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User Rating: 8 | Shift 2: Unleashed X360
The Need for Speed series has seen more spinoffs than the television sitcom Happy Days this console generation, with each offshoot varying in success. Electronic Arts seems to have refocused the venerable racing series into two quite different, but ultimately adrenaline-inducing racing experiences with the arcadey, cops versus criminals Hot Pursuit, and the more realistic, circuit racer Shift. Released only months after the excellent Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, the later offshoot has received a much-improved sequel with Shift 2: Unleashed.
Shift 2 retains the action-packed racing formula that defines the Need for Speed series, with major overhauls to handling and physics, making it a more realistic racer with an exaggerated edge. The combination proves exhilarating, providing near-death experiences and subtle strategies not seen in other racing franchises. With over 130 licensed cars, including nitro-boosted behemoths like the Pagani Huayra, Shift 2 offers a variety of vehicle types with nearly limitless customization options in the form of interchangeable wheels, rims, engines, and decals.
