NFS : SHIFT - the first of two games of the same series . Car simulator was created in 2009. The developers of the video game, EA, decided to move away from the concept of street racing. In the new game of the series there is no intricate plot based on the career of a poor lover of fast driving, who is looking for the meaning of his existence in racing and is trying to arrange his life with their help.
Developers
In 2008, EA released NFS : Undercover with a full storyline. After the failure of the game, the Canadian studio decided to entrust the creation of the next part of the simulator company Slightly Mad Studios . The famous work of the British is GTR 2. But after the failure of Undercover, Canadians considered it necessary to reduce the budget of the new game, which significantly affected the work of Slightly Mad Studios .
In connection with cut funding, I had to apply a single vehicle management model to all the cars in the game, which made the new game look like an ordinary arcade. This moment was immediately noted by experts in the first reviews of Need for Speed : SHIFT .
Game History
The simulator was announced in March 2009. The developers immediately announced that it was time for “ Need for Speed ” to forget about street racing and move to racing tracks. SHIFT emphasis is placed on creating the most realistic car simulator. To achieve the goal, a new nitrogen injection system was developed, the functionality of which each gamer could configure independently for themselves. Also, the creators of the game tried to maximize the possibility of tuning vehicles.
In late autumn, representatives of EA announced the release of the add-on, which was called Team Racing . It was originally planned to release the mod only for console versions of the game, but later the creators of NFS : SHIFT decided to make a patch for the PC.
In mid-December 2009, many Need for Speed reviews appeared : SHIFT from reputable foreign and Russian analysts. In them, the experts examined in detail the main innovations that the addition brought to the game. By the name of the patch it is clear that the bias is made on the command component of the races. So, a modification of Team Racing added team mode and new cars to the game.
In mid-February 2010, an addition came out that added Ferrari vehicles to SHIFT . A month later, EA released another patch, which was available only for console versions of the game and included 7 new cars and 1 track.
In many reviews of Need for Speed : SHIFT, experts noted that EA focused only on console versions, ceasing to pay due attention to games for personal computers.
System requirements
At the time of the announcement, SHIFT was one of the most demanding hardware video games. To play at the lowest quality settings, a computer strong enough for 2009 was required. Minimum Requirements:
- Pentium processor with a frequency of 3.2 GHz;
- 1 GB of RAM;
- 256 MB video card;
- support for DirectX 9.0;
- Windows operating system
- 10 GB of free space .
As for the recommended system requirements Need for Speed : SHIFT , the RAM required is 1 GB more, and the video card should be 512 MB. In addition, for a comfortable game requires a processor from Intel .
Description of Need for Speed: SHIFT. Gameplay
The main mode of the game is a single-player career. It combines various types of competitions and special tasks that a gamer can perform during the race. Also in SHIFT there is an in-game currency for which you can purchase new vehicles. It should be noted that the best cars open only in the second part of a career.
Racing actions take place both on fictional routes and on famous tracks. In total, the game features 16 types of races, the main of which in single player mode is drifting.
From the first seconds, the developer’s hand is visible. Need for Speed : SHIFT begins with a test drive. Initially, the view from the driver’s cab is exhibited. The player can use the rear and side mirrors, as well as peek out of the car. This solution is typical of Slightly Mad and was used in the game GTR 2. The last time this type of camera was used in the NFS series in the fifth part, which was released in 2000 and was called NFS : Porsche .
Victim of Realism for the Saving of a Budget
Cutting the budget, EA tied the hands of Slightly Mad . This is clearly seen in the damage system, which is almost completely absent in SHIFT . The gamer can not worry about his vehicle. It’s quite difficult to break a car. Even in collisions with rivals, cars, instead of scattering in different directions, continue to rub against each other, and the monitor screen becomes cloudy. But this has its own plus - you can ram your rivals on the track without fear of getting a few seconds of the penalty. But all the same, it remains unclear why at least cosmetic damage was not added to the game. A dozen serious collisions can cause internal malfunctions, which are manifested in poor driving performance.
Driving was maximally simplified. In many well-known car simulators, which are the standards of the genre, each turn was a real challenge for the gamer. In Need for Speed : SHIFT this is not. To pass the turn, you just need to release the gas in time. By the way, for beginners, automatic braking is provided, which greatly simplifies the game.
Difficulty levels
For 2009, Need for Speed : SHIFT was the most difficult game in the series. But if you compare the car simulator with competitors, then the "Need for Speed" may seem easy. Despite the fact that the rules were tightened, the game remained “friendly” to the player, which cannot be said about GRID , which is considered one of the best car simulators in the history of the genre.
