series has been a constant on consoles for almost 20 years, and while there have been many ups and downs for the series, it has always drawn interest from racing fans. The series has also seen its fair share of developers, from EA Canada, Slightly Mad Studios, Criterion, and now Ghost Games.

Many people have fond memories of Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, which came out in 2010, tight handling, cool cutscenes, robust multiplayer, but there was just one problem: You couldn't drive where you wanted to on the map; you had to select an event.

It's best to think of Need for Speed: Rivals as a thrill ride. Get on, scream, plead to go faster, and it will. It has some of the best car chases around, and they've never looked so chaotically beautiful as they do on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Dazzling graphics; Intense chases; Accessible handling

Bland weapons; Lacks variety

As a fresh alternative to meandering $60 games, 'Super Motherload' nails the kind of value proposition offered by good independent games. My towering expectations burned out during one of the many backtracks through the endgame area, and I can't help but wish for more than what the story delivered.

A scintillating return to form - Need for Speed Rivals is heavy on style without sacrificing substance

Sublime visuals; Redview County is wonderfully mapped; AllDrive; when it works; is excellent

Woeful plot; EA's servers are troublesome at launch; Racer campaign can be frustrating

Grab a Ferrari 458 Italia and hit up Need for Speed: Rivals' Redview County and you can find yourself in a pretty decent approximation of what a contemporary, open-world OutRun would look like.

Need for Speed Rivals ' technical shortcomings are frustrating primarily because almost everything else about the game is so well-designed and impressive. It builds on the series' legacy but also stretches into meaningful new directions.

Story

+Big open world; +AllDrive has potential for great moments; +Varied speedlists and objectives

-Some online issues are present; -Locked framerate; -Really tough AI cops

So, how do you make a series still feel fresh after twenty titles? By listening to your fans, knowing what works and what the fans want, and by delivering a game that's more than just a seasonal refresher. Need for Speed Rivals is clearly ready for the next generation of gaming, and so are we.

Two complete career modes; Bugatti Veyron Cop Car? How is that fair; Ferrari is back; Impressive graphics; Entertaining soundtrack

Limited cop car customizations; No local split-screen multiplayer option

I want to love Need for Speed Rivals. The driving feels fantastic: fast, responsive, intense. Whether cop or racer the crazy action continuously had me out of my seat. But for every instance of exciting mayhem, I can name more of utter frustration. Let's start with the good stuff.