Need for Speed: Shift (Sony PSP)

I'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.

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WOW. This game SUCKS beyond comparison to all things that have sucked in the past! The PSP hasn't always been the known as a great system for racing BUT one game in the ladder part of 2009 has changed all that! That game is Grand Turismo! But enough about good games, Let's get back to shift...

Pros:

Nice packaging!

Cons:

(1)Nauseating gameplay. Every little contact wrecks your vehicle. The physics get a 5 out of ten 10. During high speed turns the walls seem to become almost magnetic! (2)Corny Dialog, I mean REALLY corny! Makes you want to puke almost as much as the gameplay! (3)Finger Paintesque Graphics. I'm not sure but this looks like something off of the DS. The visual customization is wretched too.

If you're considering buying a racing game that's borderline arcade/sim, Get Juiced 2!

DO NOT BUY THIS GAME(unless you're planning to kidnap a racing fan and need a torture tactic to interrogate them for information...)

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There are loads of great elements to this game but I'm completely annoyed that drifting is such a requirement. If you don't like or are not good at drifting, don't buy this game. It's better than Prostreet but not as good as some other NFS games. Graphics are good, cars are good, music is okay. One annoying part about the music is that some challenges have one song associated with them so if you get stuck on one that you have to play over and over you hear the same song every time. I finally had to fix this in the soundtrack options and just listen to the sound effects. NFS are still the best racing games as far as I'm concerned and usually they don't disappoint. This one is just not for me especially because of the drifting.

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