In a year filled with a number of great online experiences Criterion once again manages to distinguish themselves from the pack with an online racing experience that once again focuses on your friends. Leaderboards and rankings have their place, but true rivalry can only thrive when it's personal. In Burnout Paradise it was the loose and casual feeling of burning through the same Paradise City with your friends that set it apart, but in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit it's how the game alerts you and keeps rivalries growing even while you sleep. The constant back and forth nature of the autolog system is a perfect fit for the quick fix gameplay of Hot Pursuit and further proof of Criterion's sharp sense of what a great online experience is all about.
