VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca
The benchmark of any good racing game is how faithfully it reproduces some of our most favorite race tracks. And if that's the gold standard, then Need for Speed SHIFT is shaping up to be a great one. If you'll follow us after the jump, you can enjoy three new videos outlining EA's take on three of America's best circuits: Laguna Seca, Willow Springs and Road America – complete with run-downs of each track's histories and intricacies. The game launches in North America on September 15, but you can check out the videos now.
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
cool_ozzyfromkalush 12:38PM (9/03/2009)
If I'm honest this is my most anticipated racegame, probably ever...(only this one come to PC).
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PJ 2:48PM (9/03/2009)
I hope my suspicions are wrong, too. Road America and Laguna Seca look well-modeled in the videos, and there weren't any blindingly obvious flaws with the driving (what you could see of it). But Willow Springs looks awfully cartoony compared to the real thing and the voice-over stinks of EA cheese.
The parade of "tuner" Veyrons and Reventons suggest they're still targeting the arcade demographic instead of the simmers, too.
cool_ozzyfromkalush 4:12PM (9/03/2009)
To be honest, I don't care much about graphics and the voice overs... All I want is for it to be a proper sim, with proper handling cars and appropriate car models... I want the GTR to be the G-Machine that it is, and Veyron to be faster than light... but looking back at the NFS franchise, I shouldn't set my hopes high.
Rhawb 12:40PM (9/03/2009)
Cool videos, but where's the demo?
I'm really curious if this is a PC-grade racing sim, as the pedigree of the developers leads me to believe, or if this is a "racing limbo" GRID clone that uses some odd compromise between arcade and sim physics to try and appeal to everyone. There's a lot of potential behind this game, hopefully they don't squander all of it away like they did with ProStreet.
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sparrk 12:43PM (9/03/2009)
knowing EA , this will be something for the kids , not a simulator. i hope i'm wrong.
Rhawb 12:50PM (9/03/2009)
@Sparrk - Yeah, ProStreet left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I don't trust this game for a second. PS had everything going for it, and it looked pretty awesome in the preview videos - then the demo came out and it was shockingly dull and awful with wonky physics to boot. This is definitely a title I'm going to have to try before I buy.
Mullwell 12:48PM (9/03/2009)
EA is making this one as a sim, but I really hope there is a demo before release. It's currently on my list of games to get but the NFS franchise has sucked (in my opinion) since Porsche Unleashed so I'm a bit worried..
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Haon 1:41PM (9/03/2009)
PU for life.
sparrk 2:14PM (9/03/2009)
GTR2 is the best sim around , the team that made GTR2 will make this new NFS , but i have doubts EA will let them go for the full simulation effect, the game will be too difficult for children , will require a serious steering wheel and it won't sell many copies.
91fairladyz 2:46PM (9/03/2009)
Porche Unleashed was freaking great. They should have done a folow up with a different brand(Ferari) soon afterwards.
ack154 12:50PM (9/03/2009)
Just preordered this on Amazon... and will apparently get another $10 credit after its release. Then can use that $10 for GT5!
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Salman Anjum 12:57PM (9/03/2009)
theyre racing reventons and veyrons, either their crazy or are loaded with virtual money
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IK 11:06PM (9/03/2009)
apparently, you don't know any bankers
B. A. I. L. O. U. T. S. T. A.T. U. S
PauloBecker 1:10PM (9/03/2009)
I want to know about the new online NFS. I could really do with a new Motor City if it's done right.
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Freestyle6383 1:36PM (9/03/2009)
I have actually played this, its actually a good realistic racing game, not quite forza but it comes fairly close.
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sparrk 2:16PM (9/03/2009)
oh , it sucks then , i was hoping for GTR2 realism.
equinoxiq 1:36PM (9/03/2009)
why would anybody care about any of these "realistic" racers when there is a far superior product in iRacing
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Rhawb 2:38PM (9/03/2009)
Not everyone has a gaming quality computer, while others simply don't want to deal with the headaches of PC gaming, and still others would rather not pay a monthly fee for their games. Someone needs to release a truly incredible sim on a console for gamers aren't so keen on PC gaming. Race Pro comes close, but it's not quite up to the quality of the GTR series on the PC.
Phil 4:32PM (9/03/2009)
As brilliant as iRacing is, There's not enough content that I'm interested in to justify paying the subscription AND the cost of all cars/tracks...
PJ 2:51PM (9/04/2009)
Depends on what your definition of "realism" is. I'm very picky about vehicle physics--which is why I prefer the GT franchise to Forza--but a sim should also be a museum of real cars, and iRacing simply doesn't have enough of them, let alone ones that actually exist, to qualify. It's a question of priorities, though.