Shift 2: Unleashed

Great sim thrills with EA's trademark slick presentation. [May 2011, p.94]

Shift 2 is technically very impressive, but like Hot Pursuit, it's the social features surrounding the game that define it as an experience. If you're a serious fan of the genre, know that Shift 2 does several things better than anything else on the market right now, which makes it an essential purchase.

Shift 2: Unleashed builds upon the firm base of the previous game and offers more features and better features. More tracks, vehicles and multiplayer options thanks to the inclusion of the social system Autolog, and also better physics and simulation, which have improved the right way. It is not a perfect simulation experience, but will please most gamers.

While lacking the ultimate sense for sober realism and clinical perfection that propelled Forza 3 and Gran Turismo 5 to the racing-genres pole-positions, Shift 2 Unleashed scores with its fast presentation and brilliant helmet-cam that boast of speed and adrenaline. Despite the sloppy and cumbersome menus and some problems in terms of balancing and over-aggressive AI, Shift 2 Unleashed closes the gap on these two masterpieces due to its intensive and enthralling performance on the track.

Introducing the new helmet camera, which shows the player how it feels to sit in a real racing car, a new standard has been set.

Shift 2 defines the franchise in a way that the first one didn't. Although the cars can feel like they swivel on a center axis, the racing is pretty good, and the overall experience gets a boost from the graphics and the erratic nature of the AI racers. It doesn't blow by the competition, but by improving its lap times, Shift 2 is on its way. [May 2011, p.85]

Shift 2 Unleashed is a great racing game, with some nice touches like the helmet cam or the presence of rubber on the tracks. But its frantic gameplay makes the Elite game mode the only one that's truly playable and realistic. Overall, the AI is excellent, and that's nice. Recommended for all the racing fans out there.

A violent and immersive racer that recreates the driving experience like no other game on the market. In doing so it builds well on the first Shift's foundations, benefitting from Slightly Mad Studios' more refined touch and the inclusion of Autolog, but its handling is still too loose and its steps forward too small for it to truly beat Gran Turismo and Forza – although it does enough to ensure that it's pulled ever closer.

Shift 2 is independent, competitive and strong as never before. It delivers a deep, thrilling and authentic driving experience. And its PC leadership is unquestionable. [Apr 2011, p.79]

The game experience is too intense, it really feels like sitting in a real racing car. Due to the high difficulty Shift 2 should be avoided by beginners or casual racers. Everybody else can enjoy a huge and diverse racing game.

A rewarding experience. Sure, it doesn't have 1,000 cars made up of more polygons than the moon or a vinyl editor Michelangelo would have deemed 'adequate,' but it's still a complete package.

Due to its awesome cars, nice graphics, realistic handling and amazing atmosphere (night racing + in-car-view rocks!), Shift2 is a perfect pick for every Gearhead and car enthusiast out there. If you consider yourself a mere "NFS-Fan" though, you're still better off with the "other" NFS: Hot Pursuit.

Overall, Shift 2 Unleashed is a fantastic driving game that should satisfy fans on either side of the arcade/simulation spectrum. The game may not be as sheer fun as Hot Pursuit was only six months ago, but could easily occupy a cherished spot on your shelf right next to it.

Shift 2: Unleashed on pc is the same version as the console game. A long career and a lot of cars provide remarkable hours of play. There is only one big problem: the graphics engine is heavy and very pretentious and requires high-level hardware.

Who knew that having the frame of my vehicle obscure my view of the racetrack in a corner or that trading the inside lane for the clarity of my headlights during a nighttime race would bring me an enjoyment I've never found in sim racing games before?

A hybrid sim/arcade racer that challenges and entertains, despite controls that must be tweaked into submissions. [June 2011, p.68]

Shift 2 is again a solid iteration to continue building a simulation saga for Electronic Arts. Unleashed tries to accomplish as many goals as its first entry but doesn't quite manage to fully achieve them all.

Shift 2's sheer weight of stuff – from mud-ring circuits in a VW Golf to Bugatti duels at the Nurburgring – gives it a deep bag of appeal. There's an array of fiddly details for car geeks to poke at, and a range of control-difficulty settings that allow you to tailor races to your ability. The only downside to such a complete package is that it demands so many hours of acclimatisation before the cars start to make sense.

Just don't expect many things you haven't seen before.

SHIFT 2 isn't quite to the level of the big boys yet, but it's still very much worth your time.

Shift 2 is Need for Speed: Shift with some welcome upgrades and old issues. The overall experience is not as fresh and intense second time around, but multiplayer races are a blast if you play with friends.

In the end, it's a decent game, but with a pretty steep learning curve, one that only true fans and yoga practitioners can handle on the long term.