Nfs shift 2 unleashed tuning review. Changes for the better

It is unlikely that it will work out, so we will focus only on those parts that claimed to be a car simulator. The first such applicant was Pro Street, however, despite the assurances of the developers from EA Canada it remained an arcade. An extremely successful attempt to do something serious was noted Slightly Mad Studios, which managed to create a high-quality game that is really close to real car sims. But not to the end - although it was a good and interesting race, it was not fully a simulator, and it was received ambiguously by the public. However, this still did not stop Electronic Arts make a fateful decision to create a new series of games that has virtually nothing in common with Need for Speed . Now we can find out what came of it.

They tried!

Almost all fans computer racing they don’t like being distracted from the main action by a stupid and far-fetched plot. In this regard, it is not overloaded one gram. You are a young and inexperienced racer who dreams of becoming a champion. FIA GT1. How, in what order and where you will achieve triumph is up to you to decide. For those who are in a hurry to see the final video before everyone else, we inform you that this can be done after completing only 22 percent of the career.

Nothing has changed in the structure of the story itself. First - two introductory ones. The first is designed to test your driving skills and select the appropriate car settings. The second will help determine the level of difficulty. Afterwards we can safely buy a car and go into battle. Fortunately, there is somewhere to roam. But not at once…

Despite enough a large number of competitions and championships, you will not be allowed to participate in any one you like right away. You will have to gain experience, which since the time of the first part has been passed off as victories in races and “correct” driving. Now, alas, your driving skills are not assessed in terms of aggressiveness or accuracy of behavior on the track - the coveted experience points are awarded only by clean overtaking, blocking, following the correct trajectory, maximum speed and time leading the race. Moreover, experience can also be gained by completing tasks during the race, which boil down to improving the existing lap record and other things. banal things. Access to more complex and interesting championships opens in the process of obtaining new pilot levels. All these changes seem logical and necessary to meet the title of a car simulator.

The number of tracks presented in the game has also increased. There are even such famous and exciting tracks as Monza and Monte Carlo. It is worth noting that these are not entirely original tracks, but somewhat modified ones, which does not make them any less interesting. The exotic also appeared in the form of many configurations of the Shanghai track and the track in Abu Dhabi, vaguely reminiscent of Yas Marina. To be fair, it is worth noting that there is still a problem with the topography of the tracks, which is especially noticeable on those tracks that were added in Shift 2. But despite this, the environment of the tracks looks extremely believable and natural. Particularly meticulous people can compare with satellite images. Craftsmen from Slightly Mad Studios We tried to diversify the landscapes as much as possible even on the shortest routes. And this is great, because a monotonous background can very quickly cause yawning attacks.

A lot of time was spent on finalizing the graphics, which have changed a lot since the first part. The cars, as well as the entire environment as a whole, were given polygons and the color saturation was adjusted, thereby achieving a juicy and bright picture. Separately, it should be noted the speed effect, implemented at the highest level. However, all of the above applies only to personal computers– the console versions remained at the level of the first part in terms of graphics. So if you need an advanced picture, then it is better to play on a PC.

But the vehicle fleet, unfortunately, is not particularly diverse. There are fewer cars, so sometimes there is no choice at all. On the one hand, an inflated fleet of vehicles does not produce anything other than impressive numbers in press releases, but do not cut it down to the same extent! Some automakers are also missing - for example, there is not a single car from Ferrari in the game, so fans of the Italian concern can only hope for the upcoming DLC. But in Shift 2 Pagani Huayra appeared - indescribable beautiful car, which is definitely worth purchasing (in the game, of course).

Work on mistakes

The first part frustrated many players with its stupid artificial intelligence, which was unable to give the races any variety or spice. Slightly Mad Studios I have taken the criticism into account, so get ready to meet sharp, daring and extremely tough opponents, thanks to whom the races have become truly dynamic, interesting and sometimes extremely difficult. Your opponent will never leave his trajectory for anything in the world and will with great pleasure put his butt up if you try to get around him. In general, overtaking in Shift 2- that’s another problem. While performing a maneuver, you can simply be pushed off the track with a slight push to the side, and if this fails, then the enemy would rather fly into the grass with you than give up position. Tough, right? Moreover, since the first part, the AI ​​has learned to overtake outside the track and even when cutting corners. But what’s more interesting here is this: they are not given warnings for this, while after such sins they immediately start shouting into your bullhorn about unfair fighting. And if at first this seems like a flaw, then closer to the middle of the game you clearly understand that the developers decided to give concessions to artificial intelligence on purpose. In favor of dynamics, so to speak.

