Is Shift 2 Unleashed really worth buying?

[Jamesways]

You know the intro race with all the aids on on and no adjusting any steering settings isn't a super good indication of the full game, right?

That's just like someone I have on my friend's list. He bought this even after being advised against it (since he hates every single racing game out there except Forza 3), played the intro race, got through two corners, turned it off, and threw the game away.
And then raged to all of us about how terrible the game was.

I just couldn't help but laugh and explain to him about the steering settings, the aids, and tuning, all of which you can customize the cars to handle how you want.
I believe he said "I can't be bothered with changing settings!, this game is trash."

What a goofball.

 

[brambos]

Just thought I'd add to my rant.. it actually does remind me of the old Mario Karts on the Super Nintendo.

Thank for adding that. It tells us that we should not take any of your posts seriously. 👍

 

[OLDSKOOLACURA]

He is returning SHIFT 2 and I'm returning GT5.

yes shift 2 is not perfect but it is fun and really gets you into the game (racing , tuning,etc), gt5 is well.................just boring as hell (esp since it took them 6 years to make and that is all they came up with, nice looking cars, good handling and a crappy boring repetitive game)

 

[RomKnight]

I was at a friend's house today. He was having an hard time with gt5 with the licenses...

I gold/silver the last 10 within 5 tries each race (if that...) on a DFGT - I remember those pedals a lot stiffer... bless my g27

He told me its because I had a lot of practice and I answered promptly "compared to Shift2 GT5 is in slow motion" It was the 1st thing that crossed my mind ATM and I'm still thinking this way.

I haven't play GT5 for a awhile and races I remember as hard were pretty easy now. I still had a blast playing it though.

 

[OLDSKOOLACURA]

I was at a friend's house today. He was having an hard time with gt5 with the licenses...

I gold/silver the last 10 within 5 tries each race (if that...) on a DFGT - I remember those pedals a lot stiffer... bless my g27

He told me its because I had a lot of practice and I answered promptly "compared to Shift2 GT5 is in slow motion" It was the 1st thing that crossed my mind ATM and I'm still thinking this way.

I haven't play GT5 for a awhile and races I remember as hard were pretty easy now. I still had a blast playing it though.

you hit the nail on the head with that 👍

 

[Dmarc_Atl]

I know the game is released around 2-3 weeks ago? However, while watching some gameplays for it, it looked pretty cool, like for instance, the helmet cam, engine and exhaust notes; the graphics, the cars, the tracks, you know. The game even received some decent user reviews. But, pretty much everyone says that vehicle handling and performance are quite inaccurate. But this seemed to be made up with all the positive features.

To be honest, the only reasons I'm getting this game is:
> The intense and fearful gameplay, unlike GT5's (It's still good, though)
> The tracks that GT5 doesn't have (e.g. Bathurst and Spa)
> The cars that GT5 doesn't have (e.g. Porsche)
> Engine and exhaust notes

So what do you, the community, think I should do -- buy the game or save my 60 bucks?

P.S. I have Shift 1, but I ended up disliking the game because every car seemed to slide and their handling is like a bathtub.

you wont like this
I like the cars on here but its so sad with the physics
it feels like im driving a truck at times

It would be alot better if they fix that turn lag

I wouldnt compare this game to gt5 because this isnt a full out simulator
it could be better if they tweaked the controls a bit but as of right now i prefer the physics of shift 1 to shift 2

 

[Dmarc_Atl]

He is returning SHIFT 2 and I'm returning GT5.

yes shift 2 is not perfect but it is fun and really gets you into the game (racing , tuning,etc), gt5 is well.................just boring as hell (esp since it took them 6 years to make and that is all they came up with, nice looking cars, good handling and a crappy boring repetitive game)

I dont see what the Production time have to do with the game being boring lol
I prefer the tuning in gt5
i did alot of tunning on NFSshift with the suspension and the car handle the exact same
I havent done much else tuning so i cant speak on it that much


btw nice looking cars with good handling is pretty much 2 of the 4 things that makes a good simulator ..

 

[boomee]

Turn off all assists and you may like the responsiveness of shift 2

 

[RomKnight]

I wouldnt compare this game to gt5 because this isnt a full out simulator

I don't compare them directly as they approach car genre in in different ways (driving/immersion)

I just talked about sense of speed. I repeat, I also enjoy GT5. Its just that there's not much to do now except the 24h races (expecting the in-game save) and the 9h Tsukuba (which I did already but the game crashed after I cross the finish line...)

