In the sound department, the game does alright. The cars sound satisfying and loud, but after a while it all seems the same, so the game is definitely behind something like GTR2 or Grid in the car sound production. The majority of your time spent in menus will be accompanied by quiet, techno-esque music that is completely forgettable. During the races, you are by default not accompanied by tunes, so you can take in the realistic setting. However, there is an odd thing about post-race review. After the race is finished, and should you decide to see a replay, you are suddenly met with modern rock and pop, which is confusing after listing to smooth techno the whole time. There seems to be quite a library of this modern music, but for some strange reason it only plays during post-race screens and replays. There is also your car manager – you never see him, but he speaks to you before every race (repeating the same “Good luck” lines), and otherwise says nothing worth noting.
Need for Speed Shift has seen a slump of sales and fans in recent years, especially after the excellent Most Wanted. Black Box, the company behind recent titles, seems to have taken a dive in quality in the recent years, so EA went to an acclaimed studio, and Shift is our result. Shift, by its own merits, is not at all a poor game. It’s simply torn between two worlds – the classic NFS world of arcade driving and fun storytelling, and the hardcore car simulation fans. Ultimately, it doesn’t succeed in pleasing either crowd. The technology is excellent, and I can tell that if given the space, Slightly Mad studious would have made an excellent simulator from the game, along the lines of Race07 or GTR2. Instead, EA wanted to match the success of recent half-arcade, half-sim games such as Dirt or Grid, but missed the mark. This left EA with a hybrid that, while very polished and technically excellent, doesn’t live up to potential because it doesn’t know what it wants to be.
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| 8.0 | Presentation
The game shows the usual EA polish, with cars and tracks being very detailed and true to life. However, lack of characters and personalities of other drivers breaks the immersion. |
| 7.5 |
Gameplay
It is too difficult for casual series fans, but those looking for a new sim to play will likely appreciate Shift. However, be warned that the driving engine has issues and driving is purposely difficult rather than realistic. |
| 8.4 |
Single Player
The career mode is on the easy side, money comes fast and tiers are unlocked quickly. That being said, there is plenty of different race types to try out and cars to unlock. |
| 8.5 | Multiplayer
Much better suited for driver interactions than single player, multiplayer is your usual share of race modes with stats and leaderboards. Add to that the rivalry system, and you could be racing online quite a bit. |
| 8.3 |
Performance
The cars and tracks are excellently designed, but some graphical issues can break the immersion. The sound leaves something to be desired. |
| 7.9 |
Overall
Shift is a definite step in the right direction for the recently-slumping series, but it is still in search of its new identity and a modern audience. |
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Oct 3, 2009 13:28:19 (335 days ago)
