Burnout Revenge

"This game re-defines the racing crasher genre."

Burnout Revenge, the highly anticipated sequel to Burnout 3: Takedown. Although missing a few noticeable features (namely, the ability to do World Tour events without the hassle of time limits), this game is nearly flawless.

Gameplay: 10/10

"Revenge" gives you a "wolf pack" sense as you and the other racers are tearing at each other's throats in the effort to be in first place as you cross that yellow finish line. THe rubber band AI effect that has been implemented in the past Burnout games has been improved, increasing the tension as you boost away from the rest of the racers, only to be shunted into oncoming traffic by someone who wants to be number one more than you do. It's great, simply amazing. Boosting adds a nice effect as well, but more on that in the Graphics section.

Graphics: 10/10

"Revenge" offers a sort of "Bullet time" effect as you go rocketing down an old Italian street at over 200 miles per hour by blurring the edges of your screen so taht you can only concentrate on the task at hand...and the bloodthirsty rival that is right behind you. Sparks fly everywhere when you wreck, and the car demolition effects are pulled off flawlessly. Depending on where you get hit at, your windshield will shatter, hoods fly off, doors are ripped asunder, the very framework of your vehicle is destroyed. The game also carries on the tradition of the "Takedown cam". When you force a rival to wreck, you get a short glimpse of their fate as they roll, collapse, or in some special cases, fly off a mountain as you laugh heatedly and keep going, only to meet that same fate seconds later as an opponent takes advantage of your lapse of concentration. Environments are partially destructable as well, with you being able to knock over barriers, gates, and other things.

Sound/Audio: 8/10

The included "EA Trax" option is horrid. No music worthwhile is included, so you might as well use the music you placed on your Xbox (yes, personal playlists are supported online as well!) Other sound effects, suck as the "whooshing" noise of igniting Nitrous Oxide is well captured, as is the collision sounds of a 30 car pileup. Tires squeal as you roar down the road, focusing on only one objective: victory. The DJ from Burnout 3: Takedown has been sadly removed, but it's been made up for with the other superb sound effects.

Online play: Yes. Xbox Live is fully supported, with new maps and features being released from EA, and it's always easy to find a game no matter what time it is. A warning though, be sure to complete World Tour mode and get the fastest cars available or your real life opponents will leave you choking on their dust.

Playlist support? YES! Nothing beats playing Road Rage mode while hearing Iron Maiden blare from your speakers.

Rent or Buy? As much as I love this game, you can get the most from it in a one week rental. If you're a big fan of the previous Burnout games, then definitly throw down the fifty dollars for this game.

Final score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/13/05