The work done on the damage system is no less clearly visible. There is more entertainment here than the real impact on your car, but almost everything flies off the car - bumpers, hood, trunk, spoilers, wheels and even doors. The effect of this is always the same - the car on a straight line will be “driven” in the direction of impact. At the same time, all the parts that fall off along the road and crashed cars do not disappear from the track until the end of the race, so always be prepared for the fact that around the corner a wrecked car may be waiting for you standing right in the middle of the road. However, there are some shortcomings - a couple of strong pokes in the enemy’s “backside” will leave several scratches on your bumper, and after a small contact with the bump stop, almost half of the body kit will fall off. By the way, the bump stops are generally more like springs - if you touch them lightly, the car will be thrown to the opposite side of the track.

The driving model itself has also changed, becoming much more complex and at the same time more believable. Cars with different engine power, as well as all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, behave completely differently on the road and require an individual approach. Those who are put off by such simulator subtleties should not worry - a flexible control customization system will allow you to turn Shift 2 to a good arcade.

Endurance drift

If in the first part there was drifting, but most players somehow bypassed it, then in the sequel, the most famous racers were attracted to this type of competition, including the champion Formula D – Vaughn Gittin Jr.(Vaughn Gittin Jr.). This did not make the racing any more interesting - it all comes down to the fact that at a certain moment you need to turn the steering wheel “correctly”, press the gas pedal and balance it slightly, simultaneously tugging the handbrake from time to time. It is impossible to play on the keyboard, and in general, all this quickly gets boring and boring. It seems to us that drifting in racing games is better done in an arcade style, such as in Need for Speed: Carbon.

But endurance racing, which was not talked about until the game was released, turned out to be exactly what we were missing before. They are complex, interesting and always require maximum concentration. This is due to the fact that at night you can hardly see anything on the highway, and therefore even well-known tracks will regularly present you with unpleasant surprises. The developers were able to achieve even greater intensity of passions thanks to the magnificent play of light and shadow. The only thing missing is the dynamic change of time of day and weather conditions, but this, of course, is not critical. What's it worth? night race on the Nordschleife...

***
Slightly Mad Studios And Electronic Arts are following the right path - moving away from the boring NFS abbreviation and slowly but surely breaking into the world of car simulators. Progress compared to the first part is visible to the naked eye. All that remains is to get rid of the arcade roots, finalize the controls and get away from any associations with Need for Speed. The series has every chance to take a leading position in the car simulator genre, but for this to happen some more time must pass.

Pros: great graphics in the PC version; damage system; dynamic racing; smart and interesting AI; night race at Spa Francorchamps; official FIA championships.
Minuses: drift; lack of dynamic changes in time of day and weather conditions; meager car park.
Verdict: good and exciting car simulator. Developers still have something to work on and something to strive for. Which in no way prevents me from recommending it to all fans of this genre right now.

In the hype associated with the release of Gran Turismo 5, somehow the news was completely lost that at the end of March we will have a very promising sequel Need for Speed: Shift from Slightly Mad Studios. Moreover, according to the developers, this will be the most realistic simulator on the planet.
And the first thing that immediately catches your eye is the Autolog built into the game - a system borrowed from the recent Hot Pursuit. Shift 2 now tracks all your actions and the actions of your friends in the same way. Has anyone improved their result on a particular track? Did they make money? new level – Shift now he knows everything. As in the game from Criterion, here you can advise your friends to take part in certain competitions or, for example, show off a new record and offer to break it. Sometimes the intrusiveness of this system is annoying, but we must admit that it noticeably spurs interest in the game even in single player mode. After all, now it’s not enough to defeat all computer opponents; you also want to be first in the leaderboard among your friends! So it turns out that you can replay the same race a hundred times, not because you want more and more money, but simply by noticing how someone has encroached on your status as a leader.
Next, among the significant new products, it is worth noting the new damage system. We all remember the accidents in the first part, when a collision at a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour caused the hood of cars to suddenly fall off and the windshield to crack. This time everything is much better. Moreover, in Shift 2, let's not be afraid of this statement, the most best system damage from all current car simulators. This is the honest truth - for the first time in many years after an accident at a speed of over a hundred, the car may be unable to continue the race. And if she makes a couple of somersaults through the roof, then you can say goodbye to hopes of “quickly catching up with everyone now” - Shift 2 does not forgive mistakes, and serious accidents here, as in life, with serious consequences. Probably the closest comparison here is with Race Driver: Grid, where you could also lose your wheels and hopelessly crash your car, but there was always the opportunity to use flashback and avoid an accident. IN Shift 2 you will only have a gorgeous view from broken car who won't go anywhere else.
Formula Drift
As in the first part, in addition to the usual circuit races, we are offered to take part in drift competitions. And what a blessing that they are not mandatory, since this is not entertainment from Need for Speed ​​Underground , this is a very complex process and very different from normal driving. To raise interest in drift racing, the developers invited several real pilots from the American Formula Drift championship, who appear before the races and give useful tips. Well, now we have an excellent training mode, where we are allowed to learn the basics of drifting. And yet, this type of competition is Shift 2 so complex that many will simply want to skip it and never see it again.


