Need For Speed Shift - impressions from up north

My good friend and fellow gamer Pete Anderson from Canada picked up Need For Speed Shift for the PS3 and sent along some really nice impressions. I asked if I could reproduce them here and he was kind enough to say yes. Pete is quite the driving game aficionado so you can trust what he has to say:

"Okay, a few impressions for you after a couple hours of play…

If you've read the IGN review, it's pretty much spot on. Shift is a hybrid sim/arcade racer that combines the best elements of both (or succeeds at being neither depending on your perspective). It falls somewhere in the middle of GT, PG and the Burnout series.

You may recall that NFS: Hot Pursuit was one of my favorite racing games ever. Shift is not that game. We're talking real world cars and tracks here, many of which are very familiar from other games. The beauty is that they're eminently driveable. The control and physics are just relaxed enough that you can navigate even the trickiest courses without slamming into a wall at every turn, and that adds immensely to the fun factor (though, granted, I've been playing at a basic skill level so far).

The game is structured into four(?) tiers, each with progressively more powerful cars and challenging tracks. Completing all tiers qualifies you for the NFS World tour. Each tier is comprised of 20-25 events, including invitations to participate in races at higher classes. There's pretty good variety within the races as well (drift events, time attacks, etc.), including Manufacturer events which get you out of your current car and into something different. Speaking of vehicles, there's a reasonable assortment to choose from right from the beginning, but nothing on the order of GT. There are all kinds of upgrades and tuning options available, but it's so easy to rack up $$$ and qualify for the next tier that it all seems superfluous. I qualified for Tier 2 well before I had completed Tier 1. That just seems wrong. Maybe if I hadn't been playing on Easy difficulty, things may have been different.

The game has a VERY gentle learning curve. You start by taking a lap around a test track, and the game assesses your driving style and ability, then automatically selects settings (difficulty level, driving assists, etc.) for you based on your performance. A very cool concept that I've never encountered before. What would be even cooler is if it continued to adjust as you progressed throughout the game. On Easy level, you'll have no difficulty winning races right off the hop. I really should have bumped it up a notch, but I want to see how much the difficulty ramps up as you move up the tiers.

The ease of succeeding really does serve to draw you in though. In fact, the way the points system is structured, you'll always come away with something, even if you finish dead last. A higher finish obviously nets you a bigger wad of cash, but there's more to it than that. Points are also accumulated for driving ability and style, and this is where the parallel to PGR's kudo system comes in. Points are awarded in two categories, precision and aggressiveness. So, unlike GT, you're not only rewarded for driving clean, but dirty as well (a la Burnout). Trading paint, dirty overtakes, and even flipping other cars off the road are not only fair game, they're encouraged! It feels a little odd that this all takes place in what, by appearances, is a sim racer, but it adds up to a whole lot of fun.

Graphically, the game looks great but falls something short of amazing. Hard to believe I'm saying this about a game this attractive, but it simply lacks that wow factor. Maybe I've just become jaded in my old age.

The sound is a different story...it IS wow. Sound effects positively thunder out of your speakers and immerse you in the action on screen. Music defaults to off during gameplay (not sure if custom soundtracks are an option), and plays over replays. It's generic fare but listenable, unlike the crap that EA loaded into NHL10.

So, all things considered, there's lots to like here. Time will tell whether Shift holds up against some of my other favorite racers, but so far so good. I've probably already spent more time with it than GT Prologue (not that there's anything wrong with that game, just more of the same).

A final word about the Logitech wheel. I didn't want to drop big $ on a wheel, and the entry level Logitech at $50 seemed like a good fit. It's wireless (to the PS3, but requires a power adapter), and very compact so it's easy to store (no pedals on this model - you use paddles mounted behind the wheel to accelerate and brake). It's also designed to fit on your lap (the other models are table mounts), which is a BIG plus. What's the point of a wheel if set up and storage get in the way of actually using it? Anyway, this is the first time I've tried a wheel with force feedback. Not only do you feel the road (bumps, etc.), you feel the car's resistance to it when steering. It's quite startling at first, but adds a lot of realism to the driving experience as you become accustomed to it. My initial impressions of Shift are no doubt influenced by how much the Logitech contributes to it, so keep that mind. I'm anxious to give it a try with GT now!

Pete"

That is awesome stuff. Thanks for sending that my way Pete.