Burnout 2: Point of Impact

"One of the few games that can honestly be referred to as a "Hidden gaming gem"..."

When I popped that Burnout 2 disc into the PS2, I had a slight idea what the game would be like. I did know the prequel was fairly good, and that it involved high-speed urban racing with big-time crashes. That itself sounded interesting enough, yet I had no idea what this game would be like. I have to say that this game is one of the most insane, high-speed racing games ever, let alone games for PS2.

Have the need for speed? Screw Need for Speed. You have Burnout 2. I guarantee Need for Speed Hot Pursuit II will seem twice as slow as this game, and compared to GT3 is an absolute joke. That is one of the main good points about the game, the way it makes you feel like you're driving so fast. Buildings pass by in a blur, the lines on the pavement almost become a straight streak instead of actually being traditional lengthy dashes, and you're never quite sure if other cars on the road (ones that aren't racing) are actually moving forward, or aren't moving. All this would mean nothing if the graphics weren't any good, but I can assure you they are. Scratch that, they're excellent. Cars have to be the most detailed in any game I've ever seen; yet none are licensed. Buildings will glint off car windows, with glare also being factored into the equation. Tracks are also high quality, but the traffic you'll be flying by may sometimes seem a bit bland.

The main mode in the game has you racing down crowded, urban streets, through different conditions such as rain, and darkness. Games like these have been done, so something new was needed. Thankfully, the little idea that was added adds a whole new level of intensity. As the race progresses, you gain little by little on a bar in the screen. This bar essentially is your boost bar, and once it is filled you can use it. This boost gives you about a one-second, almost light-speed increase. Everything around you even gets blurred, adding to that sense of speed. This may sound easy enough, but the tricky part is actually getting that bar filled. You are awarded points for doing dangerous things in the game. This includes swerving in front or behind cars, driving along the wrong side of the road, or pulling off powerslides. As soon as you start off a race, the bar is empty, but after getting it filled and using a boost it'll only take a few powerslides or swerves to get it full again. This keeps you boosting fairly often, which makes the gameplay become scarily insane. For the first time in a long, long time, a game actually was forcing me to shout out loud in excitement. ''Damn!'' and ''Holy crap that was close!''. You get the picture.

Another great mode is this crash course mode. Your main goal? Kill yourself. Send your car into flips, spins, and anything that will make your car's crash look great. The bigger the crash, the better, and consequently the more points awarded. After you crash, cars begin to pile up with more and more crashes as the cars keep on coming. The AI isn't in suicide mode though, they'll slam hard on the brakes and try and swerve out of the way. All of this is complemented by superb angles by an overhead, panning cameras. The more damage you cause (big bucks are made by crashing trucks), the higher the medal you will earn. On each progressive track, the bronze, silver, and gold medals each become harder to attain. The tracks you choose feature unlimited boosting, with most of them ending up with you trying to create the biggest jam in the first intersection.

Apart from the Championship mode, which has you doing the fast urban racing (and where you unlock more cars and tracks), there are more modes to keep your interest in. My personal favourite has to be the police car mode, where you take on the job of the cop chasing a criminal. This mode is extremely user friendly, and only has you have to hit a car your chasing x amount of times, in a set distance. You can still use boost to your advantage, giving you an easy ram into the person you're chasing.

The tracks are extremely varied and give you the kind of options you want. Some have 90-degree angle turns and force you to take your advantage of all the skills you know, such as powersliding. Others have many intersections, which can make the game insanely difficult. When an 18-wheeler is crossing an intersection with you going 140 mph, you don't really have much time to do anything. Personally, I prefer the highway type tracks where it's mostly straight racing and high speeds. Getting caught on the wrong side of the barrier can pose some problems with oncoming traffic coming at you crazily. It's not because of pop up problems; it's just because of the mentioned speed. Cars also come in a nice variety, and are extremely well crafted with realistic sizes, shapes and fitting colours.

This game happens to be specifically designed for people who love high-speed crashes. If you happen to smash into another car, which happens often, or less commonly: a wall, the view switches to an overhead one where you can see the impact from a clear view, and how the car reacts. One aspect I love about the game is when a car smashes into the wall, it unrealistically almost keeps up its speed. This way you never feel like you've slowed down too much, and put yourself out of the race.

I can honestly say this is the most intensive game I've ever played in a long, long time. My first race had my eyes glued in a trance like manner onto the glowing TV screen. The amount of split second decisions were hair raising, from when I powerslid between two 18-wheelers to nailing another one head on at the next turn. After it was over, I was surprised to see myself leaning over at an unhealthy distance from the screen, and my palms sweating. Literally. I had to get up and grab a Kleenex so that I could actually play the game again without dropping the controller (okay, now I'm being sarcastic).

The engines roaring in my ears complimented by the speeding sounds of hyperspeed add up to a game that actually begs to have its sound turned up. The music is also very generic, high-octane beats that seem to fit the gameplay well. It is mostly drained out by the sound of the engine, but who would want it any other way. And if for some strange, sick reason, you're intimidated by the sounds of engines, everything is customizable inside of the options menu.

Ever have some friends over that don't know what a ''console'' is? Never played a ''game'' before? These types of people usually take my SSX Tricky board into hundreds of trees before making it down the hill, which can be frustrating. Thankfully, the learning curve in this game is so simple it'll have you wondering what all those other buttons do. X makes you go forwards, R1 powers the boost. Brakes? That thought never even occurred to me. If a sharp turn is needed don't feel shy to glance off the walls, or induce a powerslide.

One thing that will keep you coming back to this marvelous game is the 2-player racing fun. Trying to smash each other usually becomes the focal point in the race. Also, trying to beat each other's high scores in the suicide, crashing mode becomes an addicting mode. As far as single player goes, you will actually feel like doing tracks you know again, just for fun. Races are never the same, because traffic changes and you know you can always do better with your driving. Actually clearing a track without crashing is quite a feat, because most of the time you'll get a minimum of three to five of them.

Burnout 2 looks like an average title upon first glance. Playing the game itself is another story, one that will blow you away. It's too bad this game didn't get as much publicity as some of the other games. I'm sure a commercial or two would go a long way to getting this amazing game discovered. The only thing that actually managed to hold this game back from a perfect score is that it doesn't necessarily last as long as I'd like it to have. A few more tracks and cars would have been greatly appreciated. Despite all this, if you have a PS2, take a chance and go out to rent this game. I guarantee you you'll be blown away.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/04/02, Updated 11/04/02