In Shift 2, damage is not just beautiful dents, they have a great impact on the driving performance of the car. Those who like to crash into everything should immediately think about installing a frame. On a PC with car models, everything is much better than on consoles. This means (thanks to the huge textures), in photo mode you can sometimes achieve very impressive shots.
And, since we’re talking about accidents, it’s worth immediately talking about the local artificial intelligence, which was so annoying in the last part. Be strong - he will continue to irritate you further. Of course, he has become a little more adequate, and now it’s more interesting to compete with him. But, as before, if for some reason you find yourself “on its trajectory,” it will immediately crash into your car, pick it up by the bumper, turn it around in a turn, and in every possible way interfere with your life on the track. And with new system damage, it becomes doubly fun, because from time to time AI drivers also collide with each other, and if some car cannot continue moving, it will remain on the road, which sometimes leads to unexpected results. For example, you enter a blind turn, dive along a normal trajectory, and then you see a car without wheels standing at the side, shamelessly blocking the path. I immediately remember real circuit races with their rubble.
But, of course, everyone is more interested in hearing about how much Shift 2 tracks and cars. We are afraid to upset you - the numbers are completely unimpressive by modern standards. There are only about a hundred cars, with just over thirty tracks. But you shouldn’t immediately panic and say that there’s nothing to drive here. From the hundreds of cars presented, everyone can find something to their liking: there is everything from muscle cars to sports prototypes. There was also an exclusive: Shift 2- the first game where a new Pagani appeared with the unpronounceable name Huayra. And don't forget about Porsches, which have the right to appear only in games in the series Need for Speed. Plus everything in Shift 2 simply an amazing tuning system that allows you to replace almost everything in every car, including the engine. Therefore, experiments with turning some Volkswagen Golf GTI into a prepared racing sports car are completely commonplace here. Perhaps the tuning here has surpassed even the recognized leader in this area - Forza Motorsport 3. The number of options and parts that can be replaced is simply phenomenal. Of course, hardly anyone can judge how realistically the replacement of pistons or boring of cylinders is conveyed, but the very opportunity to browse through a variety of menus is extremely pleasing.
Stepping away from tuning and cars, I would like to say a few words about the tracks. I really like the fact that the developers are trying to include in their game those tracks that we have never seen before. It’s nice, of course, to compare in which race your favorite Suzuka is better made, but it’s much nicer to discover a truly gorgeous, previously unknown location. For many, for example, the French Dijon-Prenois circuit, which hosted Formula 1 races until 1984, will be a revelation. High-speed blind turns, elevation changes - all this leaves a lot of positive emotions. I also remember the appearance of new city tracks in Shanghai and Miami, each a small masterpiece.
In addition to the addition of a dozen new tracks, the main advertised feature of the game was the appearance of night races. Of course, after leaving Gran Turismo 5 This won’t surprise anyone, but the opportunity to travel on the night version of almost any track is very pleasing. Although it is worth saying that the local night routes are very... bright. We all remember how in Gran Turismo 5 As night falls, it becomes so dark that you have to drive almost blindly - the headlights are only useful for orientation. IN Shift 2 we see a completely different picture: the night here is similar to the night in movies, when the heroes pretend to go to pitch darkness, but at the same time we see on the screen everything that happens even in the darkest corner. It’s the same here – it seems to be dark, but at the same time there is absolutely no feeling as if a wall of blackness begins immediately behind the saving light of the headlights.


