Burnout was first released in 2001 as a racing game focused mainly on speed - since then it has evolved, gaining an original style.
Last year`s Burnout3: Takedown turned the tables on everything expected from a racing game. With its winning formula of speed and offensive driving, it is irresistible.
This year saw the release of the much-anticipated Burnout: Revenge. I couldn`t wait to get my hands on this one - I actually counted down the days until a copy would be mine.
Burnout is about speed in copious quantities, and lighting fast reflexes. There were times when I could hardly see what was happening my car was going so fast.
Players familiar with the series will feel right at home with Burnout: Revenge - the controls and set-up remain the same.
Each vehicle starts with a small boost bar that can be filled during the race. Filling the bar is simple... drive like a madman! Drive on the wrong side of the road, check traffic, narrowly escape crashing, smash into opponents, tail gate, ramp - the more aggressive the driving the more boost will be awarded. Boost is the ingredient required to stay ahead of the pack. The more reckless the driving - the better the score.
Single players will hit the "Burnout world tour" consisting of 10 chapters, each containing several locations with a variety of challenges in each. From racing, road rage, burning laps, signature takedowns, crashbreakers as well as the new addition - traffic attack.
Traffic attack is devoted to traffic checking. Traffic checking is achieved by slamming innocent vehicles into the path of an overtaking opponent in order to score a "takedown", or just to get the vehicle out of the way. Players are now able to plough through all traffic in the game with ease, as long as the traffic in is not oncoming or large - like buses or trucks.
Thus, the objective of traffic attack is to cause as much carnage as possible. This is a great place to push scores through the roof, as each time the traffic is checked, the time limit is extended.
Crashbreaker races allow the driver to cause maximum damage to other cars on the track - if the driver is involved in a collision, he can destroy all competitors in range by exploding his vehicle.
My favourite part of the game is the road rage challenge, where one gets awarded for takedowns. New shortcuts and ramps, which grant the best views - helping with vertical takedowns.
Burnout: Revenge introduces the concept of takedown rivals. Here, opponents who took out a player`s vehicle are marked in red as a rival, giving the player a chance to track that car down and even the score.
As in Burnout3: Takedown, if the player`s car is taken down or crashed, the wreck can be steered into opposing vehicles to cause an aftertouch. A very useful way to get boost - doubling the revenge-o-meter even with a totalled car.
The crash mode has returned in a revolutionary evolved state and now allows for a target to be hit, which rewards the player with a perfect start. Hitting too late will cause the engine to explode; hitting too soon will cause a slow start.
At the end of each stage a star rating will be given depending on how dangerously the player drove. With gold and silver medals, drivers are awarded rank points, but with bronze, the player will lose rank, which ensures a certain level of competency, as rank will determine who is the ruthless ruler of the Burnout road.
A nice new detail is the breath-taking trophy awarded for causing mass-destruction.
Multiplayer mode is delivered perfectly, allowing two players to race and rage against each other with split screen view.
I give a standing ovation to the Burnout soundtrack, featuring some of my favourites, like Avenged Sevenfold, Timo Maas, Funeral for a Friend, CKY, Chemical Brothers and Bloc Party. It is the kind of soundtrack that makes me want to get in my car and reap a wave of destruction through the once quiet streets. Crashes sound realistic and at those high speeds one can actually "feel" the impact.
Graphics are perfect, with realistic reflections on cars` paintwork, and blurs to give the feeling of excessive speed.
Even though I don`t generally play racing games, as I prefer platform and RPGs, this game has got me hooked. All I can say is: "Get it, get it now!"
I give it an impressive 9/10.
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