Shift 2 retains some of the most popular elements of its predecessor – experience points, leveling, badges for performance, visceral driver/track interaction – and piles on the realism. There's now a full Elite simulation mode that nips at the heels of Forza and Gran Turismo. Full damage is now available, allowing for race-ending crashes. Debris will litter the road after a wreck, and you can shred a tire if you're already worn too thin. The physics are improved, the artificial intelligence is smarter and there are stat meters, upgrades and tweaks galore.
Again this all looks very similar to what people said about SHIFT 1. I've seen new cars in the trailers and night racing, but pretty much everything else is the same, or there are just small improvements. As for the helmet camera, it seriously starts to annoy me, all this pub around a single feature, which is not even unique because other games feature bouncing cameras with a "look-to-apex" movement. SHIFT 1 also had this kind of camera, it was good but not perfect. This looks like a small update to that and yet they are bragging around like they have invented something totally new.[...] the Shift 2 helmet cam is not for everyone. It's different. It's scary. It takes some getting used to. It bounces around. It forces you to pay attention. And it's the closest I've come to feeling the virtual fear of driving fast. The helmet cam isn't just a change in perspective. When you're nearing a turn, the camera gently looks toward the apex, pulling your field of vision into the right racing line. Once you're there, it reorients to straight ahead in the exit. The cam also blurs your vision at the edges as you reach high speeds, simulating the tunnel vision effect racers feel on the track.
I hope they don't focus too much on the camera, because there are other thingss that need work. Proper IA, decent physics and true simulation, not only in driving but things like tire and engine temperature, fuel consumption, pit stops, tires being worn out, car setup, etc, etc.
