The “Shift” in Need for Speed: Shift’s name does not only refer to racing, but it refers to the Need for Speed franchise’s dramatic change in course and direction. Even though the single-player stories were laughably bad and cliche, every NFS title since Hot Pursuit has been more or less pretty solid with each bringing a little more thrill to the series. ProStreet and Undercover unfortunately disappointed everyone with their lackluster physics and game mechanics. EA, acknowledging that the franchise has gone downhill, is trying to revitalize Need for Speed with a few new titles, including Shift, Nitro, and World Online. On the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and Windows is Shift, the latest installment that takes the series into a more simulation-oriented experience with a focus on track racing. “Simulation” may be off-putting for some - it’s a term associated with realistic racers à la Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, which are typically far more difficult to newcomers and casual players than say Burnout or Need for Speed - but it seems to work out quite well here. Although not as complex as Microsoft and Sony’s own simulation racers, Shift can be considered a good gateway of sorts into that subgenre.

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Not only does the staff of Spawn Kill keep readers up-to-date with news and reviews from all facets of video games, we also partake in our fair share of private gaming goodness. While we may not be writing about it, many of us are knee-deep in games both old and new. Now Playing at Spawn Kill is but a glimpse into the staff’s present indulgences.

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Check out the latest Need for Speed: Shift video that features the Renault Sport Megane R.S., a series of hot hatch cars from French automaker Renault. It’s unclear what exact model of the Megane R.S. this is, but it’s still very attractive to the eyes. All of the footage is using the in-game engine, so you also get a nice idea of how the game looks during gameplay. Check out the trailer after the jump.

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Need for Speed: Shift is aiming for realism, so it’s logical for the game to feature real racetracks. We have a high-resolution clip of Shift’s Laguna Seca raceway (now known as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) a real course in Monterey, California. It’s all gameplay footage, so not only do you get to see the track, you get to see more of the cars and how some of the racing may play out. We also have four pictures of the Nissan GT-R SpecV. Check out the video and the screens after the jump.

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We have a handful of new high-resolution screenshots featuring the classic 1970 Nissan Skyline 2000 GTR in Slightly Mad Studios and EA’s new Need for Speed: Shift. It’s quite a beautiful game with plenty of detail and shine. A couple of the pictures show off the new cockpit view, and it’s evident the amount of effort that the developers have put into the title. Check out the screens after the jump.

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Many games seem to be arriving with pre-order bonuses in hand, and Need for Speed: Shift is no exception. If you reserve the title at GameStop, you will receive exclusive access to the BMW E92 M3 GT2. This bonus is available for both online and in-store pre-orders, as long as it’s at GameStop.

Here’s also a little snippet of gameplay footage primarily featuring the BMW E92 M3 GT2. All I have to say is that it looks like a sweet car. Watch it after the jump.

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Slightly Mad Studios is aiming to create a highly realistic driving simulator with the latest installment of EA’s most famous racing franchise, Need for Speed: Shift. To create an “authentic and immersive driving experience,” Need for Speed: Shift will have a new Driver Profile system and will see a return of the first-person view camera to the series. In an effort to make the actual gameplay as fun and realistic as possible, Slightly Mad Studios has talked to several real race car drivers for their input on the game’s mechanics and physics.

Here are four videos featuring drivers Andrea Bertolini, Chris Rado, Tommy Milner, and Vaughn Gittin Jr., who have helped with the development of Need for Speed: Shift.

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While Underground, its sequel, Most Wanted, and Carbon were praised and fairly well received, the two most recent Need for Speed titles left a lot to be desired. ProStreet’s attempt at realistic racing and Undercover’s weak story didn’t satisfy fans of the series. With those two titles leaving a sour taste in many players’ mouths, EA has a lot of work to repair the damage done. Enter Shift, EA’s next iteration of the Need for Speed franchise.

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