Shift 2 vs GT5 - User Comparison (Lengthy)

[Sttrobe]

GT5 has a little bit realistic physics.

But Shift 2 just has everything else.

 

[TomBrady]

If I had to choose between better graphics, a better career, more consistent car modelling but crazy physics or the complete opposite, I'd take the latter.

Wait you didn't just say shift 2 has better graphics did you?

 

[Cote Dazur]

The 2 most important settings are steering lock and sensitivity.

Steering Lock- 540 degrees
Steering Sensitivity - 83%
Steering Deadzone - 0%
Speed Sensitivity is really up to you, but I try not to use too much. Usually less than 20%

Brake Deadzone - 4%
Throttle Deadzone - 2%
Throttle Sensitivity - 0%
This is what I have for throttle sensitivity, but no matter what I do I can't get it like GT5. At 0% it kind of makes it possible to get perfect launches and stuff

A problem with shift 2 is if you're using a certain car to get settings right, when you go to another car it ends up being terrible settings. Logically, because GT5 uses 900 degree steering, you would think using 900 degree in shift 2 would allow you to get closest to the feel in GT5, but it's just not possible. I tried using 900 degree steering and all the way up to 100% sensitivity, and it still wasn't sensitive enough for some stock road cars. Usually the hardest cars to get right at the same time are the stock road cars, and the radical SR3. If you can get a good balance between those cars, all the cars in the game should be set optimally. It took a ton of trial and error, but 540 degrees and 83% steering sensitivity ended up being the best balance between all the cars.

Also, sometimes tuning each car will help a lot. If you go in the tuning options and change steering lock or whatever it's called, that can usually help make up for the inbalance between each car

So Tom if I use those set up I will be able to pin point the cars in Shift like I can in GT 5?
Because that was my question to Steve.

 

[TomBrady]

So Tom if I use those set up I will be able to pin point the cars in Shift like I can in GT 5?
Because that was my question to Steve.

Pin point?

I don't know what you mean, I thought you were just asking for settings to get shift 2 feeling as close to like GT5 as possible.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Pin point?

I don't know what you mean, I thought you were just asking for settings to get shift 2 feeling as close to like GT5 as possible.

I am quoting Steve. Those are his words. Ask him what he means exactly.
I am interested in his set up since my experience of driving in Shift does not come close to driving in GT5.

 

[Commission]

Ok, I've got to point out that you're by far stupid if you think that the sounds in GT5 compared to NFS:S2 are SO FAR APART, In GT5 a lot of cars have different sounds, in S2, and I KNOW because I'm playing it right now!.. Have most cars sounding almost exactly alike!

Anything under 500 pi sounds like a lowish moan, anything 500-999 sounds almost the same excluding maybe two cars, which sound like B & A Class cars, which are a mixture of whiny and moany, making the ONLY different sounds, and of course 2000+ all of those sound like a loud vacuum cleaner!

S2 is a great game!.. Buttt.... Honestly I play both, I like GT5 better, but REALLY, GT5 deserves at LEAST a 6 or 7, S2's sound system is literally one of those things that make you wanna throw up...

 

[STEVE182rs]

@Cote Dazur Hi my wheel settings and some car set-ups are on utube S2U182. Its just all about finding the right balance to suit your driving style, If you really want to get to grips with this game you need to start from the bottom and work up D class to A class, most people just jump in A class cars and have no control and then call the game I never really race A class because of this. When i said pin point my cars like GT5 am talking about hitting the racing line, Round Nord i hit the same lines on shift2 as on GT5 and would like to think at competitive times on both, all about balance. I have no problem with the physics or input lagg, the force feedback is very poor on shift2 but after a few laps i can adapt, after being on GT5 and vice versa 👍 Oh am on a G27 btw

 

[F1WORLDCHAMPION]

This was extremely biased and in my opinion a horrible and untrue review.

 

[Speedster911]

Let me just start this off with saying I am a huge fan of the Gran Turismo and Need For Speed series', but have thought for a while now that it seems PD have become complacent to the opposition.

I'm not looking to flame, troll or generally start off an argument, this is simply my personal views on a number of aspects of the two games.