The opportunity to see the race through the eyes of the pilot added realism to the already best view from the cockpit in the genre. As you can see, night tracks differ from daytime ones only in a slightly changed picture. This doesn't make driving any more difficult.


Tuning allows you not only to change specifications machine, but also change it appearance. There are several body kits for each car, so even a boring Scion tC can be turned into a fire-breathing dragon. Among other things, in Shift 2 you can turn on telemetry right during the race. We don’t know who is interested in monitoring a bunch of parameters when entering a turn, but the developers themselves highly praise the function.
And before moving on to the main advantage of the game, it’s probably worth quickly talking about the graphics: it’s there, it’s not bad. Alas, you can’t say more - especially if you decide to buy yourself Shift 2 for PlayStation 3. After Gran Turismo 5 local cars look like Chinese plastic models - good, with a cool damage system, but not causing a wow effect at all. The situation improves on PC - here the textures are better and the picture is much clearer, but the feeling of the “toy-like” nature of the models still remains. In this plan Shift 2 very similar to Forza Motorsport: everything seems nice, but it’s too unnatural, like a puppet cartoon.
Now forget what you just read, because you won't pay any attention to the graphics flaws as soon as your car starts moving. The physics in the game are simply amazing. It’s not for nothing that the developers praised it so much, telling how they test real cars and work with real pilots. The way the cars react to all your steering movements, pressing the gas, changing gears is simply something magical. Each car behaves completely differently; moreover, after tuning, the car’s habits can change dramatically. Perhaps the main indicator of realism and the enormous merit of the developers is this: Shift 2 Driving fast is very scary. This is the first racing game, in which, having accelerated to two hundred kilometers per hour, you are really afraid to press the pedal further. The car begins to yaw under the pressure of air, any careless movement of the steering wheel - and the car will begin to somersault in the air, scattering wheels and parts to the sides. This stunning effect is enhanced by an all-new POV that doesn't just simulate a camera inside the cockpit - it's a full-fledged view of the race through the eyes of the pilot. It differs in that, firstly, you have a narrowed field of view, limited by the helmet, and secondly, the camera, seriously intending to simulate the direction of view, when turning turns turns in the direction where the pilot is looking, and during strong accelerations and decelerations it It also shakes from overload. At first, all this seems uncomfortable and can even cause motion sickness. But after a couple of hours of playing, I simply don’t want to switch to the standard view from the cockpit.
And we must make one more interesting remark: for all its originality, driving in Shift 2, as well as the way many cars are driven here is very reminiscent Gran Turismo 5- only more adrenaline and nervous due to the stunning view from the eyes and a completely different feedback on the steering wheel. This should especially hit the already mentioned more than once Forza Motorsport 3, because no matter how hard the Turn 10 developers try to convince everyone of the ultimate nature of their series, Shift 2 proves to us that sporty driving in a Lotus Exige S in reality is not at all as relaxing as their game teaches us.
To summarize, it must be said that Shift 2 Unleashed is the simulator that every self-respecting virtual racer should have in their collection. Maybe it can't boast a huge number of cars. Maybe it’s not graphically perfect, but the career in it is still as bland as artificial intelligence racers. But the sensations that this game gives are worth hundreds of other races. This is probably the first car simulator that is truly capable of reproducing all the sensations that arise during high-speed driving. Amazing physics, unparalleled views, excellent damage system, amazing set of tracks, excellent tuning... You forget about everything and just enjoy the game.
Pervasive Experience Points
As has now become fashionable, there is also leveling up here, and we get points not only for victories, but also for completing special tasks, and simply for good driving. The game analyzes all your actions on the track and rewards you for correct passage turning, overtaking, leading, even maintaining the correct trajectory. As a result, you can open new cars, rims, competitions and other bonuses anywhere - be it in your career, or online, or just for driving on the same track in the same race many times in a row.

Developer: Slightly Mad Studios

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Localizer: EA Russia

Platform: Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, Xbox 360

Game engine: The Madness Engine

Genre: Car simulator

Game mode: Single player game, Multiplayer

"Attention! Anxiety! On board our vessel there is a new arrival from the collections Xbox games! Stop, don't leave! What if we go to the bottom from such a colossus! Why are you standing there, sailor? The new “Need for Speed” has been delivered!”

