NFS: SHiFT Demo up on Xbox Live

[viivo]

For those like me who were waiting for the demo before dropping the cash for this game, now's your chance to try it out.

To download it, you have to go to all games > N > Need for Speed- Shift > "Get Demo" since it's not up on lives New Releases yet.

Edit: I'm glad I didn't buy it now.

Oh man, if only they could integrate Shift's interiors and sense of speed with Forza 3's graphics and physics. A man can dream. Oh yes, a man can dream...

 

[Kabob]

I'll not buy it but I do want to try the demo.

Although I'll debate you on one part, NFS:Shift has better interiors AND graphics (at least to me), combine that with Forza 3's physics and gameplay and you'd have a winner.

 

[Queasy]

Need for Speed: Shift Demo
Size: 839 MB
Description: Need for Speed Shift is an amazingly realistic and visceral racing game that gives you the true driver?s experience delivering real-world physics in authentically recreated race cars on a wide range of challenging race tracks. Players are thrust into the loud, visceral, intense, athletic experience of racing a car on the edge of control from the driver?s perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the brutal experience of a first person 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.

Queue it up

 

[viivo]

Originally posted by: kabob983
I'll not buy it but I do want to try the demo.

Although I'll debate you on one part, NFS:Shift has better interiors AND graphics (at least to me), combine that with Forza 3's physics and gameplay and you'd have a winner.

I like Shift's interiors, but the graphics aren't that great, at least to me. The cars look so dull and blocky, and the car textures look really low res. I only played the first track so I don't know about the others, but I like Forza 3's demo track more.

 

[Imported]

Its $40 right now at Best Buy.. Just a heads up!

 

[Kabob]

Originally posted by: Imported
Its $40 right now at Best Buy.. Just a heads up!

Yeah, posted that on the Hot Deals forum earlier. If the demo is good enough I'd consider picking it up.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'd say it's worth it for $40 if you like driving games and want to try something a bit different. Kinda mad at myself for buying it from NewEgg for $54, though I really only spent about $11 extra since BB would have charged sales tax.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Although I'll debate you on one part, NFS:Shift has better interiors AND graphics

Maybe Forza2, but not Forza3- I don't think it's really close either(the graphics that is, never cared for interior cam).

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Originally posted by: BenSkywalker

Although I'll debate you on one part, NFS:Shift has better interiors AND graphics

Maybe Forza2, but not Forza3- I don't think it's really close either(the graphics that is, never cared for interior cam).

It does. The Forza 3 interiors are low res. They don't look very good.

 

[Kabob]

OK, I gave the Shift demo a whirl this weekend...

Honestly I can not understand the hype, I was horribly dissappointed. The game feels extremely slow. I don't remember who it was (maybe it wasn't on this forum) but people kept saying that Forza 3 lacked the "sense of speed that Shift had" or whatever. Between the overall slow feel and the horribly choppy graphics (Spa was downright laggy, running at maybe 10 fps?) I can't even begin to understand the raves about this game. Definitely skipping out on this one.

While Forza 3 lacks high res interiors and shift animations the total package is light years ahead of Shift. It actually feels like I'm driving a fast race car rather than a lazy/choppy drive around the city, maybe something that running at 60fps helps with.

 

[R Nilla]

Originally posted by: kabob983
OK, I gave the Shift demo a whirl this weekend...

Honestly I can not understand the hype, I was horribly dissappointed. The game feels extremely slow. I don't remember who it was (maybe it wasn't on this forum) but people kept saying that Forza 3 lacked the "sense of speed that Shift had" or whatever.

Overall I didn't really enjoy the Shift demo either, but I thought the cockpit view was interesting. I think this is what captures that sense of speed, although it's mostly a trick with all of the "head" movement and blur effects. If you take the game out of cockpit view it is a lot less impressive.

I think I actually enjoyed the Dirt 2 demo more than either Shift or Forza 3.

 

[Imported]

Originally posted by: kabob983
OK, I gave the Shift demo a whirl this weekend...

Honestly I can not understand the hype, I was horribly dissappointed. The game feels extremely slow. I don't remember who it was (maybe it wasn't on this forum) but people kept saying that Forza 3 lacked the "sense of speed that Shift had" or whatever. Between the overall slow feel and the horribly choppy graphics (Spa was downright laggy, running at maybe 10 fps?) I can't even begin to understand the raves about this game. Definitely skipping out on this one.

While Forza 3 lacks high res interiors and shift animations the total package is light years ahead of Shift. It actually feels like I'm driving a fast race car rather than a lazy/choppy drive around the city, maybe something that running at 60fps helps with.

I have to say the opposite. I tried the Forza3 demo and I really noticed the lack of a sense of speed in Forza3. Forza3 just felt more dead in my opinion. The graphics (besides the in-car view) and presentation of Forza3 are much better than Shift though. I'll give a nod to Forza3 on the physics too.

That said, I'm still debating whether to get Forza3 at all due to the fact that there's no decent wheel options unless I plan to plunk down another $300+ on a Fanatec wheel that may or may not have QC issues. Not sure if I can play Forza3 with a controller when I have Shift and GT5P with wheel (G27 comes Thursday to replace my DFGT) in the same room.

 

[brblx]

played the demo yesterday.

this game is terrible. it feels like they just took regular NFS, made the cars completely unreponsive, and called it 'sim physics.' playing with all the aids off, nothing is realistic, with the worst part being the steering that has a dead zone that encompasses most of the analog stick. it feels worse than playing a racing game with a d-pad or arrow keys.

