Need for Speed: Shift

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 156
  3. Negative: 39 out of 156
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  1. LGR
    Sep 15, 2009
    2
    I really thought that when NFS changed, it would be for good! But I was wrong, it doesn't matter what the big magazines and sites say, NFS should never be a simulator, this change took away all the glory and style of a game that was already good in the past.
  2. ShawnB
    Sep 16, 2009
    4
    Need For Speed SHIFT tries to be a realistic racing game but fails at the most important aspect. The driving physics are just absurd. It seems like every time you touch the steering your back and starts to slide. The cars I have driven so far seem ok when they are stock but when you start adding upgrades they become extremely twitchy and it's hard to keep them on the road. The racing Need For Speed SHIFT tries to be a realistic racing game but fails at the most important aspect. The driving physics are just absurd. It seems like every time you touch the steering your back and starts to slide. The cars I have driven so far seem ok when they are stock but when you start adding upgrades they become extremely twitchy and it's hard to keep them on the road. The racing line they give you (similar to Forza) is not very accurate. If you try to follow it you may end up in the dirt because you really shouldn't have been going so fast even though the line is green. I don't know why anyone would want arcade style physics when they're racing on real tracks with real cars. Keep the arcade racing to streets or fake tracks that are well suited for that style of driving.… Expand
  3. MarkH
    Sep 17, 2009
    2
    I picked this game up as it sold itself so heavily as a pure simulation game. Being a real life driver and a huge sim fan, this game is almost undrivable in the default settings and ultimately has very little depth to keep me interested after being frustrated by the controls. Maybe a 2 is way to harsh, but I feel lied to and cheated when an arcade title tries to sell its self as a sim I picked this game up as it sold itself so heavily as a pure simulation game. Being a real life driver and a huge sim fan, this game is almost undrivable in the default settings and ultimately has very little depth to keep me interested after being frustrated by the controls. Maybe a 2 is way to harsh, but I feel lied to and cheated when an arcade title tries to sell its self as a sim just to gain market share.… Expand
  4. JanF
    Sep 22, 2009
    0
    Poor game in all aspects, ended up in the middle achieving nothing for either camp.
  5. PhatChance
    May 12, 2011
    0
    I agree with the negative reviews here and felt so ripped off after purchasing this game I actually registered on Metacritic to write this review. I have been a racing sim fans for years and actually work in the video game industry. This game is utterly unplayable. The cars drive like boats and just driving in a straight line is almost impossible. Beyond that, the graphics look nothingI agree with the negative reviews here and felt so ripped off after purchasing this game I actually registered on Metacritic to write this review. I have been a racing sim fans for years and actually work in the video game industry. This game is utterly unplayable. The cars drive like boats and just driving in a straight line is almost impossible. Beyond that, the graphics look nothing like the screenshots or videos. I bought the PS3 version, so maybe it does on the PC but compared with other console sim racers like Forza or GT, this game looks like a poorly executed fan mode of a last gen game. Graphics from some original PS2 or Xbox games are just about on par with this. I only hope anyone considering purchasing this title takes some time read these reviews and saves themselves some money.

    The only positive area I was really impressed with was the sound. If you close your eyes and don't attempt to actually play the game, I suppose it would be a fairly enjoyable experience ;)    … Expand
  6. piolodozza
    Sep 20, 2009
    4
    bad controls with g25. arcade model is good but without sense togheter to real and seriously tracks as donington or spa.
    real or seriously track style however, like gt o forzamotorsport. in need for speed I expect arcade tracks, around the monuntains, in the canyons, full of jump ecc...not doningont and spa:these are tracks for a simulation.
    bad copy of grid with awesome grafic and    bad controls with g25. arcade model is good but without sense togheter to real and seriously tracks as donington or spa.
    real or seriously track style however, like gt o forzamotorsport. in need for speed I expect arcade tracks, around the monuntains, in the canyons, full of jump ecc...not doningont and spa:these are tracks for a simulation.
    bad copy of grid with awesome grafic and nothing more. totally waste of time    … Expand
  7. goldenaxe
    Jan 14, 2012
    0
    This game set the benchmark for the WORST GAME EVER MADE. It was shipped incomplete, the controller deadzone was 20% making you feel like you're trying to keep an out-of-control schoolbus on the road, the game was frustrating and broken at best, nothing made any sense. JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS GAME MAKES ME MAD I WASTED MY LIFE PLAYING IT. never again EA ever.
  8. LiamG
    Sep 19, 2009
    2
    Agree with all the negative reviews here. It's frustratingly unplayable unless you have it on simple, where it treats you as a 5 year old and does the breaking and steering for you.
  9. Mightybull27
    Sep 22, 2009
    3
    The early races are fun. But soon as many have found (and certainly I did too) the handling becomes near impossible to control. Turn in with the more powerful cars and the back moves out instantly making it impossible to drive round the tracks. A complete disappointment.
  10. Keyman
    Sep 29, 2009
    2
    What you have to ask yourself is, what do you want to get out of a game? if you want sim then you'll get Forza Motorsport as it does everything a sim should. If you want a arcade however, you get nfs. but not anymore as nfs trys to be both. why would you encourage people to take out their opponents in a so called sim??? NFS has always been a do-it-up kind of game. Underground is what What you have to ask yourself is, what do you want to get out of a game? if you want sim then you'll get Forza Motorsport as it does everything a sim should. If you want a arcade however, you get nfs. but not anymore as nfs trys to be both. why would you encourage people to take out their opponents in a so called sim??? NFS has always been a do-it-up kind of game. Underground is what im really referring to. this game doesn't offer any decent customization at all. 'leave sims to forza EA. Please go back to what you were: a non realistic racer, awesome customization, and police. you can read all the shocking problems with this game from other people. Good graphics, cars that i was looking foward to racing. just save that money for forza 3.… Expand
  11. MattS
    Oct 13, 2009
    3
    The reason I kept playing Need for Speed games was because the were arcade style and really easy to just sit back, play and have fun. Now everything is going realistic and NFS is just another racer in a sea of similar games. I'll be back the next time there's another Hot Pursuit or Most Wanted NFS, but until then my money will go elsewhere. For the record Undercover wasn't The reason I kept playing Need for Speed games was because the were arcade style and really easy to just sit back, play and have fun. Now everything is going realistic and NFS is just another racer in a sea of similar games. I'll be back the next time there's another Hot Pursuit or Most Wanted NFS, but until then my money will go elsewhere. For the record Undercover wasn't a bad game, it was just plagued with bad bugs and problems, that should have been fixed before release. Like the crazy sun that blinds you, fps drops, and weird hiccups/ loading spots.… Expand
  12. BigManReviewer
    May 3, 2023
    4
    The races are really fun, however that's only a third of the game, with the rest being drifting and time trials which suck.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2009
18
#18 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. IGN UK
    87
    Need for Speed Shift gets the most important part of a racing game right and it does so with a flair that’s uncommon in a frequently po-faced genre, providing driving that’s genuinely thrilling.
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  2. IGN
    90
    A glorious return to greatness (and even excellence) for EA's seminal racing franchise. Slightly Mad Studios has delivered a driving experience that, while not completely accurate in terms of its simulation aspects, is practically dead-on in terms of what it's like to race around some of the world's best racing circuits.
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  3. Official Xbox Magazine
    90
    Shift is hugely entertaining, but remember that it’s not about the sillier fun of its Need for Speed predecessors. It’s about the nail-biting intensity and challenge of hanging on to your car at high speed, and as long as that’s how you like your racing, you’ll disappear into this game.
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