The comparisons

Cars
GT5 - 1000 plus
NFS - 150 plus

Gran Turismo has well in excess of 1000 cars (including a vast quantity of duplicates) whereas Shift has to struggle along with around 150, if you count all the DLC packs. Now, this would be a walkover section for Gran Turismo, if i weren't for one key aspect - Consistent levels of quality, as the bulk of this number are ports from previous generation releases.
Now some will argue that Shift 2 having a lower car count would mean that they could focus a lot more time on getting those cars right, and therefore there shouldn't be a comparison. Well, yes and no. When you take into account that of the 1000+ cars in Gran Turismo, only around 280 are "premium". Of these, there are so many duplicated models which just have engine differences or slight visual differences, so this figure could easily be dropped to below 200, so we're on the similar lines as Shift already.
Winner - Draw

Circuits
GT5 - 30 unique circuits, 90 overall including time and weather changed models and reversed running variants.
NFS - 35 unique circuits, 86 overall including recognised alternative circuit layouts.

This is where things get very interesting, GT5 seemingly has this one covered too, but peel back the skin and you'll see that this is a fail too. GT5 counts the reversed run of a circuit as another individual track, so the track count is almost doubled. Then there's the time shifting circuits, also counted as separate "new" layouts, despite the non time change circuit being added. Also using this method are the weather effected circuits, which also have non-weathered circuits alongside them. All in all there are around 50 different circuit layouts when you remove the reversed and duplicated for effects circuits.

Shift has no duplication curcuits for reversed running, weather effects, or for time shifts so each of the 86 or so variations are different and, more crucially, recognisable as completely different layouts.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Overall visual representation
GT5 - 9/10
NFS - 8.5/10

There's no point weighing up the odds here really, discounting the "standards" from the picture GT5 has the best overall looking presentation of any racing game to date. There are still huge stumbling points, including (but not limited to) Trees that have no body to their appearance, reflections of the road surface visible on the interior of some cars as if they have glass bottoms and the crowds are made seemingly using flat 8 bit .gif files that wouldn't look out of place on a Sega Megadrive.

Shift 2 falls slightly below the visual level, but they're getting mighty close on a number of levels. The highest point of Shift is it's sheer representation of speed, which actually looks like the speed being displayed on the dashboard. GT5 seems to have lost any real sense of speed, with 200mph looking more like 50mph sometimes. If there's a Shift 3 it WILL look better than GT5, without a doubt.
Winner - Gran Tursimo 5

Career Mode
GT5 - 6/10
NFS - 7/10

Both games have a progressional career mode which unlocks new challenges, higher level cars and more competent opponents, but NFS has a much better level progression than GT5. With GT5 you just need to have a more capable car, and little skill, to win some events, but with NFS the opponent cars will be more closely matched to the one you bring to the fight.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Opposition AI
GT5 - 1/10
NFS - 9.5/10

This has been a major failing of the GT series for a long time, and really needs to be fixed if the series is to be taken seriously for much longer. The AI are sometimes docile, will not deviate from a programmed path and don't seem to recognise your track position in relation to themselves. There may as well be two metal rails dug into the road along the racing line, as they will not deviate from it even if you force them off the track. Put one into the gravel traps and he'll sit there and wait for all the cars to pass before rejoining the circuit and in some cases I've been driving behind them for position and have seen them actually brake and let me pass. It gets even sillier, at Route X I've had the AI brake on the straight, despite being on a completely straight and unobstructed road.

Shift 2 has an excellent AI system, who will actively try to avoid collisions, or sometimes even cause them. Will fail all by themselves under pressure and put themselves of the circuit and will fight back as hard as you give them. This win is a no brainer,,,
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Effects - Visual
GT5 - 5/10
NFS - 7/10

A problematic one for comparisons, as Shift has no weather effect circuits. (to date) Gran Turismo does however have weather effects but the implementation and appearance of them is sketchy, at best. All the after-effects in GT5 seem to be incorporated into the base layer of the car, so the pixelation evident from these effects have a direct negative effect on the car beneath, to a degree where the car could be recreated using lego bricks.

Shift 2 doesn't suffer from this problem, the smoke effects are so much better than in GT5.

Time shifting though are where GT5 gets some points back in this category, as the times can be varied and the effect is pretty good, but not perfect. Some lighting changes will appear "poppy" and jumpy, with the transition from light to dark being especially noticeable. Shift 2 has 3 time variants for every single circuit and layout, with Day, Dusk and Night representations.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Damage
GT5 - 2/10
NFS - 10/10

GT had promised such huge levels of damage before launch, but failed to hit their targets, with mere visual damage that belies the incidents that led up to them. At best you can knock off the doors and have the hood and trunk flap about, but even then there's only a selection of cars that this can be achieved with.

