Need for Speed: Shift

 PC
Need for Speed: Shift Image
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 516 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: Need for Speed SHIFT brings a true driver's experience to some of the world's most iconic racing tracks, including the storied Brand's Hatch in the UK. The game also features the largest roster of high-performance cars in Need for Speed history including race cars such as the Pagani Zonda F,Need for Speed SHIFT brings a true driver's experience to some of the world's most iconic racing tracks, including the storied Brand's Hatch in the UK. The game also features the largest roster of high-performance cars in Need for Speed history including race cars such as the Pagani Zonda F, Porsche 911 GT2 and Lotus Elise. Players are thrust into the loud, intense, and athletic experience of racing a car from the driver's perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the all-new brutally disorienting crash dynamic. Need for Speed SHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge. [Electronic Arts]… Expand
Buy Now
Buy on

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. IGN
    90
    A glorious return to greatness (and even excellence) for EA's seminal racing franchise. Slightly Mad Studios has delivered a driving experience that, while not completely accurate in terms of its simulation aspects, is practically dead-on in terms of what it's like to race around some of the world's best racing circuits.
  2. Total Video Games
    90
    It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.
  3. PC Gamer UK
    87
    An excellent balancing act between arcade racing and simulated driving, with shudderingly fast cars. [Dec 2009, p.102]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. InsideGamer.nl
    83
    Need for Speed: Shift has found the right direction once again. The race feeling with the most cars is fantastic and the game looks great. There is enough to do and the experience system invites the player to do races more than once.
  5. Gamers.at
    81
    SHIFT doesn't offer anything ground-breakingly new (despite the awesome Cockpit-View), but doesn't do anything important wrong either. So if you are longing for a solid Racing-Simulation with good graphics: go get it! But keep in mind that Forza3, Race On and GT5 are already on the horizon.
  6. AtomicGamer
    80
    Need for Speed: Shift fills an interesting niche for a gamer looking for a light-hearted action racer masquerading as something serious.
  7. PC Format
    71
    Tailor-made to please its boy-racer target audience, but if you want more sophistication in your racing go back to GRID. [Dec 2009, p.93]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 126
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 126
  3. Negative: 51 out of 126
  1. DaveA
    Oct 25, 2009
    10
    Everybody who rates this game below 6 are idiots. Judging from their description of their experiences they have configured their controller Everybody who rates this game below 6 are idiots. Judging from their description of their experiences they have configured their controller improperly and that's not the game's fault. This game provides the best racing experience of any racing video game up to date.… Expand
  2. Korvin20110320
    Apr 1, 2011
    9
    The game has decent graphics and not arcadic drive physics. Real simulators, I suppose, have physics closer to the real, but they have lowThe game has decent graphics and not arcadic drive physics. Real simulators, I suppose, have physics closer to the real, but they have low graphics. For me the game is a best tradeoff between realistic driving and good looking picture.… Expand
  4. BeneF
    Oct 16, 2009
    8
    Reviews with 0 are ridiculous. All I can say from my experience is, that with a good racing wheel (using the thrustmaster rgt) and a bit Reviews with 0 are ridiculous. All I can say from my experience is, that with a good racing wheel (using the thrustmaster rgt) and a bit setting-customizing the games handling (even with aids completely turned off) is in no way unplayable. Its challenging, yes. But please come on: get a grip all you cowards.… Expand
  5. MichaelK
    Oct 12, 2009
    6
    Although I usually purchase for the PC, this time I just wanted to try out this game on my PS3. Although the game is visually and aurally Although I usually purchase for the PC, this time I just wanted to try out this game on my PS3. Although the game is visually and aurally magnificent, once you're past the first few tiers and get into the higher level cars, the game just falls apart. As previously mentioned here, the bugs simply prevent this game from getting any higher of a score. It took me forever to beat the Bugatti Veyron Invitational thanks to the bouncing physics problem, and then when I did, the game caused my PS3 to reset to the XMB! That's happened over 4 times since I started playing on Friday. That's simply ridiculous! It blows my mind the review that have been given by the above websites. Did they play it any farther than Tier 2? Just a horrible, horrible job...where was the QA on this game? EA still hasn't learned that the developers need time to get things right. I expect more from a Console game. I expect it to be near bug-free and to just work. Now, console games are apparently no different than what has become of PC gaming. Release then Patch. EA has reall screwed the pooch on this one. I'm returning it on Monday and picking up GRID or Dirt 2 instead. Shame on the professional reviewers, too! You guys have lost alot of respect from me on this one!… Expand
  6. lolsorisnub
    Aug 22, 2010
    4
    "0" -very bad console port: all the menus are a pain and being able to use the mouse to select stuff would be so much easier. -it doesnt add"0" -very bad console port: all the menus are a pain and being able to use the mouse to select stuff would be so much easier. -it doesnt add anything new to the genre, apart from non-steering cars (reminds me of gta IV) -requests an even longer-than-usual "grind" through low-tier cars before you can unlock anything worth driving. -physics engine makes for fun times, because its a joke
    i dont understand why they bothered to add vinyls and such when there is no way you can see them since there is no 3rd person camera, meaning driving different cars doesnt change the experience by much. all you'll notice is better speed, etc
    ive been playing and loving NFS since porche unleashed. ive completed the careers for underground 1&2; most wanted, carbon, i liked them all, yet i uninstalled shift after 2 days.. -all the (terribly boring) cutscenes (for example before and after each race) cannot be skipped.
    the critics who gave this an 83 mustve been either high or very well paid.    … Expand
  7. WillX
    Dec 5, 2009
    2
    This is not a game designed for a PC audience. Console control themes permeate the game too much and make it far too annoying to play. Bad This is not a game designed for a PC audience. Console control themes permeate the game too much and make it far too annoying to play. Bad physics, terrible control, not-quite-there visuals and a half-hearted attempt at intruding into the sim genre rather than staying closer to NFS's more arcade style roots makes for a dismal game. Bring back NFS 2 SE.… Expand
  8. DiegoN
    Sep 17, 2009
    0
    It's bad even for Electronic-Arts-console-game standards. Bad optimization, lack of realism, I hope crisis will soon finish EA and his It's bad even for Electronic-Arts-console-game standards. Bad optimization, lack of realism, I hope crisis will soon finish EA and his shareholders.… Expand

See all 126 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PC Game of 2009
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
38
#38 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Current PC Games

Full List »
93 Street Fighter 6
92 Resident Evil 4
89 Pizza Tower
89 Hi-Fi Rush
88 Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania
87 Dead Space
87 Diablo IV
86 8-Bit Adventures 2
86 Returnal
86 The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure
86 A Space For The Unbound
85 Meg's Monster
84 Humanity
84 The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
78 System Shock
77 Contraband Police
75 Dead Island 2
75 Atomic Heart
70 Storyteller
68 Firmament
All Current Games »