 

[bredita]

No, it's not worth buying, not in its current state.
It freezes during races, freezes in menus.

(I'm using a PS3 btw)

 

[UkHardcore23]

No, it's not worth buying, not in its current state.
It freezes during races, freezes in menus.

(I'm using a PS3 btw)

Get it on 360, played for 7 hours straight last night....not a single freeze 👍

 

[brambos]

No, it's not worth buying, not in its current state.
It freezes during races, freezes in menus.

(I'm using a PS3 btw)

That seems to differ. In over 2 weeks of heavy playing, I've had only two freezes. Both in a menu, never during racing. The freezes don't bother me when I look at how much fun this games gives me.

Imagine a racing game that takes driving very seriously and makes everything feel like work, like a chore. A games that completely removes everything from the racing experience that makes it fun and exciting and turns it into a cold mathematical science. Picture that? Ok... Shift is the exact opposite of that. 👍

 

[bredita]

That seems to differ. In over 2 weeks of heavy playing, I've had only two freezes. Both in a menu, never during racing. The freezes don't bother me when I look at how much fun this games gives me.

Imagine a racing game that takes driving very seriously and makes everything feel like work, like a chore. A games that completely removes everything from the racing experience that makes it fun and exciting and turns it into a cold mathematical science. Picture that? Ok... Shift is the exact opposite of that. 👍

I can also drive for hours without it crashing, if I drive "normal cars", but try it with a very fast car (works upgraded) and drive it hard. It freezes on me every time.

I've done everything EA support has told me to do, including buying a new PS3 and starting from scratch, but nothing has worked.

Hoping that the upcoming patch will sort it out.

That being said, Shift 2 is a fun and addictive game. The handling is different from GT5 but with a little practice you get used to that as well (i use a wheel).
I don't want to play GT5 right now, but I have to - because Shift 2 just crashes

 

[Dmarc_Atl]

I don't compare them directly as they approach car genre in in different ways (driving/immersion)

I use the bumper cam the most so I cant really tell the diff. in speed from gt5

Another thing I dont like is the cockpit
the Steering wheel turn by it self so that + the turn lag just throws me way off
I drive with all settings off but when I drive on the cockpit I still see him straightening the car automatically and im so used to doing that myself and I end up losing control

I just talked about sense of speed. I repeat, I also enjoy GT5. Its just that there's not much to do now except the 24h races (expecting the in-game save) and the 9h Tsukuba (which I did already but the game crashed after I cross the finish line...)

What are you gonna do when you finish all the races in shift?

edit: I have ps3 version it never crashed

 

[FLIGHT50]

Not touched GT5 since Shift 2 came out and wont be going back any time soon...well worth it!

Same here. I ditch GT5 after 4-5 weeks of playing due to lack of offline content. There is no way, I will ditch S2U. Either to get a handle on the true race physics or you go back to the easier physics of GT5 that sticks to the road like glue.

 

[Dmarc_Atl]

Same here. I ditch GT5 after 4-5 weeks of playing due to lack of offline content. There is no way, I will ditch S2U. Either to get a handle on the true race physics or you go back to the easier physics of GT5 that sticks to the road like glue.

Lol someone never drove a real car before

 

[UkHardcore23]

I can also drive for hours without it crashing, if I drive "normal cars", but try it with a very fast car (works upgraded) and drive it hard. It freezes on me every time.

I've done everything EA support has told me to do, including buying a new PS3 and starting from scratch, but nothing has worked.

Hoping that the upcoming patch will sort it out.

That being said, Shift 2 is a fun and addictive game. The handling is different from GT5 but with a little practice you get used to that as well (i use a wheel).
I don't want to play GT5 right now, but I have to - because Shift 2 just crashes

EA told you to buy a new PS3? lol That is odd.

 

[bredita]

EA told you to buy a new PS3? lol That is odd.

No, they didn't _tell me to_ but they said (loosely translated from norwegian):
"there are things indicating that the console itself is the problem. We're sorry we can not offer further help, here's the contact info for Sony Playstation distributor in norway:...."

I got a little (read: very) annoyed by this, it's typical "support centre behaviour" - "if we can pass the problem on to someone else then it is solved".
So I decided to buy a new PS3, just to get them to take the problem seriously.
(I also wanted a new one because its smaller and less noisy, so this gave me an excuse to swap it for a new one...)

They have since passed the problem on to "extended support" or whatever they call it.
Their last suggestion is that the game disc itself may be faulty, but they refused to send me a new game disc, I had to send them mine first, and the process "can take several weeks" they said...
I'll swap it in my local shop (they're at least customer friendly) the next time I'm around there.

