2 month bump but since there's not a lot of activity...
I've completed PU's career and factory driver modes with a keyboard numerous times. Can be tricky catching a slide but otherwise fine.
It's probably my favourite NFS too, it sure taught me that some cars will bite if you're not careful with the steering. A good representation of all the quirks I read about old 911s in that book on my shelf. In fact, I'm currently playing through yet another career.
Some thoughts on the rest:
I) Feels alright, though cars feel a bit too stable and refuse to oversteer. But it was the mid-90's! I was blown away by it...
II) Don't remember much about II, weirdly.
III & IV) (PC) Floatiness and more floatiness. Takes a while to get used to but it's acceptable eventually.
HP2) Alright too, but cars generally seem a bit reluctant to oversteer no matter what I do. Feels a bit like every car has an open diff. But once a high-angle slide is initiated, controls feel good enough.
UG1) Very slippy but ok for the gameplay style I guess. And the roads were wet after all...
UG2) Feels good. Not the most realistic but it strikes a very good balance. Very satisfying overall.
MW2005) Somewhat like recent GTs, launching a car from rest = wheelspin no matter what. Wheelspin seems relentless in every driving situation, but still quite fun and a decent mix of physics.
C) Bleh... As a whole compared to MW, also bleh... Restricted ability to do donuts and stupidly unrealistic car stats, class and tier system too.
PS) Tries to be realistic, but odd steering in all modes, no proper oversteer in non-drift modes and an odd occasional sensation of lesser gravity makes this one feel, well, odd... The beginning of the artificial top speed limiters in NFS too. And can't do donuts.
UC) Take PS and add a little more g and an artificial 'sliding' key, still not good. Still can't do donuts. Stats and tiering are as poor as, if not poorer than Carbon's.
Shift) Sliding and more sliding, oddly reminds me of III & IV. At least I can do donuts again and there's no silly top speed limiting.
HP2010) Very Paradise, but it's a fun, drifty show regardless. Poor low speed physics and can't do donuts though. Some cars feel too top speed restricted based on actual acceleration. (The 2 highest tiers feel significantly more powerful than reality. Since they are simulated with more power, shouldn't they be granted the slightly higher top speeds if gearing permits?) Conversely, few still enforce the manufacturer fitted speed limiter even though most others are de-restricted. It's a very annoying inconsistency.
Shift 2) Tyres still don't feel right, even modded. Like Shift 1, poking around the files reveals thorough simulation capabilities like different kinds of suspension layouts. Sadly many generic values were used rather than specific values for each car. (E.g. every car has a LSD. Brake torque and heat generation/dispersion more related to car tier rather than actual individual car ability. RS250 Megane and some others very badly nerfed as a result.) Still, donuts!
Run) Oddly reminds me of PS. Feel some relation in the handling complete with odd steering if off-course and the like. Feels acceptable at high speeds but low speed/drifting/oversteer feels odd in non-AWDs regardless of steering and throttle. No donuts sadly, and more silly speed restriction.
MW2012) Most posts above already said it. No 'flow' with drifting but low speed driving feels slightly more precise than HP2010. In addition, driving round in tight circles are not proper donuts too. Top speeds are not restricted and the effect of aero drag is noticeable like in HP2010. But why won't the XKR use 6th gear? Realism modded Shift 2 and GT5 indicate that it has the oomph to accelerate in 6th to more than 300 kph at the very least...
