Need for Speed SHIFT First Hands On

[Bojan]

Let me try to explain a bit why I write the previews the way I did. I'm guessing it's not just me as previews more or less have the same style to them:
When you preview a game you don't get a full game to play with. You don't get to experience the same thing you do when you buy a game and do a playthrough. What you do get it what the game developer wants you to see. The rest of the information you get is given to you. You really can't form a true opinion of the game after a couple of hours of playtime and only seeing bits of it and that's why you write about what the game is aiming to be. With previews (both writing and reading) you have to keep an open mind.

With Undercover's review when I look back I'd actually consider it to be one of the more negative previews I've done and if I compare it to most gaming press previews, I'd say it was more negative than what you can usually read. I will however stand behind the things I wrote from personal experience. With the example you gave with Undercover - cars did in fact handle differently.

And as for SHIFT. I did a pretty personal preview this time and the reason being in the fact that I really was impressed with the game. So yes, you could call me a fanboi here

[TRANSFORMER]

"Maybe "EA" was "id "EA"-less" last year and in times of NFS Carbon, but I think We, NFS Fans, have formed the next "NFS Shift" to a better and realistic Need For Speed ever... since Our Feedback to EA after NFS Undercover!"

PS: "I hate pessimist's - I'm an optimist!"

[DzOniZz]

This game is OBVIOUSLY NOT a GRID killer! Grid is just too good with it's drifts and awesome gameplay. But still, i liked Pro Street and this game looks like second installment of it, so i'm definately gonna play it. About customization: it's gonna suck as always, you'll see there will be(of course if there will be customization at all) same bodykits from Pro Street, actually RS4 in picture reminds me widebody in Pro Street. But still, i think this game will be better than World Online. Damn it, i gotta get PS3 and then will finally enjoy Midnight Club Los Angeles with it's awesome customization(expansion pack is coming!), and GT5 with it's huge car selection. I think EA should shut down that stupid Black Box and sell game name to more reliable racing games producers, such as Codemasters.
BTW, Hydro_PT, there;s a lot of true in your words, i'd like to hear what do you think about World Online.

[FrankieGthang]

well the gfx comparing to the shots looks a lot like pro street but a bit more realistic
i hope the driving would be a way better than pro street!only i don't like one thing.......i hate circuit tracks!
that is so freakin' boring,monotonous,driving around again and again and nothing's happening to be interesting......like grid races...only what was good are the drift races!
but i like the replay mode and a cockpit view

[kostis1993]

finally, a super NFS. Will there be licenced soundtrack? One thing I used to hate in Grid was the absence of soundtrack.

[Dunko]

To be honest, I'm not really interested in hardcore sim racing. This just may give me an excuse to move over o MC:LA.

I think a pretty important factor of what people think of any given game is the atmosphere it presents. For example, what sort of menus, soundtrack, and HUD does it have? Most Wanted is always fast-paced and loud, whereas Carbon and Undercover are more quiet, laid back, and don't have as, much to spark your interest even though the essential gameplay is roughly the same. I think this plays a large role as to why people seem to prefer MW. If Shift turns out like Carbon or UC in terms of atmosphere, it will fail.

[FrankieGthang]

This game is OBVIOUSLY NOT a GRID killer! Grid is just too good with it's drifts and awesome gameplay. But still, i liked Pro Street and this game looks like second installment of it, so i'm definately gonna play it. About customization: it's gonna suck as always, you'll see there will be(of course if there will be customization at all) same bodykits from Pro Street, actually RS4 in picture reminds me widebody in Pro Street. But still, i think this game will be better than World Online. Damn it, i gotta get PS3 and then will finally enjoy Midnight Club Los Angeles with it's awesome customization(expansion pack is coming!), and GT5 with it's huge car selection. I think EA should shut down that stupid Black Box and sell game name to more reliable racing games producers, such as Codemasters.
BTW, Hydro_PT, there;s a lot of true in your words, i'd like to hear what do you think about World Online.

i dunno why hating but,anyway u obviously don't know what good game is, so if u knew u wouldn't say they
should sell name to other company especially codemasters!Grid's gameplay is too easy(only drift is good) and Dirt was
a disappointment! if u like codemasters than go play toca ,grid,dirt......!
i dunno about midnight club LA(i dont have ps3) but those before it weren't good,anyways those are console games.
there is not better company than EA that can make better driving game on pc and thats a fact!even if they screw sometimes.cmon!!
also the world online is an awesome idea,the MMo thing is awesome,i was thinking about that where people are all together in one world and where they can compete with each other,drive around,chat while driving!something similar to the Lord of the Rings online!it's an amazing idea,and all that with improved MW gfx......what else do u want?!!!

