For a series that’s been burning rubber since the mid-90s, Need For Speed has been passed between developers more than a set of worn-out drift tires. But there’s something about the Criterion Games era that hits differently. Maybe it’s the way they tried to recapture the raw thrill of a chase, maybe it’s their roots in Burnout, or maybe it’s just the chaos they bring to open-world racing. Either way, Criterion’s entries in the franchise have left their mark—some deeper than others.