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Product SummaryBrand: Electronic Arts Audio: English (Unknown) Published: 2009-09 Release Date: 2009-09-15 Platform: Sony PSP Model: 014633192414 Publisher: Electronic Arts Product features: - A combination player tier and achievements system that ensures that drivers are matched against those of similar experience on the track and that rewards for victories match the win.
- All-new 'Need for Speed' release that combines the true driver's experience with real-world physics, pixel-perfect car models, and a wide range of authentic racetracks.
- Developed by the world's best racing game talent and real race drivers, including: the team behind critically acclaimed 'GT Legends' and 'GTR2' games and VP of EA Games and race car driver Patrick Soderlund.
- A wealth of highly tunable cars available in an equally diverse range of events including: quick race, standard races, manufacturer races, time trial, online options and more.
- The all-new driver profile system that assigns a unique persona based on a player?s driving skill and style: aggressive or precise. This system also affects career progression, unlockables and online matchmaking.
Video Game Reviews of Need for Speed: ShiftCustomer Review: Wasn't expecting much, came out surprised! Summary: 5 StarsI'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much with this game, but after enjoying the PS3 version of NFS: Shift, I decided to give this game a whirl. I was pleasantly surprised how good this game turned out. It is very different from the console versions, but it is still a fun game.
Gameplay:
The game really shows off with gameplay. Cars handle well with the PSPs controls, and I immediately fell in love with the drifting system. Drifting is all about timing and when you learn how to do it right it is a lot of fun. A simple tap of the emergency break button with some guided turning will send you drifting around corners like a pro. They really nailed the gameplay down for simplicity, with only 3-4 buttons needed through most of the game. Mostly gas, emergency break, and the directional pad is all you will need.
The number of different types of races is impressive as well, and allows the game to feel non-repetitive. You have your standard races, drift races, time trials, checkpoint races, speed trap races, and many others. This keeps the game fun no matter how long you play.
My biggest pet peeve with the game is the upgrading. You can only upgrade cars by driving the same car over and over again. This pretty much means you don't get to upgrade cars at all as you are constantly switching to new and better cars as you unlock them. It would have been better to establish credit or money and use that to unlock better features for each car.
The only other flaws I can think of is that using your Nitro at the wrong time will often send your car flipping or slamming into a wall. Only use a Nitro at a straight! Also, I loved how the console versions of Shift rewarded players for running players off the road, yet this game does the complete opposite. Try smashing into another car will almost always end up in a wreck, through it is also forgiving in that it restarts your car at a pretty fast pace and usually in the same position you were in before wrecking. Wrecking isn't a very big problem with walls unless running into them head on at a high speeds. The contact system could have used a little more work, but it is acceptable overall.
Music and sound:
As with any EA game, the music is pretty terrible. I actually didn't mind the songs at first, but the track list is pretty limited in the game so you end up listening to the same songs over and over again. I ended up turning the music off after getting further into the game. Sound is pretty good overall, nothing special, but it gets the job done.
Graphics:
I really liked the graphics of the game, but they aren't any better than other PSP racers. Tracks look good as well as car models, and the painting system for cars is simple and really makes the cars look good. Could have been a little better in the end, but this is a PSP so I can't expect console graphics now.
Overall, I'd rate it a 4.5/5 due to the annoying music in the game, but the great gameplay and varied races has kept my attention for hours already. I really can't complaint about too much in this game, and for that reason I'd recommend it.
Description of Need for Speed: ShiftNeed for Speed Shift Get ready to Shift your game into high gear! Designed to deliver a true driver's experience that reflects contemporary motorsports, Need for Speed: Shift is built by racers for racers. Need for Speed: Shift delivers an authentic and immersive driving experience, replicating the true feeling of racing high-end performance cars like never before. Players are thrust into the heart of the action with immersive and exciting features including a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit view camera and an all-new crash mechanic, providing an unrivaled sensation of the speed and feeling of racing a car on the extreme edge of control.  A true high-end racing experience. View larger. | Imagine the experience of being a race driver. The adrenaline rush of driving at breakneck speeds, the pressure of fierce competition, the fear of losing control, the intense concentration and athleticism needed to harness the power of speeding chrome and steel. This is the true driver's experience of Need for Speed: Shift. Through the combination of perception-based G-forces, an ultra-realistic first-person cockpit view, an accurate, accessible physics-based model and the all-new, brutally disorienting crash dynamic, you'll be thrust into the driver's seat amid the chaotic noise, intensity, and physical and emotional demands of the race. Imagine the emotions race drivers go through. The thrill of driving incredibly fast, the pressure of the competition, the fear of losing control, the intense concentration and effort needed to harness the power of a racing car. The all-new driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver's experience. This system gives each player a unique persona based on a player's driving skill and style - aggressive or precise. Driver profile impacts how a player unlocks cars, overall career progression and online matchmaking. In Need for Speed: Shift, how you drive is who you are behind the wheel. For Racers By Racers In Need for Speed: Shift, EA has brought together some of the world's best racing game talent and real race drivers. Developed in a unique collaboration between Slightly Mad Studios--developers and designers of the critically acclaimed GT Legends and GTR2 games--Michael Mann (executive producer at Black Box) and Patrick Soderlund, senior Vice President of EA Games and part of a racing team that recently competed in the fourth edition of the TOYO Tires 24H Dubai 2009, the result is an authentic driving experience unmatched on any game system. | Additional Screenshots:  Huge car lineup. View larger. | | |  New driver profiles. View larger. | |  Extreme customization. View larger. | |  Varied event types. View larger. | |
Racing & Flying Games
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