Gamernode: Reviews - Burnout Paradise

Burnout Paradise

Category: Xbox 360, Posted: 01/22/2008 at 12:26AM CST by Brendon Lindsey, Editor-in-Chief

Burnout Paradise
Xbox 360
Criterion Games
Electronic Arts
January 22nd, 2008

Back at E3, Burnout Paradise was one of the games I picked as the Best of E3. It seems like a long time ago, but I still remember how much fun I had playing the game, jumping off ramps, driving fast, and even watching other people drive around. Having played the game for over a week now, I can safely say that Burnout Paradise delivers as a fantastic racing game any racing fan should own, and that even non-racing fans will likely get some enjoyment out of it.

For me, Burnout was always my racing series of choice. I can't stand sim-based games like Forza or Gran Turismo; give me fast driving and over-the-top risks, or give me a different game. That's why I was worried (at first) with what Criterion was doing with Paradise. A complete overhaul of how Burnout played? That just didn't seem like a good idea, since the games haven't really struggled. Thankfully, the retool worked, and managed to make the franchise even better than before.

Unlike past Burnout titles where you pick a race, drive the race, then move on to the next, Paradise takes place in one giant 18 square mile city known as Paradise City. You're free to drive around as you please, enter any events you want, and do whatever you want in the confines of the game. How events work is fairly simple. You pull up to an intersection, hold the brake, and rev your engine. Each intersection has a different event on it, and clearing events allows you to upgrade your license (which replaces the medal system).

In a bold move, Criterion also fashioned Paradise under the assumption that you have Live or PSN access. Each street in the city has a leaderboard for various things (time, crash score, etc.) which updates in real time if you're online. In addition to updating leaderboards throughout the city, Paradise also features an extremely fleshed-out online mode, which works seamlessly alongside the regular single player game. With a simple press of the D-pad, you can take your racing online with (and against) friends and foes alike.

When playing online, you can create your own custom races by selecting checkpoints on the map, and then save them for later use. The other (and much more entertaining) choice is the Freeburn challenge. For each player involved, there are 50 challenges available; 2-player play has 50 challenges, 3-player has 50 different ones, etc. Unlike traditional online racing, Freeburn challenges rely on everyone to complete some sort of task, such as two drivers colliding into one another while jumping across a broken bridge. They're a lot of fun, and despite the absolutely huge amount of challenges available, none really feel like they're tacked on just to fill time.

Unlike past Burnout games, Paradise also places a bigger emphasis on vehicles. There are over 75 vehicles in total to collect, and rather than beat races to unlock them, you need to take each down in Paradise City. After you complete some sort of requirement, a small cutscene will display letting you know that a new car has entered the city. Track down the car, take it down, and it's yours. Other than some nice aesthetic differences, each car also has a type associated with it, which determines how it gains more boost. Some rides get more boost for performing tricks, while some get more boost for crashing into other cars.

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(13)

Posted by Brendon on 01/22/2008 at 12:38AM

If anyone is curious what the new Showtime mode looks like, take a gander:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mgCkdUOyJY

Posted by Coyotegrey on 01/22/2008 at 02:49AM

You surprised me with this one.

I expected a much lower score.

Posted by Fleet on 01/22/2008 at 12:14PM

Does this game have the same restrictions on Xbox Live as other EA games. Namely most of their games, unlike every other game on Xbox Live, states that EA reserves the right to discontinue online game play given 30 days notice. If that is still the case with this game I would not want to buy for the online play because they do discontinue games on a regular basis (including most previous Burnout games before revenge).

Posted by siggs on 01/22/2008 at 02:16PM

I think that score is well justified.

The idea that there are as few menus as possible, and that you can just go straight into and online rae etc, is great. Seamless gameplay like this is the way to improve the players experience in games.

Although having looked at the showtime mode, one of the commenters is right. It looks better on paper than on the screen. Its just a car that appears to have bnnyhopping capabilities.

Did i mention the crashes are the best so far? the way the ripples travel down the car, bursting open doors, and smashing glass. It's brilliant. :D

I would have given that score.

Posted by Falchion on 01/22/2008 at 02:42PM

lets all get a petition going to bring back crash mode as a special download feature!

Posted by Archem on 01/22/2008 at 03:34PM

Crash mode got taken out? Fail! And that Showtime thing looks hilarious! It's like racing a half-demolished wreck down the road with the eeriest of magicks!

Posted by jambo on 01/22/2008 at 04:05PM

After having barrel's of fun playing the demo with various friends and other Live players I've gotta say I'm definitely looking forward to this game. Judging by how much I constantly replayed the demo, the full game is going to get a LOT of time on the 360!

Posted by -=BINGO-BANGO=- on 01/22/2008 at 05:24PM

been doing same here jambo

Posted by BahamutBBob on 01/22/2008 at 11:33PM

After playing it for a bit, I agree with Brendon. And while Showtime is odd, it's highly addicting!

I went into it on a road with a tunnel, and there were three busses in the tunnel (hitting a bus increases your multiplier) and, well, at the end of that run, I had a 7x multiplier. Scored around $3.5 million in damage :D

Posted by jambo on 01/23/2008 at 04:30PM

Damn you North Americans and your earlier release dates for games!

Posted by jedipoodoo547 on 01/25/2008 at 01:31AM

Jambo, it is advantageous for you if us North Americans buy the game and play it first, so we can let you know if they are crap, we are the North American beta testers. lol

Paradise really did not do it for me. I just did not find the game to be as accessible as Revenge. While the seamless gameplay is a nice feature, i really do miss the Crash Mode. I will be playing Revenge for a long time to come.

Posted by rtanger on 02/09/2008 at 03:17PM

Showtime is no replacement for the awesomeness that was the previous entries' (all of them) crash mode challenges.

I'm also not a big fan of all the racing and burning route challenges being nothing more than point-to-point driving.
Special challenges and putting the areas of the environment to use for unique races and modes would have been awesome. Like a lap race around the stock car track, or something, ANyTHING.

Paradise is nothing more than one-half of the variety of previous games, rehashed over and over again, across a deceptively limited 'free-roaming' environment.

I'll stick with previous entries. This one panders exclusively to the idea that all nextgen racing must be free-roaming, and like so many 'free-roaming' games, they spend so much time creating the environment, they forget to actually add sufficient stuff to do with it.

Posted by rtanger on 02/09/2008 at 03:20PM

Addendum- wanted to clarify, I think "deceptively limited" might read wrong.
I mean it looks like a wide-open city with miles of ground to cover, but then pidgeonholes you with insta-death upon leaving the roadway, and scads of invisible walls.

pfah.

GamePlay: Despite the new Burnout style and vastly changed environment, the driving is essentially the same. It remains exhilarating and adrenaline-pumping, and is just as fast as ever.
Graphics: If Criterion can have a city this big with this much action going on display without visual lag -- even while playing online -- other developers no longer have an excuse.
Sound: Yes, the Guns N Roses song is a little corny and obvious, but the rest of the soundtrack is solid... Except a few misses, like Girlfriend...
Replay Value: This game will take a long time to 100% complete. That combined with an astounding and addicting online experience will make sure Paradise lasts well into 2009.
9.0	Final Word: Burnout Paradise is the best Burnout game yet. The only issues are minor ones, and the online play delivers better than I ever expected. It's a must-own for racing fans, and at least a must-play for everyone else.