One of the most contentious genres in the gaming world has always been the sport of racing, and one franchise has been a major player for the past 15 years.  That franchise is, of course, Need For Speed (NFS).

The best NFS for years. A new, more serious direction has revitalised the series.

Need for Speed has been having an identity crisis. EA's premier racing series - a guaranteed Christmas number one not so long ago - ought to be successful enough to feel confident in itself. It had the girls, it had the cred in a crude, streetwise way, it had the sales. But it wanted more.

is the latest entry in the long-running racing series from Electronic Arts (EA). After a number of recent games in the series that were less than well received, EA decided to transfer development duties to Slightly Mad Studios, which is comprised of some of the developers behind the highly acclaimed

Driving experience is phenomenal; Career mode never gets old; Complete car customization

No tutorial for drifting; No split-screen multiplayer; Little incentive to buy more cars

Need for Speed: Shift sees the return of EA's racing franchise minus the bling. It's a frantic, if confused, racing-simulation.

Need for Speed has been through more changes and revamps than Joan Rivers; this time bring a authentic approach to the series. NFS Shift combines real physics, tracks, amazing car models to bring a whole new approach to the series.

Amazing Visuals; Great Leap for the NFS Series; Great Cockpit View

Soundtrack; Difficulty; Too many variations in the NFS franchise

The much needed reboot to a franchise which has been desperate for it for years

Some of the best sound and graphics from an EA game to date; A real sense of speed when in the cockpit view; Continues to reward the player; No matter how they drive

Short career compared to other racing simulators; The cars are incredibly frustrating to control

It's hard to believe that the first was released 15 years ago. With only eight cars to choose from and seven tracks to race on, it pales in comparison to what's on offer in modern racing games.

A good reward system and a variety of tracks to race on

Car selection is a little thin and the career mode is a little dull

After the below par Need for Speed: ProStreet and Need for Speed: Undercover , EA isn't prepared to weigh anchor and calmly abandon its once popular racer franchise. The latest NFS game marks a fresh start for a series.

Definitely a better experience than both Pro Street & Undercover; enough cars; events and tracks to keep you occupied for days; the reward system works well in multiplayer and single-player

In the end not much of a challenge; still not the comeback we were hoping for; certainly hasn't restored the series' former glory

Need for Speed: SHIFT is without a doubt one of the best in the franchise for quite a few years. Its sense of speed, good career mode and wide array of vehicles make it a fantastic racing title to play through.