[mean2u]

NFS: GRID, incredible.

[DriftingFan]

i hope this game turns out good. im not going to really give any opinion about it until i can see gameplay/play it myself though

[korge]

NFS: GRID, incredible.

I honestly dont think they could even come close to how flawless GRIDs drifting was. Dont worry, SHIFT wont save the franchise's face because even if it is "Awesome", it is simply a simulator and that isnt what NFS as a franchise stands for. Unless they plan on making a full line of Simulators from now on.

[kovu1123]

bojan thank you love the first hands on it gives us a bit of info on shift i love the pics thay look so real, and the car damage sounds good i mean "your car will get damaged and your vision will be blurred for a while - like hitting your head hard into a wall" cont wat to try it any way all the ppl that are negative fell free to (NOT BUY THE GAME) as for me i am getting it i have been with need for speed since 1995 and i was born in 1991 so you can say i have been with need for speed all my life and i hope it will be that way i dont want need for speed to die i want it to live live longer thank you ea thank you bojan

[TONTO89]

sounds like it has everything I want
and I trust bojan about the driving physics
that'd be cool if they brought back Portland International Raceway
I'd love to race my home track at this level of detail
(actually I'd rather just get out and race on my home track but in the absence of money this would do haha)

[Zero260]

This is exactly what NFS should be, in my opinion. Similar to a sim racer like Forza, but with focus on the driver and the feelings/emotions you experience while racing.This sounds awesome... I'm actually looking forward to this.

Bojan, can you tell us any of the real world tracks we can expect to see in the game? Laguna Seca, please.

[tavaski]

This game is gonna SUCK!!! such a big rip off from GRID. Why come out with something everybody already experienced in GRID/GT??? Well thats just EA, they never disappoint to disappoint us

[Zotic+]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/46175.html
i think this will awnser some questions(if you look closely at the sceenshots in the vid you will see a green porsche that looks like a geffect car from prostreet or reffered to as grip runners)

[African_HITman]

great video

[spectre01]

No customiaztions, track racing, fast pace... oh wait, I've played that game. Its name is Race Driver: Grid!

[Maverick2K4]

As being a long time fan of the NFS series and racing sims in general, NFS: Shift does look to be very promising. I think it's great that EA is trying it out again and trying to do it right this time too. I feel as if ProStreet was innovative, to me anyways. I felt as if I really did take my daily driver and tune it up to a super awesome track car, partly because I do own an Integra. Unfortunately, there was a lot of room for improvement in ProStreet. As with the fully functional interiors, I think in the GTR series the feet moved as well, but I can't recall. I haven't played GTR2 in a year. Graphics look top-notch, I think I'm gonna actually have to upgrade all aspects of my PC for this one (anybody wanna give me $800 to do so? kidding). I will keep following previews and hands-on articles until I purchase the game, and a new PC to run it on. I actually have to agree with Bojan on his preview. Even though I myself didn't play it, I'm very excited for Shift's release as the NFS series is trying something COMPLETELY different from all the previous games. Yes, it's nothing too innovating compared to the rest of the countless race sims that are currently out. I think it's a huge step-up from ProStreet, as it is going with a more professionalized racing route. Like I said, EA is trying something new with the NFS series this time around and I feel like we all should be excited for it. I'm impressed by what I've seen and read about it so far; I thought it was all real in that Audi RS4 shot. Just my 2 Abe Lincoln copper coins.