Good day, gentlemen gamers! Yes, this is a late review for new game series "Need for Speed" from the developers of "Slighty Mad Studios". No, this is not just another arcade game, but, as its developers position it, a real simulator. Just like the legendary Gran Turismo. Or even better. In Russia, the game on Xbox is published (one of a kind, fanfare, drums, etc.) by SoftClub. Low bow!

Introduction.

If you see a new advertisement about the new NFS, then don’t rush headlong to buy and test it - you may not agree on the tastes of the developers. The fact is that EA decided to sit on two chairs at once - they launched the production of supposedly cool simulators under the brand “ProStreet” (the quality of which will give an experienced guru simple and understandable prostatitis without any illusions) and so far “SHIFT” (popularly nicknamed understandable to any Russian with the American curse word “SH*T”), as well as racing arcades, like any MMO NFS:WORLD and “Hot Pursuit”. Therefore, when you hear about a new game with an old name, ask if there is a catch here and if EA has released a submarine simulator, having decided to play with a half-dead brand, which the staff shamans from EA itself are trying their best to revive. I've warned you, now let's get to the review itself.

Part 1. Hunting for prey

What kind of words didn’t fall on the heads of the foolish developers on the day the game was released, when tons of American schoolchildren (having watched enough cool teasers of the game before buying) shouted “ololo this is f**kin true nfs!” they ran to buy the new product, and when they came home, after installing it, they began to spew the same exact tons of hatred at the bastards from Slighty Mad Studios. More precisely, the entire EA at once. It was and still is in Russia. The forums are full of unflattering words towards EA mothers, EA grandfathers and EA dogs. And who is to blame for the fact that you wanted to race for an hour and push your rivals, and then a real simulator falls on your head, in which (WHAT?!) You need to UNDERSTAND and in which you will need to LEARN TO DRIVE AGAIN. “Danu, we better leave ourselves with feces! We had to do it like HotPursuit!” - some Vasya will say and he will be completely wrong. Ignorance is no excuse from responsibility.

So, this is not a game of catching up with tuned cars, but a game where you need to show your skills in real driving of a racing car, where you need to be able to survive at speeds that are more than 200 km/h. Yes, and all this on familiar world-class tracks (those who watch Formula 1 and similar championships will understand). Welcome to the new NFS!

Part 2. Cutting

First a word of caution. If you play on a computer, then don’t break your fingers on the keyboard, but rather buy a steering wheel - you’ll have more fun, I guarantee. For Xbox users, even a native gamepad may be suitable, because after playing for several hours, I didn’t find anything fancy - it’s quite convenient (but the steering wheel is still more convenient).

Second caveat. Don’t try to find significant differences from the first “SHIFT” - there are either none or they are insignificant, such as, the new kind from the racer's helmet or the new super-difficult "Elite" game mode. Otherwise, this is the same first “SHIFT”, but with improved graphics, damage and tuning systems.

So, the game is loaded, the three-dimensional menu caused the first “Wow!” - it's time to start riding.

As usual, we are given the first test drive, then funny videos with the rules of racing, and then we buy our first car and go forward - to conquer the racing world, collecting experience points along the way and tuning about 130 cars to choose from, which is twice as many as in the first " SHIFT."

The goal will always be the same (how could it be otherwise?) - to arrive first. There are many, many tracks, day turns into night, weather, the ability to replace every part of the car, other goodies. “New engine” is an old engine with new cutting-edge filters attached, that’s all. The detailing is at an excellent level - cars, roads, backgrounds, everything is perfect. The soundtrack is good - you can download it to the player and listen at your leisure, but in the game it is more disturbing, it is better to turn it down, because everyone has long known that music dulls vision, and we need vision in such races more than ever.

Part 3. Savoring the seeds

Summarize. What we have? This is an excellent simulator, no matter what evil tongues write there. The car fleet has doubled, a new view from the helmet of a sports car pilot (which really gives the feeling of a real trip behind the wheel of some FIA ​​GT on an English track in the fight for a prestigious cup), the possibility of internal tuning of the car, a new elite pro-mode “Elite” , where everything is like in life (by the way, there is no such simulation of car behavior in any existing game - bravo, Slighty Mad Studios!), and, finally, socialization of the project using the Autolog function. There is no point in mentioning changing weather conditions - they are everywhere.