Shift 2 has the most devastating level of damage representation I've seen in a game yet. Every panel can be ripped from the shell and wheels can fall off. I have hit a bump so hard that one of the fron wheels fell off and took off down the circuit in front of me.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

This review is getting really lengthy, so I'll get these over with quickly,,,

Handling
GT5 - 8.5/10 - Clean and intuitive, easy to master.
NFS - 6/10 - Fiddly at times, takes more effort to perform at the same level, but is more rewarding.
Winner - Gran Turismo 5

Sound
GT5 - 1/10 - Cars have woefully bad exhaust note recreations, sometimes even the wrong sounding notes completely. V10 engines using duplicated V8 noises is just the tip of the iceberg. There's also too much transmission whine when compared to the exhaust level, and no way to refine the levels via audio sliders. Dump valve sounds and over-run are completely inaudible, and presumed not to exist.

NFS - 11/10 - All the cars retain their distinctive exhaust charateristics, even after tuning. Dump valves and turbo chatter are also clearly audible, as is the correct level of transmission whine and even over-run and backfire sounds.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Solid Objects
GT5 - Not subject to the laws of real physics, concrete and steel can be driven through given enough grip and a little patience.
NFS - I've not managed to drive through anything yet.
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Extras
Livery Editor GT5 - No NFS - Yes
Engine Swaps GT5 - No NFS - Yes
Nitrous GT5 - No NFS - Yes
Winner - Need For Speed Shift 2

Styling and Tuning
GT5 - A concise but clear tuning system means that every detail you change has an effect, but you know exactly what that effect should be.
Styling is where GT5 falls down, as the aftermarket kit is very limited to varying degrees. Some you can fit just the aftermarket wing to, where other can essentially have a full makeover. 17 full race conversions, seriously?!

NFS - The tuning model of the game is instantly confusing, as there are no rating representions to use for guidance (Kg/mm etc) so I find myself adding the parts and then running them in theor default settings, which is obviously less than ideal for best performance.
Styling is where NFS takes the fight back, 3 levels of road based visual modifications for every single car and then the full racing conversion for all of the road base models.
Winner - Neither, a draw.

Overall winner - Need For Speed Shift 2
Whilst the Gran Turismo series set the benchmark for their PS2 games releases, PD seem to have sat back and relaxed, where all the other developers have progressed and improved their output.

Gran Turismo 5 is very clinical in it's feel and approach, to a degree that sometimes removes the fun from the experience. Shift 2 puts it back in, with the constant threat of being dumped into the barriers by an over-zealous Gallardo driving AI and you losing every wheel on the car. Sure, the physics of the games are dramatically different, but again GT feels clinical and uncommunicative, whereas Shift has a sensation of accomplishment that you cannot get from GT5, no matter how hard you try. The drift model in Shift is more readily mastered than the "stick some wooden tyres on any car" method that GT5 seems to require, and is ultimately more user-friendly. It's much easier to control a slide in NFS than it ever has been in GT.

Both games have their huge plus points, similarly they both have some big minuses too. All in all I'd say keep both, as you'll get burned out with one and move to the other, then back again.

Hey there, really late to the party!

I was just doing a search on Google and stumbled upon this.

I agree with all the points you set forth. Shift 2 is WAYYY better than GT5. In fact, in some ways there is no comparison!

I personally feel there are some aspects S2 does even better than FM3 and 4.

Happy motoring ye petrol heads!

 

[JohnScoonsBeard]

Hey there, really late to the party!

I was just doing a search on Google and stumbled upon this.

I agree with all the points you set forth. Shift 2 is WAYYY better than GT5. In fact, in some ways there is no comparison!

I personally feel there are some aspects S2 does even better than FM3 and 4.

Happy motoring ye petrol heads!

I've been playing a bit more of this again recently on PS3 and have really enjoyed the racing. Despite the lag in the handling it can be fun with the right setup. The game design is really excellent.

Controller or wheel setup can improve things hugely from a response and graphics point of view (although as a barometer GT5 and GT6 both beat it at that. Apparently there is a mod you can find for the PC version only that improves things hugely.

All cars need steering rotation (in tuning) set to between 10-15 degrees. As a general rule the tyre pressures need lowering (start at around 40). Sway bars need tightening up.

I've found all cars are improved with these tips for a start.

 

[Speedster911]

You're right, all of that did help me enjoy the game somewhat. But it started to become a pain. Tuning cars EVERY time before going into a race. The laggy understeery handling model. The physics, while I wouldn't call them arcade by any means, are just plain silly. It's as if they're trying to force the physics on you, somehow hoping you'll buy into them as being realistic.

