It's way of implementing steering is awful until you "fix" it.
With that fresh in mind the successor should improve on these points, as in performance that is very true but the in-responsive/over-steering problem still exist.
I have to address the problem of this game since many seem to have problem with it, and so did I until i began messing with the settings.
____ _ Basic idea and the real problem of the game_ _____
This game is not directed toward racing arcades but more to the simulation genre, "EA" and "Slightly Mad studios" made a effort trying to improve the concept of racing from the first SHIFT game into a more direct competitor to Forza and Grand Turismo but with the arcade of GRID, it falls a little short as you really have trouble keeping the car on track, the problem is within the steering because it don't respond quickly enough and with the slightest error from the player it over-steer very hefty setting you of to a uncontrolled spin.
What makes the steering broken, and can you fix them?
Well it's hard to know exactly whats causing the problem but from toying around with the in-game settings it seems the helping assist's counter affect your control of the car rather than helping when you start loosing the grip, and the in-responsiveness together with driver aid does interfere with each other with catastrophic result.
So If you set aside driver aid settings you'll end up with a more controllable handling, and the in-responsive steering can be minimized in the customization of your car.
If you forget about the problem with the standard steering setting you'll learn this game have quite a few good things speaking for it.
____ ____ ____ The game ____ ____ _____
The game has many tracks and a load of different races on each one, the basic classes ranging from Class D all the way up to GT1, And there a large number of Drift event's/races to enter, The cars you can choose from may be a little thin but the best ones is still out for sale in the car lot.
Customization of the cars is most adaptable to fit the right class/specifications and the visual customization is good.
Just like the latest Forza/GT you can keep track of your friends achievements directly very accessible in the game. (either in the race-menu at the track or at the main menu.
The game is hard and the tougher AI's (compared to many other games) will keep you busy while you race, sometimes even the easier settings can be very challenging, I am a fan of racing games but some tracks are really difficult in the upper class cars with little marginal for error.
____ ____ Visual / performance / Sound ___ ____
On these point i would say the game lead the class, the visual is great, the tracks are very detailed and the cars are very accurate rendered, even the internals of the cars is very good.
The Performance is leaps better than the old Shift game but improvements to the visual have still been made, the game have a steady frame rate unlike the old one one's choppiness.
The games in-game settings range from low to quite demanding but for the visual it get's you it's not "that" demanding.
Sound, this is also a great aspect of the game forgotten by many, the music can be a little to repeating at times but overall the variety of music fit's my liking.
The cars sound good and accurate and will change with the type of mod's you've made to the engine, quite convincing to be frank about it.
_-_-_-_-_- __ -- Conclution -- __ -_-_-_-_-_
This should really have been made the best in the series but the steering problem is to severe, and even tho the AI is aggressive they choose to hold their line while your trying to overtake them, the result of that is they press you outside the track if you get in their way, Forza 3 is a good example and have addressed these types of problem very nicely, they have a learning curve of the AI wheres the SHIFT 2's AI seems to only want to outrun you no matter the cost.
(they rather take you with them when they crash than braking and end up behind you.)
The game is enjoyable and great in many aspects, the visual and sound and the tracks/races are great but the AI and the steering problem lower the score to a 7.5
EA/Slightly Mad studios have made some faults on what could have been a best in class game.