Burnout
Revenge can
be summed up into 27 words: the most bad-ass, adrenaline-rushing, non-stop
action, pedal-to-the-metal, look-out-for-that-18-wheeler racing game ever to
grace a game console. There were times in game that I had to pause it just to
resettle myself in my chair and the controller in my hands. Just like its
predecessor, Burnout 3, Revenge relies on high-speed driving and
dangerous decision-making to be successful. Want to follow the rules of the
road, take a field trip to the DMV. Putting it all on the line to stay one
step ahead of your opponents justly defines the gameplay
of Burnout Revenge.
There have
been a couple major changes to the gameplay of
Burnout including the ability to plow through traffic to open a path on
the road. Called traffic checking, racers are able to hit cars (with the
exception of big rigs and oncoming traffic) without sustaining damage to your
vehicle. Furthermore, the cars you slam into can easily be used as a road
hazard for opposing racers, hopefully taking them out in the process. The cars
you hit don’t follow any practical physics engine, crushed like aluminum soda
cans and flown up in the air upon any hard contact with racers. Realistic, no.
Awesomely cool, hell yes! The race tracks are quite freeing in the game,
opening up several different paths and secret routes to the racers to cut time
and surprise opponents. The speeds in which you travel can be so intense, I
wondered how the game would play without the alternate paths. These paths have
almost no traffic, leaving you with a decision to either avoid your opponents
and sacrifice boost power gained from dodging traffic or vice versa.
There are
three modes of gameplay including World Tour mode,
multiplayer mode, and online mode through Xbox Live. World Tour leads you
through more than 150 events, earning new cars and awards on the way. The
progression system of World Tour is a little confusing because you can
progress to new levels (11 ranks in all) without completing all prior races.
The complications could have been avoided through a more user-friendly menu
that required the completion of all prior races. Also, choosing your vehicles
for races have actually been downgraded from Burnout 3, lacking the
class ranking that separated coupes from hot rods and implementing a new
straight-line selection ranked by speed, weight, and
crashbreaker force (an explosion you can initiate after a major
collision). The same race types from Burnout 3 are here: standard race,
eliminator (which eliminates the most behind racer every 30 seconds until one
remains), road rage (which aims at running opponents off the road), and crash
mode (where you must drive your vehicle right into heavy flowing traffic to
cause the most monetary damage).
One thing I
noticed was that the races always seemed pretty close in single player. The AI
system allows for this by slowing down opponents that are in the lead and
speeding up opponents that are falling behind. This is an essential part of
the game in order to balance the curveballs thrown at you such as plowing
through traffic or crashing into a 20 car pile-up. Xbox Live works very well
in Burnout Revenge, with an optimatch
system similar to the rank-based Halo 2. Different from Burnout 3,
where you could race all your single-player cars
online, Revenge requires you to level up online as well to unlock your
vehicles, all the while putting you in the correct rank placement for races.
Graphically,
the game excels in every direction. The car models are so smooth and detailed,
I didn’t even notice that the vehicles are not licensed by any manufacturer
like Lamborghini or Porsche (although they look just like them). The tracks
are incredibly diverse and beautiful to race through, only strengthened
through the use of a blur effect when traveling at high-speeds. Even the
camera system is done properly with “Take downs” shown beautifully in slow
motion while in the race. All of this, of course, looks better with HD-TV
where the Xbox version triumphs in comparison. The sound is also on top of the
game, mixing realistic sound of collisions and explosions every step of the
way with the EA music soundtrack featuring heavy rock artists that complement
the aggressive feel of the game.
Burnout
Revenge
improves upon some of the shortcomings of Burnout 3. Although not a
completely revolutionized title, Burnout Revenge adds so much in terms
of game mechanics, it has quickly become my favorite racing game of all time.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up now!
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Gameplay:
9.0
Major
changes to the gameplay and the thrill of the ride
makes Revenge a must have.
Graphics:
9.4
Car wrecks
never looked so good!
Sound: 9.0
Car wrecks
never sounded so good
either!
Difficulty:
Easy/Medium
Concept:
9.0
It’s been
about a year since Burnout 3 was released and Revenge continues
strong where it left off.
Multiplayer: 9.0
It’s good to
know Xbox Live serves a purpose outside of Halo 2, as Burnout Revenge
delivers a very solid multiplayer experience.
Overall:
9.2
There are
some things like menu interfaces that could have been fixed up, but all
shortcomings pale in comparison to how fun Burnout Revenge is to play. Now if
you’ll excuse me, it’s time to plow down some unaware drivers and use their
cars as road hazards!