The sounds were interesting for a while, but Dirt 3 and FM4 already do a much better job at that, not to mention the physics. Yes.. I prefer D3 physics over S2, although I'm a sim nut by nature.

Glad to know it keeps you going. Doesn't do it for me, deleted it altogether.

 

[JohnScoonsBeard]

You're right, all of that did help me enjoy the game somewhat. But it started to become a pain. Tuning cars EVERY time before going into a race. The laggy understeery handling model. The physics, while I wouldn't call them arcade by any means, are just plain silly. It's as if they're trying to force the physics on you, somehow hoping you'll buy into them as being realistic.

The sounds were interesting for a while, but Dirt 3 and FM4 already do a much better job at that, not to mention the physics. Yes.. I prefer D3 physics over S2, although I'm a sim nut by nature.

Glad to know it keeps you going. Doesn't do it for me, deleted it altogether.

To be honest since then I've been getting lots out of Game Stock Car Extreme on PC. Very shortly I think I'll be transferring all affection to PS4 Project Cars with a short, fun intermission for Driveclub.

 

[Harsk100]

I haven't played Shift 2 recently but I know that first time that I've played it, the graphics were so real but when I did my first race, it was so hard!!!! It costed me several tries to get it right because Al was always overtaking me and when I tried to block it, I lost a wheel.

I started this game with Honda S2000. I'll play it in the future and record some gameplay of it.

 

[Speedster911]

The game is borderline frustrating. Very few people have the patience to continue playing it. I like the game's visuals though, and the track variety is rich. Audio is okay.

My frustration with S2 actually led me back to Horizon 1 and I absolutely love it now!

 

[Tired iron]

Wrong on both accounts, read line two again and all becomes clear - " this is simply my personal views on a number of aspects of the two games."

My first post on this forum and i have to agree with your post. I am an old timer and tried a few racing games in my days and shift 2 is the game for me. I am on ps3 and still use this game almost every day. I have done the gt trip but when i got GT6 it was a big disappointment. I do have grid Autosport it is not bad but it's not there. Shift 2 has that raw edge when it comes to racing leave you satisfied. I just wish folks would of stick with it spent more time fine tuning their controller or wheel because once you got it your are rocking. It makes me sad that people give up so easy. Well that is all for now and happy racing to all , whatever racing game you like it's all good.
Ps: that weird noise gum balls hitting the inside of your wheel well still crack me up to this day, details and details the small things add a lot to a game.
Bye for now.

 

[Speedster911]

Hey man, I've tried to give it several goes. There are some good things about the game. I could write a small article about that. But then again, the physics are so uber-wierd, I could write a short book about that!

They've just gotten it wrong. Controller tweaks or not... it doesn't feel right when you're entering slow speed corners at full wheel lock. It doesn't feel right when you're wheels are spinning (or lack of even in a fairly powerful RWD car). It doesn't feel right when your car's going into a corner at higher speeds - understeer and oversteer is very wrong compared to real-life precision driving (why does the nose pivot? Wierd...). Drifting... ekhh... don't even get me started!

The game had tremendous potential, and it is sad they never updated the physics on consoles. The PC version had nice mods to correct the annoying physics.

Remember, difficult does not necessarily mean accurate. Oh well, PCARS will hopefully have everything physics-wise S2 didn't.

 

[Tired iron]

Hey man, I've tried to give

Hi Speedster I agree with you on the physics a bit weird some cars are worst than others, I like tuning the cars and it can be time consuming but worth it and also have to tweak the controller for different cars and a lots of folks don't like that they just want to drive. But the rest of the game is fine for me. I also play Shift the first one LoL. As for drift I don't do drift if I want to burn rubber I go drag racing.
Grid Autosport does good drift mode.
If GA would have nice interior like Shift 2 and decent AI it would be a decent game but the AI are crazy maniac on weird drugs.
Yes I also wait for PCARS it should be good, lots of delays but that's ok with me no rushing makes a better game.
Happy racing.

 

[Speedster911]

Hey man!

GA's drift is actually VERY satisfying. It's all there.. the smoke.. the engine sounds.. the insane scandinavian flicks. Good stuff.

Unfortunately, the game felt flat to me after about 2 weeks. The only Codies game that has kept me hooked is D3.

I've tried out (and even owned unfortunately) several X360 racing titles, and the only one apart from D2 and 3 that's stood out for me are the Forza games.

Happy motoring!