Have a need for speed? Shift 2 may fit the bill

April 4th, 2011

The last 12 months have been kind to PC racing game fans. And if collective review scores for the newly released Shift 2 Unleashed are any indication, the forward momentum has continued into 2011:

• Video Gamer (90%) - Shift 2 is technically very impressive, but like Hot Pursuit, it's the social features surrounding the game that define it as an experience. If you're a serious fan of the genre, know that Shift 2 does several things better than anything else on the market right now, which makes it an essential purchase.
• IGN (85%) - A violent and immersive racer that recreates the driving experience like no other game on the market. In doing so it builds well on the first Shift's foundations, benefitting from Slightly Mad Studios' more refined touch and the inclusion of Autolog, but its handling is still too loose and its steps forward too small for it to truly beat Gran Turismo and Forza – although it does enough to ensure that it's pulled ever closer.
• PC Gamer (81%) - Shift 2's sheer weight of stuff – from mud-ring circuits in a VW Golf to Bugatti duels at the Nurburgring – gives it a deep bag of appeal. There's an array of fiddly details for car geeks to poke at, and a range of control-difficulty settings that allow you to tailor races to your ability. The only downside to such a complete package is that it demands so many hours of acclimatisation before the cars start to make sense.

Shift 2 Unleashed is rated Everyone 10+ and retails for $50. 

Anyone in the room play racing games? I've always found them to be a nice change of pace when compared to more popular genres. Anyone else?