 

[leighton]

I'm a huge GranTurismo fan, since GT1. I agree with the earlier posts, I bought Shift 1, loved playing it but found the cars just too slip slidey around the corners to keep playing it for a long period of time. I loved GT5 and have spent hours car collecting and and doing all the A spec and online racing, Two things have killed GT5 for me, the lack of crash damage or even any sort of simulated impact, and the complete lack of AI. I Then purchased Shift 2, WOW ! for a start the sense of speed is far more exciting, 100 mph really feels like your travelling at speed and I absolutely love the fact that you make one little mistake and that's the end of your car !!!

The handling is an aquired taste but if you stick with it, you will find a really fulfilling racing sim, I'm sick of people saying just because it's not on par with GT5 physics wise it's not as good a sim, Shift2 blows GT5 and Forza3 away when it comes to atmosphere and consequence of taking corners too quickly !!

 

[OLDSKOOLACURA]

I dont see what the Production time have to do with the game being boring lol
I prefer the tuning in gt5
i did alot of tunning on NFSshift with the suspension and the car handle the exact same
I havent done much else tuning so i cant speak on it that much


btw nice looking cars with good handling is pretty much 2 of the 4 things that makes a good simulator ..

it's because it took them 6 years to make it (my guess is most of that time was to make the cars look good, which they do). The problem is the career is boring, the AI is on a sunday drive, and it feels like every race is the same. I'm pissed about GT5 because they had all that time to make a fantastic racing game and they ended up coming way up short. They seemed to focus more on making the cars look good then the career.

 

[RomKnight]

What are you gonna do when you finish all the races in shift?

edit: I have ps3 version it never crashed

I also have the PS3 (FAT) and believe me, after 12h to do that event - I paused in between but was 12h straight - the only button that worked was the PS button on the DS3 because G27 does not have it

When Shift 2 races have nothing more to offer, I move to Hard AI and after that AUTOLOG:tup:,leagues, online racing and do it all over again using only helmet cam 💡

 

[OLDSKOOLACURA]

I also have the PS3 (FAT) and believe me, after 12h to do that event - I paused in between but was 12h straight - the only button that worked was the PS button on the DS3 because G27 does not have it

When Shift 2 races have nothing more to offer, I move to Hard AI and after that AUTOLOG:tup:,leagues, online racing and do it all over again using only helmet cam 💡

I think I might try that too, so hard tho

 

[bredita]

...
I'll swap it in my local shop (they're at least customer friendly) the next time I'm around there.

For the record: I've swapped the game disc for a new one, and the game still freezes when driving at very high speed... I think it happens when I let go off the accellerator just a tiny bit or when i tap the brake very gently.

 

[RomKnight]

Maybe, maybe not. I already drove huayra (very fast), the reventon (very fast) and currently driving the porsche 918 sypder concept works converted (very fast) and NOT a single freeze.

Now if I take the 918 to Pergusa at night I can't finish ONE (the first) lap without one of them FOD (freeze of death)👎

 

[Dude27]

As a amateur photographer and a sim racer... I like it very much... on PC! Why? for that:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicolas_grignon/sets/72157626476385804/show/

 

[buziii]

Very nice pics, Dude!

 

[turbotim3]

i cant believe i fell for it again! i bought the first shift and hated it.....no i loathed it. then i buy this game. its real simple, the helmet cam ruins everything. it is the single worst feature for a racing game ever. i cant stress this enough. if i want to look left or right i will do it myself or better yet i will use something that we humans have thats called peripheral vision. what really sucks is that other devs are using this helmet cam feature and i just dont get it. oh plus the cars handle strange with very little difference between them

 

[RomKnight]

That post is typical from a new Shift 2 player. Browse the forums.

Yes the game has its "subtleties" but you'll soon find out that with proper tuning and wheel/pad setup the game is much more enjoyable.

And there are other views to choose from..

 

[Electramax]

I'm still not sure, yet. But, to those who has the game: How's the handling like? Did it improve, stayed the same, or just decreased further?

I bought it with the same concerns as you and I will say it has a 30-60 minute learning curve. However, once I had my settings dialed in and I did a handful of tracks and tried a few upgrades, it became not only easier but very fun.

Haven't regretted my purchase in any way and it hasn't left my machine (owned it for about n10 days now.)

Plus the track list is very impressive, a number of them included that I had never played before.

 

[Revelation1115]

I've been meaning to buy this game, but what's the customization like? Is it more like Forza or GT5?