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| | Title:
Burnout Revenge
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System:
Playstation 2
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Genre:
Racing
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Publisher:
Electronic Arts
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Developer:
Criterion Software
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Release:
September 13, 2005
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Everyone (E)
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Sequels always come loaded with questions. Will the game be good enough? Has the sequel been released too soon? Can the developers find new ways evolve the gameplay? It is even worse for the sequel if its bigger brother was a good game. Worse still if it was a great game. Unfortunately, for Burnout Revenge, it has some big shoes to fill.
Burnout 3 was a game of the year winner from multiple publications and videogame award shows. It’s the first racing game I remember having fun with, and to this day still play. Burnout 3 took the frustrating practice of crashing and not only made it fun, but also crucial to winning races. The result was a mind-boggling fast racer that felt crossed with the Matrix (the good Matrix). Enter Burnout Revenge. Burnout Revenge adds in a new vertical element to the races. Criterion is hoping this--along with some gameplay tweaks--will make the new game worthy of the Burnout title. While Burnout Revenge does earn the title, it's not quite at the level of Burnout 3.
What...where's the bullet time?
The crashing is what makes the Burnout series stand out from the rest, especially in Burnout 3. Crashing was never supposed to be this fun. So it’s sad to see the crashing in Burnout Revenge take a step backwards. Where it fails is both in the ease and style of the crashes. I know comparing Burnout Revenge to Burnout 3 is going to get old quickly, but a game must be judged against what is considered the standard.
In Burnout 3, it was not only easy to crash an opponent, it was a requirement to win races. The same goes for Revenge. Where the difference shows up is how much more difficult it is in Revenge to make someone crash. This is due to the improved and aggressive A.I. as well as the heavier feel of the cars. Ramming into the back of a car almost never results in a crash. Players are going to have to think about how to take out a fellow racer; when you’re going over one hundred miles an hour through traffic this is hard to do.
Secondly, the crashes have been toned done immensely. I’m not saying Impact Time has been removed. It has returned and in fact has been made a whole lot easier to control. Gamers will find themselves easily steering their crashed vehicles into the path of their opponents. Where the crashes dwindle is when the gamer crashes an opponent. In Burnout 3, the moment an opponent began to crash the camera whipped over to the car, everything went into slow motion, and the car model contorted beautifully. There were also times when the cars flew off the track, flipped over backwards, corkscrewed...the list could go on and on. In Burnout Revenge this has been toned down to give a more realistic tone to the crashing. Yes, the crashes are still over the top and entertaining to watch, but not as fun as Burnout 3’s.
Both of the aforementioned points really hurt Burnout Revenge. Crashing is the whole allure of the Burnout series. When you not only make it harder to crash opponents, but also make it less entertaining, one has to wonder what Criterion was thinking when they made this design choice.
Get out of my way!
The civilian cars on the tracks are obstacles to avoid when racing. Hit one and you crash. Burnout Revenge, though, has changed how the civilian vehicles are handled during races. In Burnout 3 if any car was hit a crash ensued. It didn’t matter if you were driving with the traffic or against it. Not so in Burnout Revenge. If vehicles are hit driving in the same direction the player is, there is no crash. The vehicles are thrown forward to bounce and crash across the track, leaving the player untouched.
Criterion did lay some restrictions down; larger vehicles like buses make you crash if you hit them regardless of what direction they are going. Also, hitting any vehicle head on is an instant car buster (duh). This ability to ram traffic out of the way is known as getting revenge back at the traffic and has been dubbed “checking traffic.” It is part of the reason why Burnout Revenge is named Burnout Revenge.
However, it’s another hindrance to the gameplay. Giving the players an area where they are essentially (but not entirely) “crash proof” makes the game at times too easy. It draws away from the intense sensation of dodging traffic Burnout 3 did so well. Criterion does compensate for this by adding in a good amount of buses and large vehicles to avoid, and thanks to the pile of cars you accumulate seeing where the heck you’re going does become difficult. There is the prospect of taking out an opponent by launching a car into their backside. It’s more luck than skill, but it did get my adrenaline pumping when a careening car came flying past me. In short, on some levels it works but overall it needs to be fine-tuned.
Up we go!
It’s not all bad in Burnout Revenge. The track design is by far the best I’ve ever encountered. Not only is the track design more diverse, it’s also incredibly more detailed. The buildings, the streets, the scenery; this game is pushing some serious polygons. Amazingly, there is hardly a slow down. The same goes for the cars. While their design is more detailed I did miss some of the designs from Burnout 3. Also, it would have been nice is the cars were categorized instead of just listing them in increasing top speed.
What better place to race these cars then on the highly branched and beautiful tracks. New this time around are the multiple short cuts. Better yet, some work to your advantage while others don’t. This requires an intimate knowledge of the track. The result is you have to play to get better. The shortcuts aren’t exclusive to the player, though. The A.I. knows exactly where each shortcut is but will make the same mistakes the player will. Being in first place doesn’t ever mean the player will stay there. As mentioned in the Preview, tracks now contain a good amount of ramps. None of the ramps feel tacked on; each is integrated perfectly with track design. Some work as shortcuts, others are there to give players the chance to pull off the new type of Takedown, a vertical one. Fall on top of an opponent, and you’re rewarded with a vertical Takedown. Honestly, these are the hardest Takedowns to pull off.
I'm....I'm not paying for that....
The Crash Mode returns in all its glory. Veterans of the series need no explanation, but for the rest of you, Crash Mode is where players are given a part of a track with civilian vehicles and are tested to see how much mayhem they can cause. Some elements from Burnout 3’s Crash Mode have been removed and placed with superior ideas. First off there are no more multipliers. Instead players are given a “Target Car” to crash. Also, Crashbreakers are not limited to one per crash; depending on how many cars the player crashes into, they may be able to unleash two or three. Amazing sound accompanies the crash. Glass breaks, metal bends, and people clap and cheer (literally). In short, Crash Mode is a blast.
Oh yeah well take this!
Remember how frustrating it was to barely miss the opponent when in aftertouch? Well, thanks to the new Revenge element (basically it just shows you who crashed you so you can get “Revenge”) it’s become even more annoying. But Criterion understood this, which is why in select Road Rage and Races a Crashbreaker is included. There are certain limitations. Your boost bar has to be full, and it can only be used when you are crashing, and if you fail to hit anyone your entire boost bar is depleted. But I cannot emphasize how fun it is to take out two or three cars at once in a massive explosion. It’s the ultimate pay back. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really help in maintaining your position in the race.
The multiplayer is a blast as always, of course. The online community has the typical modes of Race, Team Road Rage and Crash Mode competitions. It’s all good stuff here.
Overall
Overall, Burnout Revenge is a good game. It’s no Burnout 3, though, by any means. Burnout 3 was just faster, more chaotic (in a good way), and still produces the best crashes to date. What Burnout Revenge is, is a stepping-stone for Criterion. They tried new things; some worked some didn’t. Hopefully, when the first next-gen Bunrout title emerges Criterion will have not only fixed the problems but also made the best Burnout title to date. I’m betting they will.
| The Core Score |
Overall
9 |
| Fun |
|
8 |
| Gameplay |
|
9 |
| Graphics |
|
9 |
| Audio |
|
8 |
| Replay |
|
8 |
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