For those who do not want to compete with artificial intelligence on high complexity, a casual level is provided at which the behavior of vehicles is similar to previous versions of Need for Speed .
For those who want to get a new experience for gamers, there is a training mode that allows you to learn all the details of the game and prepare for the passage of Need for Speed : SHIFT . After that, users need to study the features of each car and individual tracks.
The beauty of SHIFT can only be felt at the Pro level . Gamer skill comes to the fore. To succeed, one must not only cope with a capricious vehicle, but also avoid mistakes at a distance.
Walkthrough
Career mode begins with a race on a BMW . After a test drive, the computer selects the difficulty level suitable for the gamer and recommends a car control model that will best match the player’s skills.
Next, you need to choose a car. 80 vehicles are represented in SHIFT . The main goal of a career is to receive an invitation to the championship. To do this, you need to earn stars and open 4 levels of racing.
Access to the championship can be opened already at the 2nd level. To do this, it is enough to finish each race with the maximum number of stars, which is very easy to implement on low difficulty. The game has 50 personal driver levels. At the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th and 50th levels, the gamer receives a prize car. This vehicle cannot be used in career mode.
Profile Points
Points are earned during the race and allow you to unlock new driver levels. The gamer can choose any style of behavior on the track. Points will be awarded both for a neat ride and for a collision. In addition to the prize cars for opening new levels, the player receives money, discs, applications and invitations to participate in various races in career mode.
In order to gain aggressiveness points, you need to knock the enemy off the track, touch him during overtaking, hang on the tail of the car ahead, take turns in the drift, block opponents, and also go into a head-on collision.
To get points of accuracy, you should pass part of the distance without collisions and exits from the track, develop maximum speed, drive along the established path, and overtake opponents without collisions. One of the most complex components is a masterful twist. For its implementation, it is necessary to enter a turn at high speed, go along an ideal trajectory, and then exit without skidding.
In reviews of Need for Speed : SHIFT, it was noted that in order to get the maximum number of points for accuracy and aggressiveness in races with a general start, it is necessary to start the race aggressively, and then go without accidents.
Stars
The main element in the career of the pilot are the stars. Victory brings 3 stars to the pilot’s piggy bank, 2 stars for the 2nd place, and 1 star for the 3rd position. Almost every track has the opportunity to receive a reward by completing special tasks.
In the event that the first time it was not possible to earn all the possible stars, you can drive the route again to get the missing ones. This greatly simplifies the opening of access to new races.
Tasks
There are 4 levels in SHIFT , each of which opens up a new type of vehicle. Low-class cars can be used at high levels, but fast cars cannot compete at low levels.
At the 1st level, the price of cars is in the range from 18,000 to 46,000 dollars. 2 types of competitions are also available. 25 stars can be earned in races. Another 20 of them, the pilot can get in the manufacturers' competition, which is a race on the same vehicles. The third type is the time trial, which brings 24 stars.
At the 2nd level, prices for cars range from 50 thousand to 110 thousand dollars, and 7 types of competitions are available for players. The first type is a mixed race, combining classic stages and time trips. You can get a maximum of 39 stars for this competition. The second option is drifting, which brings 24 stars. In the battle of cars you can get 18 stars. In addition, at the 2nd level there are mixed series, which consist of drifting, simple hauls and racing against the clock. 39 stars can be obtained for competitions in the USA, Europe and Japan
Prices for cars of the 3rd level - 120-300 thousand dollars. 76 stars can be obtained on mixed tracks, another 12 - on the battle of cars. 24 of these racers can earn in the competition of manufacturers. At the 3rd level there are races between American, European and Japanese manufacturers, in which you can get 47-48 stars. A new type of races is survival, according to the results of which you can get 33 stars.
At the 4th level, elite vehicles are opened, the cost of which exceeds $ 1 million. The advantage of cars is that they do not need to be improved. The main competition of the 4th level is the NFS World Cup . This is the last race in the single-player career of Need for Speed : SHIFT . The race consists of 5 circles and is not very difficult.
Pros and cons of the game
The game has several advantages. One of the main is increased realism. This is especially noticeable when compared to Undercover . Also, the developers managed to convey the atmosphere of the show, which reigns on such races in real life.
The main disadvantage of the game can be called high requirements for personal computers. The disadvantages of the car simulator include the completion of a career mode. The main race, the NFS Championship, is very easy and does not justify the path traveled to open access to it.