Shift 2 Unleashed

Shift 2: Unleashed may not be the Forza or Gran Turismo competitor everybody was hoping it to be, but it is a damn good game, with a lot of really enjoyable moments.

68%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

optimization, stability

60% User Score Based on 1,996 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Shift 2 Unleashed is a multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Slightly Mad Studios and was released on March 29, 2011. It received positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

"Shift 2 Unleashed" is a racing simulator that emphasizes realism and immersion. Experience an authentic racing experience with advanced car physics, night racing, and real-world tracks. The game also includes a unique view system that shifts between interior and exterior perspectives, providing a distinct sense of speed and intensity.

Genres & Tags

Racing

Play Modes

+12

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,996 reviews

graphics140 positive mentions

optimization12 negative mentions

Shift 2 Unleashed offers a great variety of cars and tracks, with stunning graphics that hold up well even years after its release.
The game provides an immersive racing experience, especially with the helmet cam that enhances the feeling of speed and realism.
Many players appreciate the depth of car customization and tuning options, allowing for a personalized racing experience.

The game suffers from significant input lag and unresponsive controls, making it difficult to drive accurately, especially with a keyboard.
Frequent crashes and stability issues plague the game, particularly during races, leading to frustration among players.
The AI is often aggressive and poorly programmed, resulting in collisions that can unfairly impact the player's race performance.

