Anyone else playing this?
After some rage at the download manager, I'm quite enjoying it. They've addressed many (but not all) of the flaws in NFS:Shift, including:
-Ability to save different set-ups and pre-apply set-ups on either a per track or per type of track basis
-Ability to buy more than one of the same car (so you can have the same model upgraded to different classes)
-More tracks
-Better online stuff
-Better upgrade options
I don't know if there are more cars than NFS:Shift, but there are certainly different cars.
The handling model is pretty similar - it's a little smoother, but it's still often quickest to just chuck the car in, wait for the grip then continue around the corner, which is quite fun, but not very realistic! I had to do a far bit of control setup tweaking as the default 360 pad configuration provides so much assistance you're basically full lock on every corner and letting the damping sort it all out, which isn't very fun.
The new helmet cam mode would be fine, except for the turn to apex feature which makes it basically unusable for me. Thankfully the cockpit mode returns, though it's harder to read the dials than previously.
Graphically it's swings and roundabouts - the lighting is slightly improved, and there's more rubber gunk coming off tyres and splatting on windscreens, but the track detail/texture seems a little lower than the first game. Certainly it runs a lot faster than the first game, once you turn off AA in game which seems to be bugged.
Audio is quite different - it's not the cacophony of squeals and pops that the first game was, instead engine sounds dominate. Probably more realistic, but it's slightly harder to judge grip levels. As you upgrade to more track oriented parts the noises come back so it's not all bad.
AI are still quite aggressive, but in the early stages they're not quite as bad. The XP progression is improved over the stars system as well.
Overall it's a good improvement over the first game, but don't expect a completely different game.
