Two games are at the starting line, set to race off into the open frontier. We take a look at Criterion's Need for Speed Most Wanted and Playground Games' Forza Horizon and size up these two contenders.

Back in 2010, two racing games, Black Rock Studio's Split/Second and Bizarre Creations' Blur, went head-to-head on store shelves. Although the titles weren't completely similar, they defined the racing genre at the moment. This October, Forza Horizon (above) and Need for Speed Most Wanted will go up against each other and present their own visions of open-world racing.

Coming off of E3, where I got a chance to see and get some hands-on time with both games, I thought it would be useful to compare them in a few key categories. Of course, a lot of development time remains before October and I don't know every detail about either title, but this might give you a better look at both and help you determine if one is more up your alley.