This is our new “NFS simulator” - hardcore, interesting, exciting. Militant casuals, please do not enter! Thank you.

Most players did not like being in the shoes of a professional sports car pilot, they said it was too difficult. And most people definitely won’t read a review about it. This is for those individuals who spent several days on one track, perfecting all the turns and mastering their favorite car to perfection. I must say that for a long time I did not dare to start writing about this game. There were some mixed feelings left from her. Why? Perhaps because it is clumsily optimized or because it is extremely difficult, or maybe because there are many other worthy car simulators. Many still don’t understand why they released the second Shift two years later. This time is too short for a good car simulator. For the second to equal the success of the first, it was necessary to wait until the first was completely outdated and make a game with new advanced physics and new graphics. However, I consider the first Shift to be somewhat crude... And the physics were not up to par. Shift 2 Unleashed is exactly what the first one should have been. With his new camera, where we look through the eyes of the pilot and with its realistic physics and awesome asphalt.

In stock

The magnificent fleet presented in NFS Shift 2 is simply amazing with its huge selection. The not-too-deep editor for setting up your horse is simple and clear; you can quickly adjust it to the track and immediately try out a combination of settings. Also, not too sophisticated tuning and upgrade will give you the opportunity to take a break from the intense struggle on the track.

Feel it and hold it with all your might...

Have you been behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB9 that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds? Did you squeeze everything out of him on the sports track? Now you are slowly accelerating, you can hear the slight rumble of a 6-liter V12 engine, and you are being pressed more and more into the back of the seat. Now the V12 is already growling, and the speedometer needle is steadily rising. You don't let go of the gas and everything except the wriggling strip of asphalt becomes unimportant, unnecessary, ridiculous. The crazy needle is already at 300, the air becomes dense and, despite the incredible streamlining of the body, the car begins to shake from resistance, a ray of light from the dying sunset suddenly shines in your face, and you are steadily pressing on the gas pedal. But then the high-speed part of the track ends, slowing down, the V12 seems to snort tiredly, smoothly entering the turn, pulling you a little to the side. You can feel approximately the same feelings if you sit behind an Aston Martin DB9 in Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed, choosing the view from the pilot’s eyes. Stunning physics allow you to acutely feel the difference between the soft and sweeping Aston Martin and the light, sharp Porsche 911. I was surprised to discover how important it is to monitor and use the car's mass movements when entering a corner. Remove all auxiliary features for driving in the settings. Leave the stabilizers on if you play on the keyboard, and turn off the rest. Choose the car of your dreams and run to the most twisted track. Feel it, feel it all strong, and weak sides, try to corner aggressively and hold the car as hard as you can. Only then do you begin to truly enjoy it and only then do you realize how much soul you put into this game...

Not for all

Moving away from the theme of mediocre street racers, Slightly Mad Studios give odds to the console giant Gran Turismo by making a great car simulator. However, the picture is not very pleasant, because on the shelves there is Dirt 3, which, although it took a step in the wrong direction, is still good, as well as F1 2011, although less beautiful. High difficulty repels players who are accustomed to being gods in previous NFS parts. What prevented you from simplifying the game? The features to make driving easier only get in the way, and the opponents are quite peppy even on easy difficulty. The demands on the system are too high for a car simulator. All these shortcomings greatly spoiled the game with a score of 2. It could have been higher, but stupid mistakes are rarely forgiven. 8 out of 10

Has the words in the title Need for Speed, the second part of this phrase has been lost. It’s true - the sequel (if you can say so when talking about a racing simulator) is only a stretch to call it an arcade, but NFS have always been closer to this genre. So for those who like to crash into everything and create chaos, it’s better to play the recent Hot Pursuit, here it will be much more difficult for them to cope with control.

Try to win

Attempts to get closer to the car simulator were made back in Pro Street, which both the press and players received more than coolly - high system requirements, lack of realism and other shortcomings were immediately noticeable. Shift they liked it much more, but it was difficult to give an unambiguous assessment to it - on the one hand, E.A. it came close to a full-fledged simulator, but on the other hand, it fell short and in some aspects still remained an arcade. Shift 2 has become much more thoughtful, better and more interesting.

