A couple of weeks ago we wrote a little preview post on EA’s upcoming successor to their hit Need for Speed racing franchise: Need for Speed Shift. Over the past couple weeks,  we got a chance to review the game, and as far as adding this racing game to your holiday wish list, we gotta say– one of the best racing games we’ve ever played. It really is a great racing game. Read on for a full review.

Graphics

This is where Need for Speed really shines. The graphics– on everything from the sick cars (we’re talking BMW’s, Ashton Martin’s, Lamborghini’s etc.) to the actually driving and looks of the tracks and other cars as you drive– is absolutely amazing. It really looks that great and is one of the best features of the game.

Gameplay

This is another fantastic part of the game. Using a racing wheel –not required (regular Xbox 360 controller works too, though not as well in my opinion) but I highly recommend for better control and overall experience–really replicates the true driver feel, the new cockpit view is fantastic (as are the other views too), and the new “Dynamic Crash” system was also put to good use here. Overall, a great racing experience.

Furthermore there’s the new Driver Profile. Kinda like Madden IQ in my opinion, giving you tougher races as you progress through the game, it really was well done and a fun incentive to play: the better, more aggressive/precise  your driving (such as bumping other riders by forcing them out of your way, staying along the green line in front of you and making smooth turns), the more points you get and the faster you increase your Driver Level.

There also is a Career mode, which I found to be just OK. It definitely was fun, but it left a lot to be desired such as more control on the driver, being able to do more things like control sponsorships etc. Overall though, the Career Mode was pretty solid, allowing you to build a nice amount of tricked-out cars to race.

Now here is my biggest gripe with Need for Speed– the load times. This was just annoying. 2 (very long feeling) minutes every time for a race to load is way to much in my opinion, and really hurt the experience. The game still played well once loaded, but still, the wait times are too much.

Wrap-Up

In the end, this is still a great racing game, and one of the best racing games we’ve ever played. From a strict racing point of view, it provides a great experience that with a racing wheel, really gives off a driving in the car experience. Whether you’re a big racing junkie or just someone look for a cool, fun game to play this holiday season, we really recommend Need for Speed Shift.

If it weren’t for the long wait times, and other minor issues like a simple career mode, we would give Need for Speed Shift a perfect 5 out of 5. But even taking those into account, we still really love EA’s next version of this hit series, are going to give it a Very Good 4 out of 5 rating.

We give Need for Speed Shift a very good 4 out of 5 rating.

So there’s our review and we wanna know your thoughts. If you have this game, you like it? Also, what kinda of games are looking to get this holiday season, be it racing or another type? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Need for Speed Shift is out now for the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and PSP and you can order it now from EA’s site here.