Shift 2 is a strange one for me, at first I was really enjoying it. It was different and the helmet cam was very exciting. But shift needs to decide what it wants to be, a sim or an arcade game because the two don't mix. Take the handling for instance, one minute it's heavy and sim like and the next minute the cars all over the place making it feel like your driving a hovercraft. I think this game is trying to be like PGR, but that game always new its place. It felt arcadey and didn't try to be a sim in some parts.
The graphics are quite nice in parts, the cockpits are detailed and nicely lit. The car models are not very good, there are visible polygons on the wheel arches and any point of detail on the car like the nose on the SLR. The jaggies are also quite bad and it makes you realize just how good GT5 and Forza 3 really are. The damage looks amazing though, not the best iv'e seen but definitly one of the strong points of the game. One of the new features is the helmet cam and to be honest I think its quite good but its very off putting at first and takes allot of getting used to. I would like to see it some other sims now because it adds a level of emersion not seen in driving games before.
The handling is annoying, it seems to switch from sim to arcade and you have to juggle the wheel between the two. I've also never played a driving game where iv'e struggled to keep even the most powerful car in a straight line, but in this its like your driving drunk. I never had any such problems in the X1. I did enjoy the handling at first, I bought a megane sport and it was fun to drive. As soon as you start driving the more powerful cars it becomes a chore, a battle to keep the car in a straight line. That isn't fun to me and this games claim to be more fun than GT5 is unfounded in my opinion
One aspect where this game really does shine is the sound effects, the engines sound amazing. Everything else is over exagerated but it adds to drama of the game. I hate the voice overs, they are corny and reminded me of dirt 1. Every car I drove sounded true to life with a few effects thrown in and it made it very exiting at first but with the games handling model and the most over aggressive A.I iv'e ever come across it became boring very quickly. The game has a great selection of tracks and I wish I had a decent enough handling model to make me want to drive them.
From what iv'e seen the developers are confused as to what kind of game they want to make, are they scared of forza and GT5. They must be because they have created a sim/arcade game which doesn't mix the two well. I played with a DFGT and it wasn't as good as GT5 or Forza 3. The next shift should be one or the other not both, my advice is that if you want an arcade game buy PGR4 for the xbox and Motorstorm for the PS3.
A breakdown of the best PS3 racing games according to Rantgaming.com. Games are rated based on replay value, graphics, gameplay, and controls
I'm not impressed with much in terms of racing this gen. Graphics have been really raised racently, and it wasn't by the "two kings" (GT and Forza) in racing. Shift 2 and the upcoming Project Cars are now DOMINATING racing games graphically, GT5 and Forza 4/H do not even compare. But physics and gameplay-wise, most everything's been "off" aside from a select few. My short list would be.
#1 GT5. It's still rocking everybody in terms of gameplay and variety. It's got every kind of 4 wheeled racing almost from Karts to F1 and everything in between. GT needs to step it up graphically now though. Forza is the LEAST of their worries there.
#2 Motorstorm Pacific Rift. Just the #1 most fun and intense arcade/off-road racer ever made or ever will be made. SOOOOOO much variety compared to the bare bones (but great) first game, and a way better racing game than the 3rd game which was more like Split-Second than MotorStorm in THIS Motorstorm Fan's opinion.
#3 F1 Championship Edition. This PS3 exclusive launch game is imho still the best F1 game this gen in terms of the racing.
#4 FerrariChallenge/SuperCar Challenge. Alot of people havn't heard about these, they got VERY little attention. They sucked because not alot of cars, but it's a fact that System 3 put into these PS3 exclusives (they were on Wii too, but they weren't as advanced) the most advanced, realistic physics to ever be in a console racer. The same physics they put into their PC sim. Good graphics for the time too. Very under-rated.
#5 Shift 2. This is only here because I think graphically, it's a sneak peek at the next level in racing sim graphics. Project Cars is improving on that. But Shift 2 has HORRIBLE physics and I disliked playing it. If Project Cars can get the physics more in line than Shift 2, and have enough of a garage to have the variety in the racing while keeping the online field fairly even like GT5 does, it will truly be the next level of racing sims, and something may actually pull me away from GT5, which nothing has based on gameplay.
Also: WipeOut HD- awesome game, awesome value, it's expansion makes it an even better value, top notch quality.
Kyle from Vivid Gamer writes:
Every week, new content comes to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in the form of retail games and digital goods on the PlayStation Store. The official PlayStation Blog publishes the full list of weekly goodies on Tuesday, but who wants to wait ’til then to find out what’s coming? Not you, fine reader.
Made2Game's verdict on the best (and worst) racers of 2011, with awards for best engine noise, best handling, best multiplayer, biggest disappointment and more.
MOTORSTORM A P O C A L Y P S E!!i have the PLAYSTATION 3D tv and this game is siiiiiick.and the online is MADNESS!
do the honda have vtec engaging sound normally kicks in after 4500rpms
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
thats what it sounds like please let me no
I found the handling in SHIFT 1 the same as you said its like in SHIFT 2.
So it seems like they haven't made the handling any better then. That was the biggest problem with SHIFT. I was hoping for better driving physics in this one.
I like the look of the new game, it looks better with night racing and better tracks. The helmet cam looks good also.
I'm on the fence with Unleashed as weather to get it or not. I probably will, but when the price drops a bit, which wont be too long.
Good review, and bravo for using paragraphs.
Lets hope that catches on.