 

[BenSkywalker]

with the worst part being the steering that has a dead zone that encompasses most of the analog stick

I don't know if the demo has the options, but in the retail release you can fully adjust the steering sensitivity and dead zone of the controller in the options menu. Not saying this game doesn't have a lot of issues, but that one is very easily fixed(although it should have been done better by default, much like half the cars in the game aren't useable until you tune them properly).

 

[Malak]

Maybe it's just the demo, but the retail game is great. I've played Forza and Gran Turismo, and I enjoy Shift. It's the best NFS I've ever played to be honest. The driving is excellent, the cockpit view is excellent, the tracks are excellent. There are some things I like more about NFS than I did in Forza, that's for sure. It might have fewer cars and fewer races, but it's definitely a solid game. Plus it rewards aggression while the other games only reward good skill, which to me is a great gameplay addition. I still get a lot more points for precision, but I like flipping cars.

 

[Hadsus]

I also enjoy Shift. Played quite a bit of the demo and the Forza demo on the 360 and decided Shift was better suited for me as it is more forgiving. Enjoying it a great deal so far.

 

[StageLeft]

Is it possible to turn those stupid apex lines off telling you how to take a turn? I could not find that in the demo how to turn them off.

Anyway, the game was blah. the same as the original nfs with better graphics and worse crashes (but then the original had the best crashes ever). I also found forza 3 epic sleep fest. I think i just hate driving games now because the only thing that seems to change with them is graphics. They used to be my favorite genre but I cannot really tolerate them now. I get bored even before a demo is done. In the case of shift I'm not sure I even finished a race and with forza I didn't finish one and instead turned around to run into the other cars in head on collisions.

Oh yeah and is it really true you can't even upgrade the cars? Hell, at least a game can do that (like forza), or even NFS porsche unleashed had that (great game). This is just another in a long line of generic arcade racers with the NFS badge slapped on it, that badge whored out countless times now.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Is it possible to turn those stupid apex lines off telling you how to take a turn? I could not find that in the demo how to turn them off.

Yes, you can turn them off in the full game. Not sure how in the demo.

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Anyway, the game was blah. the same as the original nfs with better graphics and worse crashes (but then the original had the best crashes ever). I also found forza 3 epic sleep fest. I think i just hate driving games now because the only thing that seems to change with them is graphics. They used to be my favorite genre but I cannot really tolerate them now. I get bored even before a demo is done. In the case of shift I'm not sure I even finished a race and with forza I didn't finish one and instead turned around to run into the other cars in head on collisions.

Sounds like sim racing isn't your thing. Maybe you should look at the Burnout or Midnight Club series? Some good arcade racing there.

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Oh yeah and is it really true you can't even upgrade the cars? Hell, at least a game can do that (like forza), or even NFS porsche unleashed had that (great game). This is just another in a long line of generic arcade racers with the NFS badge slapped on it, that badge whored out countless times now.

Where did you hear that? It's totally wrong. You can upgrade the cars a lot in Shift. You can change out the wheels, change the interior and exterior appearance, add performance mods, get body kits, and even upgrade some of the cars into "Works" models (full-on racing configuration).

 

[StageLeft]

Sounds like sim racing isn't your thing. Maybe you should look at the Burnout or Midnight Club series? Some good arcade racing there.

Actually those games are worse because they use creative freedoms but stuck within the paradigm of driving. I truly abhor them.

Where did you hear that? It's totally wrong. You can upgrade the cars a lot in Shift. You can change out the wheels, change the interior and exterior appearance, add performance mods, get body kits, and even upgrade some of the cars into "Works" models (full-on racing configuration).

the demo I didn't know cars could be upgraded.

i really do like or liked sim games, i spent a long time on gt3 for the ps2. It just seems they make so little in the way of strides from year to year besides graphics.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Where did you hear that? It's totally wrong. You can upgrade the cars a lot in Shift.

Some of the cars, not all of them. None of the Tier4 cars I own can be upgraded at all

 

[Malak]

There's a reason they are Tier4. They don't need upgrades.

 

[drbrock]

I thought the demo was great. The first racing sim that was fun and felt realistc. I have Gran Turismo and I got bored quick with it. NFS sends that adrenaline rush. I drove the Tier 4 viper and had a grin on my face after my first race with it. Felt like I was driving the car in cock pit view.
When I switched out of cockpit view the game got boring I admit. There is something about when your hitting high speeds the interior gets blurry and looks realistic.
I am normally a viper fan but if the GTR drives like it does in NFS in real life, I might change my fandom.

 

[BenSkywalker]

There's a reason they are Tier4. They don't need upgrades.

Outisde of the ZondaR, my Z06 stomps all over the Tier4 cars. They aren't really very competitive with the best works cars. The ZondaR can hold its' own, but the ability to mod some of the Tier4 cars might make it worth while to own something like a McLaren or Veyron.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: BenSkywalker

There's a reason they are Tier4. They don't need upgrades.

Outisde of the ZondaR, my Z06 stomps all over the Tier4 cars. They aren't really very competitive with the best works cars. The ZondaR can hold its' own, but the ability to mod some of the Tier4 cars might make it worth while to own something like a McLaren or Veyron.

Yeah. I actually really like the Tier 4 Lexus, but it's the weakest Tier 4 car and really closer to a non-Works upgraded Tier 3. Of course, with so few tiers, there will always be cars that are under- or overrated compared with others in the same tier.