Start your engines
If one Shift 2 Unleashed for the first time in the console, so comes a menu but really puny before. Only the options and the career mode are available, So just launched latter. The not so well known in Germany racer Vaughn Gittin Jr. takes us immediately under his wing, explained point by point the game and what it has with the different challenges to be. The very first race makes for many a beginner safe for frustration because it is anything but simple, and so is a finish in the lower ranks no coincidence. Once we have passed this more or less successfully, the menu is at once quite extensive Pooh, again lucky.
Is most interesting and yet remains the career mode. As in every other racing game too, you begin as a small number and slow works for you Top Racer upwards. This works via experience points earned with good finishes and completing small challenges and thus new events will be unlocked. At the same time, there are neat dough on top of it, which is needed for new vehicles and their tuning, because it is not enough just as a driver in a higher class to rise, and the vehicle must be retrofitted accordingly.
In most cases, normal round races are, however, as this is no longer sufficient in this day and age is far, other tasks with are of course here. In elimination race separates in each round of the last thing going until only one driver and thus the winner remains. Furthermore, it is in time trials to undercut established lap times what spectacular sounds little, but the true racer prepares damned much fun. Stay last but not least the drift challenges. Already in predecessor they were not particularly successful, very difficult and thus for newcomers to cope because hardly. That has not changed. In Shift 2 you tend to feel uncontrollably eggs through the corners instead of drifting skill and casual. Despite many frustrating moments there is only one piece of advice: practice, practice, practice!
Split screen? Wrong!
For nuisance of us paying customers the missing split-screen multiplayer mode has established itself in recent years. Those looking for Need For Speed Hot Pursuit was the hope that it looks different again with Shift 2, once again will be disappointed, because here it does not exist. Officially because it would have been too much of a production cost because of the many small graphic details, but primarily, it should be due to the product policy. As a small consolation comes as the online multiplayer just right. In addition to simple race also entire championships can be extended. One must indeed admit that the AI of Shift 2 is really good, but against real opponents makes it easy even more fun.
Arcade Simulation Mix
Especially important in a racing game: how do you feel on the car? Compared to the often mentioned Hot Pursuit, which was a pure arcade racer yes and annoyed with the constant drift on bends, Shift 2 is again really enjoyable to drive. Pure realism we can not find here, although also because the driving behavior of many a car is quite adventurous, but overall we are talking about a racing game that is called simulation justice, with a little touch of Arcade.
The AI of the other driver is, as already mentioned, really succeeded. Depending on the difficulty it's really aggressive to the point, so we are also urged fast time off, even to the other riders also fight among themselves for their positions. All these Action obviously enhances a real great feeling. The same applies to the most spectacular new feature of Shift 2 Unleashed: the helmet camera. Here is not just seen from the cockpit, the driver's head movements to be imitated. Not there been so far and is simply really great, even if it takes a while to get used to it and the overview reserves.
Large extent, successful presentation
More than 140 car stops Shift 2 Unleashed willing to come more than DLC. From the mid-sized car, on luxury cars to racing cars, everything is going to come tens of tuning options, with which you can individualize his body. In addition one can clearly feel the differences between the models and if a car has been modified or not. You can not complain about the range of routes also. Many real race tracks, but also self-devised, and street circuits waiting to drive you as the winner crossed the finish line to see. The game definitely has the potential to deal a long time.
And how does it work? Quite neat. From a high-end graphics, although we do not want to talk, but there is not much to complain about. Gems are of course the cars and especially the damage model. Slightly weaker contrast fall from the track environments, because the act partly a little dowdy and unexciting, but because the game demands full attention to driving, you can get over this well. Rounding it all is with the rich engine, braking and crash sounds.
Conclusion
Shift 2 Unleashed offers almost everything you can expect from a racing game. Many cars, a motivating career mode, online gaming and challenging opponents. Negative contrast fall to the drift racing and once again lack of split-screen, but this is not so serious as that the game can not be considered as a good alternative to the incumbents.
