NFS Shift 2 Unleashed is a Sony PlayStation 3 Car Racing game, written by Slightly Mad Studios.

Guide to NFS Shift 2 Unleashed on the PlayStation 3

EA’s Shift franchise has established itself as one of the front runners in the racing genre. Scheduled for release on the second quarter of 2011, Slightly Mad Studios developed Shift 2 Unleashed is set to change the way you do racing on the PS3. This particular game is aimed to whittle away from the most common problem faced by racing games, which lacks the actual feeling of driving and tend to focus more on the superficial aspects of racing.

Shift 2 Unleashed is a follow up to Shift, which was released way back in 2009. This new game shuffles between a fun and thrill ride with that of a realistic racing simulator. Thus, players have the freedom to romp through the stages in an old arcade fashion, or launch a racing career and establish dominance on the track. There is also enough controls available that enable you to choose the settings you want, whether it be to lower (or raise) the difficulty level, ask for driving assistance, or choose from a wide array of expensive cars to race.

Shift 2 Unleashed will also integrate some of the key elements from its predecessors such as leveling, experience points, track interaction, and performance badges. However, expect this game to pile on lots of realism to make it truly stand out. The most notable feature in this game is the full Elite simulate mode, which is inspired from other topnotch racing games like Gran Turismo and Forza. The damage system also works really well such that some vehicles show visible signs of crash on their body by the end of the race. Aside from the vehicle, you can also see debris flying through the air whenever a crash happens on the track.

To combine with the enhanced damage system to bring in more realism into Shift 2 Unleashed for the PS3, the game physics have been improved as well. Now, controlling your vehicle has a closer simulation to driving a real car. All other elements on the race track also create a significant impact on how well (or poorly) you perform in your driving.

The much improved artificial intelligence will add some challenge into the racing experience. Don’t expect your racing competitors to be a mere shoo-in since they too can compete on the track. You will have all the tools you need in Shift 2 Unleashed though to ensure that you can improve your game, such as the stat meters and other form of tweak settings. All of these changes were done to establish a deeper connection between the car and its driver.

The developers at Slightly Mad Studios have worked hard on developing an innovative new feature for Shift 2 Unleashed, which is the helmet cam. This is an optional point of view that transforms a disembodied point of view into an actual head and neck for a more realistic racing simulation. However, this feature is not suited for everyone, especially if you are running 200 mph on the racetrack with lots of carbon and fiber being hurled on the air. It is going to be a scary ride. This perspective is as close as you can get to taking hold of that wheel. The cam also realistically recreates the vision of blurring that goes when you near a corner and you are running at extremely high speeds. The thrill that is offered by this new vision should be something that you need to be extra careful of. Learn to focus on the race before someone overtakes you from behind to take the lead.

Another major feature to look out for in Shift 2 Unleashed is the part that Autolog plays with this game, which is the same social engine that was featured in Hot Pursuit. You can use it to create your own profile, add friends, post photos into your gallery, and all other things to update your friends what is going on with your racer. It therefore adds an interactive atmosphere into the game such that it makes it even more rewarding to establish your achievements in the race knowing that people in your network can see them.

The developers proudly claim that Shift 2 Unleashed is going to deliver highly detailed cars, drivers, and tracks. But as it turned out, the game is more than that. The preview build is indeed looking quite impressive already and if all of the changes it promises to bring will meld together, then expect to find a new PS3 favorite when it comes to racing games.

NFS Shift 2 Unleashed Game Features

* Take the Pole Position with the Limited Edition - Pre-order SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED today to get your hands on the Limited Edition featuring exclusive bonus content with instant access to three additional cars - the Nissan Silvia spec.R Aero (S15), Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV, and Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 - plus 40 new career events. Race in Single-Type events with all racers in the same car, battle in classic and modern versions of the same car in Old vs. New events, and engage in Manufacturer Showdowns with racers behind the wheel of different car makes and models.
* Next Level of Immersion - Experience visceral first-person racing like never before. The all-new helmet cam recreates realistic driver head movements that deliver an unparalleled sensation of speed: lean and tilt into the apex of corners, feel the impact of every scrape, bump, and crash, experience true in-cockpit vibrations, and more.
* True Realistic Racing - SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED redefines the racing simulator genre by bringing the atmosphere of race day to life. From authentic car and crash physics to terrifying night racing to the battle-scarred look and feel of both cars and tracks, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED leaves no detail behind in delivering the most authentic racing game experience yet. Featuring the FIA GT1 World Championship and GT3 European Championship plus real-world drivers, tracks, and cars, this is truly tomorrow's sim for today's adrenaline-fueled racer.
* Amazing Career Depth and Variety - Earn unlocks and participate in multiple racing disciplines on the way to becoming the FIA GT1 World Champion. Featuring everything from new Endurance races to muscle and retro cars, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED gives you the flexibility to choose the path that fits your individual racing style. Fight for position, dominate opponents, and annihilate track times every time out - the battle doesn't end at the finish line, it extends throughout your entire racing career.
* Change the Game with Autolog - Autolog is a revolutionary system that connects friends and changes the gameplay experience by allowing you to share virtually every aspect of your racing career. Compare Driver Profiles and career status, share and comment on pictures and videos, send challenges, and pull news feeds directly from NFS.com and Speehunters.com. Autolog recommendations amp up the social competition of real-world racing by delivering challenges based on friend activity, creating a dynamic, competitive, fun new way to play both online and offline.
* Customize for Show or Customize to Win! - Unleash your creativity to turn some of the world's most elite high-performance vehicles into fire-breathing weapons. Customize the engine, the body, the suspension, and much, much more, then put your ultimate racing machine to the test in any mode. Whether your goal is to race a 1000-horsepower Econobox or a tricked-out GTR, you have nearly limitless options to reign supreme on the track where every second counts.

Have You Played NFS Shift 2 Unleashed on the PS3?

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