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

Good and evil is always a pleasant dichotomy to work with, especially in games where such choices are a primary gameplay mechanic. While Need for Speed Rivals doesn't feature the depth and complexity of narrative-driven games like inFamous or Mass Effect , the good/evil dynamic is a well-realized...

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.

Last time we did this, Need for Speed was in a very different place. I’m talking about console launches. Remember the name Need for Speed: Carbon? You probably don’t â€" it was a meagre effort that limped onto PS3 and 360 over half a decade ago and was pretty typical of a series that, at the...

Rock-solid racing mechanics; Brilliant risk mechanic; Innovative online

Needs more variety; Racing as cops is bland; Doesn't push the series

Looking back at console launch line-ups of the past, the racing genre seems to always have a presence. For PlayStation systems, it was always a Ridge Racer, until the PlayStation 4.

Need for Speed Rivals' boisterous and brash open-world driving design gets enormous mileage thanks to some amazingly fluid online functionality. This is a stand-out launch game in every regard, and if you have any interest in this sort of action-heavy racing, here's the best way to experience it...

Beneath the surface of Mars lies tranquility. The exotic planet houses valuable minerals amid the impenetrable rocks, and as you survey the vast subterranean world, a serenity washes over you.

Quiet satisfaction from carving intricate paths; Strategic appeal in using bombs smartly

Story interruptions serve as a distraction

Start your engines and feel the adrenaline, 'cause Need For Speed: Rivals is here to give you a run for your money, even if that means going toe-to-toe with cops. Of course, Need For Speed has always had a rather strong run on the 7th generation of consoles – especially with Burnout- famous Criteron...

It seems as if the Need for Speed franchise has always struggled to find an identity of its own. It started with the simple notion of letting people floor it with all the cars they couldn't afford to drive in real life.

The visuals may make even Knack look like a system seller, but there's a quiet pleasure to Super Motherload's simple but addictive gameplay.

Successful mining requires a considerable amount of skill and forward-planning; Plenty of upgrades and the smelter usefully expands your array of options

The gameplay and graphics wouldn't stretch the PS one let alone the PlayStation 4; Quickly repetitive and the attempts to add story and closure don't really work