GamerNode: Reviews - Burnout Paradise

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

Despite the fact that the driving is as furious and fun as previous Burnout titles and an online mode that is one of the best and most intuitive I've ever seen in a console game, Paradise isn't without flaws.

My biggest disappointment is the lack of Crash Mode. While it had to be removed to make the new Burnout format work, it's sad to see such a fun mode (and great time waster with friends) vanish. Instead you're able to crash on streets for a high score, but it just involves your car rolling endlessly into traffic until you get bored and want to stop; it's not hard at all to keep a crash going for 5 or 10 minutes on longer streets.

Another problem I had is what I like to call Capcom Syndrome. On some SDTVs, the minimap is just hard to read without sitting a foot away from the screen. It makes figuring out what each intersection is a pain, and it makes hitting those quick, sharp turns in the middle of a race difficult. It doesn't happen on every SDTV, but two of the three I tried playing the game on suffered from that fate.

The other issues with Paradise involve the realtime nature of the game. It's understandable what EA wanted to pull off, but the inability to quit or restart a race is just annoying. When you play a longer, cross-city race into the mountains and take a wrong turn, thereby solidifying the fact you're going to lose, it would be nice to restart or quit. Instead, you have to finish the race, then drive back to the starting point to try again. It's also frustrating when you can't see the map (if you're on an SDTV) and accidentally play an event you've already cleared on this license, and have to finish it rather than just quit.

It's a testament to how fun Burnout Paradise is that the only complaints are a lack of an extra mode and the ability to end or restart races. The fact of the matter is, Burnout Paradise is the best racing game on the Xbox 360 or PS3, period. It's also arguably the best online experience of any console game on the market. If you were worried about the changes to the Burnout formula, don't be; it's more fun than ever, and it's an absolute blast to play. Burnout Paradise lived up to the hype surrounding it, and delivers as the first must-own game of 2008.

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(13)

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

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 03:49AM

You surprised me with this one.

I expected a much lower score.

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

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 03:16PM

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 03:42PM

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

Posted by Archem on 01/22/2008 at 04:34PM

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 05:05PM

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 06:24PM

been doing same here jambo

Posted by BahamutBBob on 01/23/2008 at 12:33AM

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 05:30PM

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

Posted by jedipoodoo547 on 01/25/2008 at 02:31AM

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 04:17PM

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 04:20PM

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...
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.