As before, there is no plot in the game, the driver is only given one single task - to win 15 races in order to finally take the FIA ​​GT1 champion title. At the beginning, you are asked to complete two races to customize the car and determine the difficulty level. It’s clear that you need to try to win the race as quickly and as best as possible - when playing on Easy, the whole meaning of what is happening is lost. So, if possible, immediately start the passage on the highest difficulty.

One of the main improvements compared to Shift- improved artificial intelligence, which in the first part was stupid, which is why interest quickly faded away. From now on, rivals have become much more aggressive and bolder, and defeating them is not so easy. They can cut, push, hit, they even learned to cut corners. With such opponents, getting first place becomes challenging task, but the satisfaction from triumph cannot be compared with anything.

But the driver himself should not “fight” with opponents - with a strong impact, the opponent’s car may receive minimal damage, and the player’s car will become worse to drive due to dents and other troubles. In addition, for such things they can be reprimanded, accusing them of foul play and obstruction on the road. But, if you want to admire the improved damage system, you can try crashing into your opponents - now almost all the parts fly off and, most importantly, remain on the track, which adds even more realism.

New tracks and cars open gradually as you gain experience in weaker cars. Be the first in the race for as long as possible, do not leave the line, accelerate to maximum speed- the evaluation criteria have changed and there are more of them, which somewhat simplifies the unlocking of tracks and cars. The only pity is that the fleet turned out to be smaller than expected - some models are not available at all (Ferrari, for example, is completely absent), and some are simply useless. But the tracks are interesting and varied - among the American, Asian and European roads you will find the famous Nurburgring, as well as the tracks of Dubai, Tokyo, Miami and London.

Changes for the better

Fans of tuning will not be left without something to do - you can “pump up” your car in literally every parameter, and no problems or questions or problems will arise. The system for replacing spare parts itself is very simple, but selection will take a long time. The developers have added the following feature to Shift 2: what better characteristics your car, the bolder and stronger your rivals will be. Accordingly, completing tasks on the track (yes, the player can be given small missions related to the race and its completion) and getting money for it to buy new cars becomes more and more difficult.

Drifting fans can rejoice - in Shift 2 There is also this type of racing. Those who don't like him don't have to worry - no one will force him. Yes and in normal mode the car may skid in such a way that it is better to start the race again. Of course, various weather conditions have been added to the game, as well as changing the time of day.

Outwardly, as it might seem at first glance, the game has not changed. However, if you look closely, you will notice an increased number of polygons, improved anti-aliasing and other delights. Not without beautiful effects, like blur when driving high speed. And in the event of a collision, the screen turns black and white. This all goes especially well with musical accompaniment, which fits in well and doesn’t seem monotonous or boring.

Review Shift 2: Unleashed cannot do without mentioning the view from the helmet, which the developers so boasted about. It really adds presence and makes the project spectacular, interesting and even more challenging. Every bump, every collision, every shock is felt, especially if you throw away the keyboard and drive the car using the steering wheel.

In general, there is practically nothing to do here without a steering wheel. Of course, if the player has a lot of experience in simulators, he will be able to press the right keys in time, fit into turns and dodge opponents, although difficulties will still arise. If you have no experience, then it is much easier to play with the steering wheel, especially in drifting and survival racing. And in the end, when your car is stuffed with the best spare parts, and your rivals are not lagging behind and are catching up in the first minutes, big problems can arise with the keyboard, and winning first place will become an almost impossible task.

Autolog appeared first in Hot Pursuit, has been greatly improved. If you want to compare your achievements with the world or compete with friends, the system will allow you to compare records. Make a recording of the race (and immediately post it on YouTube), take screenshots, write on the wall - despite some remaining shortcomings and constant bugs, Autolog will certainly be useful to the player.

***

Undoubtedly, Shift 2: Unleashed- a step forward compared to the original. Old shortcomings have been slightly corrected, but not every change can be considered successful. For example, artificial intelligence sometimes either gets terribly stupid when trying to drive through a wall (which happens rarely), or easily knocks the player off the road if he drives into its path, and does not receive any fines or warnings. However, it’s interesting to play, overcoming such difficulties, whatever you say. This interest grows especially strongly in the very high level Difficulties with maximum graphics settings. And when they add to this good system damage, extensive opportunities for tuning and other little things, the result is a cocktail that is one of the best simulators for PC today. It doesn’t reach the highest score, but it inspires confidence that EA will show what it’s capable of in the future.

We thank EA Russia and Andrey Yakovlev personally for the provided version of the game.