graphics
310 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
49%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players noting that they hold up well for a title released in 2011, showcasing beautiful car models and detailed environments. However, some users mention that the graphics have aged and exhibit issues such as low frame rates and glitches, particularly on modern hardware. Overall, while the visuals are praised for their quality and realism, there are calls for improvements and optimizations to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The visuals are stunning.”
- “Fantastic graphics and detail on even the smallest design flourishes of the automobile are flanked by locations rendered in breathtaking accuracy.”
- “Graphically stunning, it's hard to believe this game was made in 2011; it feels new.”
- “I played the tutorial, the graphics are worse than Shift 1, the narrator isn't as good, the driving physics are worse, everything is worse.”
- “Unplayable with a wheel, with a controller it's ok but imprecise, AI drives like dumbos crashing at every opportunity, the tracks are 67% like their real counterparts, graphics did not age well, and the car classes are unbalanced.”
- “NFS Shift 2 has the most god awful glitches in regards to graphics and cranking them up.”
gameplay
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
67%
13%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it offers a decent racing experience, it is marred by poor driving mechanics, frustrating cutscenes, and frequent crashes. Some appreciate the sim-cade elements and immersive aspects, but others criticize the controls and customization options as overly complicated and unoptimized. Overall, the game struggles to balance realism and arcade fun, leaving players divided on its execution.
- “Exciting and realistic gameplay compared to other NFS games, worth it for those who want to try sim racing without being too serious about the physics.”
- “The gameplay is immensely intense; you know if you hit the driver in front or brake slightly too late it could all be over in a savage first-person crash.”
- “The graphics are sharp and the gameplay is awesome; this is one of the best Need for Speed games ever.”
- “The announcer's irritable voice was off-putting and out of place in this title, which affected gameplay in an obviously bad way.”
- “Worst driving mechanics in any racing game.”
- “The game crashing after 2 hours of gameplay alone should convince you enough to not spend your money on this terrible game.”
optimization
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
74%
14%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting severe performance issues, particularly on the Steam version, which suffers from stuttering and frame drops on certain tracks. While some players experienced better performance on the Origin version, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it difficult to control high-performance cars and leading to frequent crashes on high graphics settings. Despite the potential for customization and a good selection of cars, the optimization problems detract from the overall experience.
- “Right from the start, the difference in performance was huge - I got 88 fps without any drops where I had 35-40 fps in the Steam version.”
- “One of the biggest improvements individuals will notice after playing the first one is the way you upgrade the performance of the vehicles.”
- “With the addition of a horde of new cars, quantity of cars and classes, and the performance index system, there is now a whole new level of strategy in picking and choosing the best cars and parts to suit your gameplay, while still staying in the performance index rating.”
- “Probably the buggiest, least optimized game in the entire series since Undercover.”
- “The first is performance issues: this game struggles to run at decent frame rates, and busy parts of tracks have noticeable dips in frame rate.”
- “The keyboard keys are bound to impossible keys, in-game mechanics aren't optimized for PC, and the AI is poorly done, not to mention the fact that the game crashes often on high graphics.”
music
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
40%
17%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as a masterpiece featuring well-known artists and a haunting atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive or lacking during gameplay. Many players appreciate the cinematic remixes and menu music, but some report issues with only hearing a single track on repeat. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for its quality, though its implementation in-game can be inconsistent.
- “The music is gorgeous.”
- “The music is beautiful, the cars incredible and the experience is surreal.”
- “This is really great racing game overall it’s fun, very challenging to put some excitement into the game, great selection of cars & tracks, awesome customizations and even one of the best soundtrack lists to listen to while playing the game.”
- “I'll start by saying that the game feels overall empty: nearly never music (I could live with that), poor amount of cars (I could forgive that), but a very horrible driving sensation.”
- “My reasons for not giving it a higher score is that it has a very lacking soundtrack (only one menu track on infinite loop), the career mode is really bad in terms of layout for example seasons/circuits don't have a points/position system, as long as you place 3rd you're good, so there is no overall winner in a class/series, and certain handling elements that bog you down when it shouldn't.”
- “Music mostly is horrible, repetitive and boring (depressive?) but the sound effects and car sounds are realistic and great.”
stability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various graphical glitches across multiple platforms. Many players have experienced significant performance issues, requiring extensive troubleshooting and repairs to maintain playability. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "poorly made," detracting from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
- “Constantly freezes, horrible performance overall.”
- “Crashes, low FPS issues, and freezes are common.”
- “After all this time, I've given up. Between the graphic glitches, bad animation like shifting a manual with a teleporting arm that resets every shift, to having to repair the game every month to even keep it stable...”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
77%
13%
The game's story has received mixed reviews; some players appreciate its variety and find it engaging, while others criticize it for being minimal and repetitive, lacking a coherent narrative or satisfying conclusion. Many users noted that the cutscenes are poorly executed and do not enhance the overall experience, leading to frustration with the campaign's structure and technical issues. Overall, the story aspect seems to be a significant step back from previous entries in the series.
- “There is a good variety in cars, the story is great and it's simply amazing.”
- “This game almost has Forza 5 graphics but it has night racing customization options and somewhat of a storyline.”
- “Decent story, but for me the game glitched and I missed all of B and C.”
- “First of all, Shift 1 barely had a story, but this game has even less. You just climb up the ranks playing meaningless repetitive races, and believe me, these races are much more repetitive than the first game was.”
- “The races and god-awful cutscenes that replace the story are a step back. The UI and the way you choose tracks and cars is also a step back, and that's saying something because while effective, Shift 1's UI was terribly unattractive.”
- “Also, this game doesn't even have an ending. You unlock the last of the races, the drivers say something in their terrible cutscenes that I couldn't hear, not even about the story, but about the races we unlocked, which by the way, the final races are just drag races.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time to progress. While the tuning and test driving can become tedious, many still enjoy the game once they have optimized their vehicles. The navigation menus are also criticized for being nonsensical, adding to the overall frustration of the grinding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “As a result, the menu navigations are nonsensical and tedious.”
- “Although the constant tuning and test driving gets annoying and tedious over time, the game is still quite enjoyable once you have everything tuned up.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by unexpected moments, such as a message prompting players to plug in a controller while attempting to use a steering wheel, which many found amusing given the game's realistic branding. Players also noted that the quirky controls and physics, reminiscent of past titles like NFS Shift, contribute to a comedic experience, making the game both frustrating and entertaining. Overall, the humor seems to stem from the game's inconsistencies and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics.
- “For a game that is labeled as a realistic game, I was both shocked and dead laughing when a message asking me to plug a controller popped up while I was trying to play the drift mode with my steering wheel.”
- “Controls and physics are just as funny as in NFS Shift - a lot of skidding and steering delays.”
- “I hope the $3.99 I paid during the sale was worth laughing to the bank over.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, the game's replayability is highly regarded, especially for achievement hunters, with many players noting that it remains engaging over time. However, some users express frustration with unskippable tutorials that diminish replay value, while others highlight the positive impact of mods and features like the autolog system on enhancing replayability.
- “If, like me, you're obsessed with getting all achievements, this game retains a lot of replayability after the years.”
- “Even better than the first, with tons of replayability.”
- “The autolog feature lends a great deal of replayability to the game.”
- “Unskippable tutorials, millions of them (no replay value). Reinstall = tutorials again.”
- “Don't play without the ptmu mod; it makes the game 100% more playable.”
- “Replayability: if, like me, you're obsessed with getting all achievements, this game retains a lot of replayability after the years.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration and a sense of vulnerability in the game, feeling overwhelmed by the AI's resilience while their own minor mistakes lead to significant setbacks. This emotional response highlights the game's challenging mechanics, which can evoke feelings of inadequacy even among experienced players.
- “And now he is extra emotional.”
- “I'm not a newbie to racing games, but this game made me feel like a novice!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its uniqueness in the racing genre, complemented by an amazing soundtrack and enjoyable career mode. Reviewers highlight the game's legendary status and commend its engaging physics model, contributing to an immersive experience.
- “Great atmosphere, amazing soundtrack, enjoyable career mode, nice physics model.”
- “Legendary, atmosphere is unique for a racing game.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as feeling rushed and poorly executed, with some reviewers suggesting it appears to be a cash grab rather than a thoughtfully developed sequel.
- “Just seems a bit sloppy and half-baked... like they just want to knock out a quick sequel for a cash grab.”

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83%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

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9h Median play time

9h Average play time

20h Main story

50h Completionist

2-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Shift 2 Unleashed is a racing game.

Shift 2 Unleashed is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 20 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 50 hours to finish. On average players spend around 9 hours playing Shift 2 Unleashed.

Shift 2 Unleashed was released on March 29, 2011.

Shift 2 Unleashed was developed by Slightly Mad Studios.

Shift 2 Unleashed has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its optimization.

Shift 2 Unleashed is a multiplayer game with local co-op support.

Similar games include Need for Speed: Shift, Grid 2, Need For Speed Hot Pursuit, GRID Autosport, Ride 2 and others.

Shift 2 Unleashed

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