[DzOniZz]

This game is OBVIOUSLY NOT a GRID killer! Grid is just too good with it's drifts and awesome gameplay. But still, i liked Pro Street and this game looks like second installment of it, so i'm definately gonna play it. About customization: it's gonna suck as always, you'll see there will be(of course if there will be customization at all) same bodykits from Pro Street, actually RS4 in picture reminds me widebody in Pro Street. But still, i think this game will be better than World Online. Damn it, i gotta get PS3 and then will finally enjoy Midnight Club Los Angeles with it's awesome customization(expansion pack is coming!), and GT5 with it's huge car selection. I think EA should shut down that stupid Black Box and sell game name to more reliable racing games producers, such as Codemasters.
BTW, Hydro_PT, there;s a lot of true in your words, i'd like to hear what do you think about World Online.

i dunno why hating but,anyway u obviously don't know what good game is, so if u knew u wouldn't say they
should sell name to other company especially codemasters!Grid's gameplay is too easy(only drift is good) and Dirt was
a disappointment! if u like codemasters than go play toca ,grid,dirt......!
i dunno about midnight club LA(i dont have ps3) but those before it weren't good,anyways those are console games.
there is not better company than EA that can make better driving game on pc and thats a fact!even if they screw sometimes.cmon!!
also the world online is an awesome idea,the MMo thing is awesome,i was thinking about that where people are all together in one world and where they can compete with each other,drive around,chat while driving!something similar to the Lord of the Rings online!it's an amazing idea,and all that with improved MW gfx......what else do u want?!!!

Well that's easy, i want Underground 3, with realistic engine and suspension customization, realistic dyno settings, good old tuner cars, and all these fantastic tuning parts with full body and interrior customization(as in MC:LA). That's why i'm psyched about MC:LA, cause it gives almoast all of this.

[oumysoft]

I honestly dont think they could even come close to how flawless GRIDs drifting was. Dont worry, SHIFT wont save the franchise's face because even if it is "Awesome", it is simply a simulator and that isnt what NFS as a franchise stands for. Unless they plan on making a full line of Simulators from now on.

I'll admit that drifting in Grid was extreamly fun once uve learnt to master it (far better then ProStreet), as for what the NFS franchise stands for, thats a different matter, before the Underground series came out it was mainly about exotic cars in exotic locations but that didnt stop need for speed from establising itself in the tuner culture, I can see why it cant expand more towards the simulation market too (and i say expand and not change, besides wasnt Porsche 2000 a sim based game?)

back to ontopic, i would like to know if the game supports xinput, its about time need for speed fully supports the xbox 360 controller for the pc (a feature i with was implemented since ProStreet). But from what ive read, the game does sound interesting

[jacoja06]

Why come out with something everybody already experienced in GRID/GT???

Eh? Grid and Gran Turismo are two completely different experiences… and it sounds as though SHIFT will fall between the two.
I can’t wait for the release of the game (the physics especially sound great). Haven’t bought an EA game for a long time… but I may end up buying Shift without hesitation.

[gabster25]

Cockpit view+ 900 degree wheel support+clutch+ shifter support ASAP. if its gonna be tough ass racing game it must have them.

[elie8]

Just What I Wanted To See !!!! Shift Rocksssssssssssss

[Rizur]

Yea, the graphics really look amazing. Almost too good because I think my PC is not going to run this game...
And im not sure am I even buying this... It just doesnt feel like a game to me. I havent seen tuners yet and im afraid that customization is not going to be near as good as it was in ProStreet and those are almost the most necessary things for me. And also I like more arcade-like games... even ProStreet was too simulation like for me (but UC was way too arcade)

So im more interested of NFS World atm.
And now im getting to understand why they make so many NFS games in this year... There is so many NFS fans and you cant please them all with only 1 game.

I realised that the reason why im playing NFS games is because of the showroom of this site... So EA really needs to make a game with better visual customization and with japanese cars because I think im not the only one who is missing them...

[Nitrodemon McLaren]

The graphics look incredible and this just may be the best NFS game in the last 3 years.

My friend, who is also a big NFS fan said he downloaded a SHIFT demo from this Bulgarian torrent site. I keep trying to find them in other sites, I can't. Either he's lying or he's a hardcore torrenter. But he talks like he really has played a demo, I don't know.

From what Bojan said, it sounds interesting.