTR. It's surprisingly functional - if a little dark at times.Ĭustomisation and car-hunting, forever the long-term goal for any racing gamer, is fairly well catered for, with a total of 72 cars to unlock. The split between European, US and Japanese car models makes for a great set-up for international events, ensuring that you're earning enough to stock at least a couple really strong cars for each region, just so you can compete.Īs immersion goes, it's hard to go past cockpit view. At each level, a new range of applicable performance vehicles becomes available, as do special invitational events and a lot of themed events. The structure of the game, as touched upon earlier, hinges around Tiers. If you've ever become bored by the grind, Shift really does address this –and frankly, it's to be applauded. You're always earning something – new tracks, decals, events, cars and money. These badges, including supremely challenging 'master badges' eschew towards either 'Aggressive' or 'Precision' disciplines, ultimately giving you (and your online rivals) a nifty insight into your on-track method. As such, every time you enter a slipstream, take a great corner, pull a best lap time and so on, you'll begin to earn badges. In addition to the standard line-up of Achievements and Trophies, the Shift experience is all about tracking your accomplishments as a race driver. Need for Speed Shift is a game with a fixation on instant-gratification, perfect for the Trophy/Achievement-whore generation, who constantly need to be patted on the head for just about anything they do in the game. It's your choice – and you'll be rewarded regardless. Simply focus on getting that perfect lap, nailing every corner or obliterating your rival's ride. The beauty of this structure is, if you're not in the mood for being competitive, then objectives are waiting to be completed. It really underlines the studio's understanding of the two very different markets who'll be interested in this game too – players who want action in a racing game, and players who want t to immerse themselves in the thrill of competition alone. Effectively, the Skill Points system takes the 'grind work' out of the constant struggle for place before all else. These net you yet more points – and critically – more stars for unlocking events and higher tier levels.Ĭheck out this bad boy in action by clicking above.Īll of these elements are tracked on-the-fly and are tallied at the top of the HUD (which can be turned off for pure immersion) and totalled to give you an ever-increasing rank as a driver. Moreover, during a standard race, you'll have optional objectives, such as earning 800 points, performing a 3-second drift or spinning out four competitors. Called 'Driver Skill Points', you're rewarded for just about any on-track manoeuvre – from revving your engine at the optimal intensity and clean or dirty overtakes to spinning out your rivals or performing a perfect corner. The real question is: by trying to please everyone, does Shift actually alienate both extremes of racing? The answer lies in the progression system that sits at the heart of Shift. What it is – which may come to as a shock to Forza purists as much as Burnout aficionados – is a game that strikes a wonderful balance between the two extremes of racing, blending elements of deep simulation and customization with a Kudos (Project Gotham Racing)-like system that rewards your skills, style, daring and creativity. It's not an arcade thrill-fest either – though, Shift is rarely short on action.
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