Presentation
Under the hood
There is a garage full of new features in SHIFT 2 Unleashed on PlayStation 3. One of the most intriguing of these, and a real treat for racing fans, is the addition of Helmet Cam. Helmet Cam allows you to see through the driver's eyes like never before. As you approach each corner, the driver's head will turn, lean and even focus on it.
Another new gameplay feature is the inclusion of night driving, a first for the SHIFT series on PlayStation 3. In this mode you're going to need your wits about you because all you have are your lights to guide you around the course.
If you're having trouble with a track in SHIFT 2 Unleashed, be sure to turn on the Best Line mode in the options menu, which can be accessed by pressing the START button on your wireless controller. This mode tracks your speed via a green line on the track and warns you when you need to ease off the throttle or brake. Once you've mastered a course, you can then switch off Best Line mode and see how you manage without any racing aids.
Gameplay
Feel the need for speed
SHIFT 2 Unleashed on PlayStation 3 features a huge roster of racing modes for you to get to grips with once you have purchased your first car from the in-game garage. First up is Drift mode, where you are scored by how fast and controlled your drifting is on a track.
Driver Duel mode pits you against a ranked driver in a best-of-three battle, whilst Endurance mode requires you to make it through 60 minute races that test your driving skills and stamina. Other modes in SHIFT 2 Unleashed include Time Attack where the goal is to beat a lap record, and Race mode, where the rule is simple - cross the line first.
The remaining modes are Hot Lap, Series and Eliminator. In Hot Lap you are given three target times to beat and only a few laps to do it in. Series mode sees you take on multiple races across various tracks. To win, you need to end the Series event with the most points.
Eliminator requires you to stay ahead of the pack in a frantic battle on the track. If you trail in last place at the end of a lap, you're knocked out. Each of the events in SHIFT 2 Unleashed feature numerous variations including starting position, number of drivers and even the choice of cars available to you.
Multiplayer
Real racing online
SHIFT 2 Unleashed on PlayStation 3 allows you to race against up to 11 other players via PlayStation Network in a series of online multiplayer modes. The types of race that you can take part in include Ranked and Unranked.
Any experience points you gain in Ranked mode will be permanently added to your online profile, whereas in Unranked, you race against other opponents just for fun. SHIFT 2 Unleashed also incorporates Autolog, a unique gameplay feature that recommends events and locations for you to race in. It also serves as a means to track any of your PlayStation Network friends' progress and update you on any SHIFT 2 Unleashed news.
With Autolog you can check out your friends' progress in the campaign mode, any trophies they have earned and even take a peek at in-game photos they have taken during races. It's a great way to see how both you and your friends are doing, and where you stand on your Friends League leaderboard.
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