Last year Electronic Arts took Need for Speed back to its roots with success. Criterion Games, the developer behind Burnout, reinvigorated the series, but the game also had an interesting trailer attached. EA used that game to announce the release of Shift 2. Coming only months after the last Need for Speed game, many would see it as too soon. But more of a worry for EA is that of the gargantuan Gran Turismo 5. So, should you check out Shift 2? Well, yes and no.

Just like the Shift game from two years ago, the aim of this title is to take the Need for Speed series in a more realistic direction. High speed police chases are replaced by wheel to wheel racing in proper racing cars rather than high powered exotics. You really do need to leave the old Need for Speed behind before taking Shift 2 on, as it's such a quantum shift and a few decisions that were made during its development have kept it from being a must play game.