Electronic Arts · Mar 16, 2018
Racing is my favorite video game genre. I've played every arcade racer you can probably think of from the N64 and Playstation up to this point. I have a bias, but fluid, high-octane gameplay will always be what I'm looking for. I've played Burnout Paradise on the Ps3, Ps4, and Series X. This is also the game that I always play if I want a short burst of fun between working or having a life. This game, Burnout: Revenge, and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit by Criterion are all games that I cycle through regularly to get a good 30 minutes of PURE gameplay in my day. When I say pure gameplay, I mean stop taking away control from me in the damn game. That's not fun! I'm looking at most new games today that think this is a good idea when I say this. Anyway, here's my review. **|Core Gameplay|** This is Burnout, folks. Even in 2022, this game is buttery smooth and plays amazingly. Anybody who hates on the core experience of a Burnout doesn't understand fun. Its supposed to be ridiculous, adrenaline-pumped, and completely reckless. That's what fun is. Ya know, cause video games. I'm talking to simulation racer people that actively hate arcade racers, irrationally. **|Presentation/Style|** This is one of those games that sets you straight into the game from the get-go: the _best_ way to engage the user. All directions and mechanics are explained as you retain control the entire time. Beautiful. I wish more games today would quit taking control away from the user. That's not fun! The style of the game is also fun. Its an open world sandbox where you just drive around and do what you want. You can cause mayhem, race, beat time trials, destroy rival racers that bump you on the road, or smash through billboards and gates. Why isn't there a damn sequel?! Also, to snobby gearheads, there's no car tuning or real vehicles. Deal with it or go play Grid or something. Thanks. **|Polish/Quality of Life|** I have very few complaints. I wish you could skip when the cars are dropped in the junkyard. Like I get it, I've unlocked the car, you don't have to show me the animation of the 5 cars I just unlocked one after the other when I just wanted to switch to the El Camino knockoff. The game doesn't have very much of it but any EA login garbage can move to another planet. I'm trying to play the game, I don't care to login into anything, like back off. All EA games have this problem, unfortunately. My last complaint is that the paint spray shops in the game give you some really ugly colors that I don't dig. It's like pearlescent and made from three colors that don't match. Luckily, after you repair a vehicle, you can choose from a bunch of less eccentric colors and selections at the Junkyard. **|Sound/Graphics|** The soundtrack is pretty good. It's nothing special by today's standards OR it's amazing by today's standards cause music today is a joke. Seriously, listen to Need for Speed Heat and Forza Horizon 5's soundtrack. They're both awful. The vehicle sounds are also good here in Burnout. Of course, there's no real vehicles so don't expect some 2022 engine and turbo sounds. Get real. Graphics are also very good by today's standards. The game STILL looks good today. Anyone complaining about the sound and graphics here is just being knit-picky. Also, the car destruction in this game is amazing. You won't see destruction on this level from NFS Heat or Forza Horizon 5. Actually, interesting fact—cars look better scratched up in Heat over Forza Horizon 5. That's pretty embarrassing considering Heat isn't a great title at all. **|Value/Content|** You got a lot to do in this game. You get all the DLC in this new edition. \*Pulls out megaphone\* YOU GET ALL THE DLC! There's a lot to do and unlock in this game. It'll take you about 40 hours to get all the in game achievements. Maybe more if you play at a healthy pace instead of no-lifeing it. In my opinion, there's plenty here to do. Criterion Games is the GOAT of racing games. Playground Games is good but not everyone likes sim racers; gameplay can be slow in those games. NFS Heat is actually a perfect balance of the two sides of racing actually, just saying.
This is the most polished of the Burnout series in full 1080p with online play. A few years later there aren't many left on the servers, but if you can talk a friend into buying this, you'll have a blast. Single player is great too - however, sometimes the AI is incredibly stupid and other times impossibly brilliant - you'll find yourself shaking your head at both situations. It's still a blast to play, though. While it doesn't have the passion of the PS2 or PSP games, it is still the most polished. It handles as great as any arcade racer, with the only thing being the controls for stunts are sometimes too loose and sometimes too tight. But you can get used to it. The soundtrack, however, is very outdated. There's a handful of classics, and a lot of stuff that was "cool" ten years ago and definitely is not anymore. Nothing shows the age of the game worse than turning on the radio and hearing 00's butt rock, outdated nu-metal, and mediocre indie bands that were covered on Pitchfork for a few months at most. Necessary play for those who like arcade racers, and everyone else should at least consider it.
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