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" Also available on: Xbox 360, PC Developer: Slightly Mad Studios Publisher: Electronic Arts Genre: Driving &amp;#039;Unleashed&amp;#039; is a pretty good subtitle for Shift 2, because this is a game that doffs its cap firmly towards the more aggressive drivers. AI-controlled competitors in Slightly Mad Studios&amp;#039; sequel are programmed to show absolutely no mercy, as races turn into multi-million pound demolition derbies in some of the world&amp;#039;s most glamorous locations. Shift 2: Unleashed, the 17th title in the ubiquitous Need For Speed series, unfortunately falls into the familiar trap of delivering an experience that is realistic in some aspects, but also lacks the sophistication of a genuine driving simulator. There is a danger, therefore, that the game could please neither hardcore nor casual audiences, but there is actually a lot to love here for everyone. The underlying racing mechanics have been refined and there are some great new features, such as the helmet cam giving a revolutionary first-person view. For fans of chaotic and brutal racing, Shift 2 still packs enough punch to be worth a spin. Races in Shift 2 are certainly unleashed, as it&amp;#039;s a pretty regular occurrence to be brutally broadsided on corners by other drivers, particularly after the starting lights go out, when they all pile in like dodgems at the end of the pier. At the end of races, it&amp;#039;s not unusual for your car to look like it&amp;#039;s been driven through a student protest in central London, but at least the damage effects and crashes are well recreated. Also, the AI drivers are equally aggressive with each other and so there are often times when a massive pile up can provide a tasty opportunity to jump up the track placings. However, such jostling for position can become even more terrifying during the all-new night races, as instantaneous destruction always lurks in the shadows. The game&amp;#039;s single-player features a career mode, starting out in grass roots racing in hot hatchbacks, before earning enough experience and cash to unlock better cars and tougher races to move up the prestige ladder. The main aim of the game is to reach the premium events, the official FIA GT3 and GT1 Championships. Earning new cars in Shift 2 unlocks additional new races, each with different features and requirements, meaning there is plenty to keep players gripped throughout the career. It&amp;#039;s pretty easy to move up the rankings, opening up those lovely supercars to take for a spin. Overall, the career does a really good job of constantly introducing new elements to ensure that things stay varied and fun. A great initiative is also being able to earn experience and cash both offline and online to create a seamless blend between the modes. Shift 2 features the usual range of options for improving and enhancing cars to gain an advantage on the track. Everything from engines, chassis and exhausts can be tweaked in the game&amp;#039;s garage section. Where the game really excels is in enabling players to take pretty ordinary road cars and transform them into lightweight, race-ready powerhouses. The customisation system possibly lacks the breadth of the Forza Motorsport series, but there are enough options to ensure players remain hungry to unlock more items. One slight problem, though, is that the upgrades are not always explained very well, and so players unused to the mechanics of race cars may be left wondering what benefit they are getting for their investment. Visual and aural presentation in Shift 2 has thankfully been improved, with the range of cars and tracks packing a pleasing sense of polish. The game does not quite reach Forza or Gran Turismo standards, but it&amp;#039;s certainly a pretty good looking package. The real-time damage to cars is a particular standout, really giving the feeling that you have been in a battle. The helmet cam is a great new feature, providing a genuinely different experience in the racing genre. The first-person perspective puts you right in the driving seat, having just the driver&amp;#039;s wits and nerves to take on the track. However, the rather awkward and goofy &amp;#039;experts&amp;#039; introducing races and tutorial sections are an unwelcome feature, generally delivering annoyance far more often than information. Another problem with Shift 2 is that its handling is often twitchy and unpredictable, especially when turning off the driver aids. Switching off the assists makes the cars really tough to keep on the track and away from the barriers, meaning races can become a frustrating slide all over the course. That said, the game is also not a true racing simulator as the handling appears more set up for exaggerated, arcade racing. The cars tend to understeer into fast corners and oversteer when navigating slow ones, which will provide a frustratingly unpredictable experience for the more controlled and experienced players. This issue is compounded by the aggressive behaviour of rival drivers that often leaves you staring at a barrier and wondering how to exchange insurance details with a burnt out wreck. Racing against friends online brings a different aspect to proceedings, although not necessarily a less aggressive one. There are a range of different race modes to try out, each supporting up to 12 players. An interesting new competitive mode is &amp;#039;Catchup&amp;#039;, which involves one player being given a head start in a slow car while the other players try to chase them down in supercars. Whoever catches the driver is then made the slow car driver in the next round. Shift 2 also has the AutoLog feature first introduced in last year&amp;#039;s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, which tracks your friends&amp;#039; times and alerts you when one of your own times has been beaten. The feature injects real time competition into the racing and it&amp;#039;s a testament to Shift 2 that the game always makes pushing yourself for a better time a fun and addictive experience.  Overall, Shift 2: Unleashed delivers a heart-pounding and brutal racing experience that will be just the tonic for some players. The game&amp;#039;s visual and aural presentation is strong, and it also improves on many of the mistakes of its predecessor. However, the vehicle handling is still too skittish and unpredictable, while the game falls between being an arcade racer and a pure driving simulator. So, Shift 2 doesn&amp;#039;t quite have enough in the locker to beat the dominant Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo franchises, but there is still a lot to love here. The helmet cam is a genuine innovation in the racing genre and the online play offers enough to keep people coming back for more. Anyone looking for a bit more bump and grind in their racing games would be well advised to give Shift 2 a bash.  &amp;gt; What do you think of the game? Share your views "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/review/a312762/shift-2-unleashed-ps3/>