Burnout Revenge

"Inexcusable holdovers and random penalties hurt otherwise good entry"

Burnout Revenge is the latest console entry in the Burnout racing series. Released in 2005 to rave reviews, one would be led to believe that this is the direction arcade racing should have taken long ago. While there is a lot to like about Revenge, there are also some design elements that are questionable, if not outright bad.

The Basics

Burnout Revenge is a very pretty racer with violent gameplay highly reminiscent of an episode of Speed Racer. Numerous events are spread out over a large number of unique locales, each requiring various mindsets and strategies to overcome; the overlying theme to all of these events, however, is to drive dangerously and aggressively. As a reward, players are given something called "boost", essentially a "nitro" or "turbo" bonus that permits greater speeds than simply holding down the accelerator. Further, advancement to later events requires the player to hone their skills in earlier events, theoretically permitting a steady progression in difficulty. As an incentive for performing well, new vehicles, events, and gameplay features are unlocked the further a player progresses in the game.

The Good

Don't let the rating fool you. Burnout Revenge is an addictive game.

As stated before, this is a very pretty racer. There is a tremendous amount of detail in each of the environments, and the vehicle models are wonderful to behold. Further, those vehicle models blow up real good -- crashes and explosions abound in this game, and the damage is impressive. Vehicles involved in collisions go so far as to take damage relative to the weight and speed of the vehicles that have hit them. It's a visceral thrill that never ceases to delight.

Finding alternate routes through each course is also a great thrill. Not since Midway's Rush series has it been so imperative to find another way to reach the finish line, and there is usually some sort of reward for finding these extras, whether it be a shorter route, a clearer path, or some decent air that allows you to garner additional boost, as well as an opportunity to perhaps land on top of one of your pesky competitors in a new feature called a Vertical Takedown.

All in all, there is a lot to like about this game. So why the middling rating?

The Bad

Perhaps the greatest problem with this game, and one so large that it has prompted such a low rating, is the inexplicable randomness of its aggressive driving rewards and penalties. In theory, the player is expected to hit their opponents in certain ways, pushing them into obstacles, or at least off to the side, thereby slowing them down and potentially causing them to crash. As a reward, boost is added to the boost meter. However, if the competitors hit the player, then boost is removed from the meter. The theory is simple, but the execution is flawed.

Players can expect to ram their opponents, but receive notice that it was, in fact, they who have been "Shunted". Opponents may ram the players, but somehow it is the player who receives the reward. A "Tradin' Paint" bonus, wherein the player's car and a competitor's car are pushing into one another and generating sparks, may suddenly turn into a "Slammed" penalty with absolutely no warning or reason. This hurts the strategy aspect to the racing tremendously, to the point where some players may avoid competitive racing until it is absolutely essential to reaching the next series of events.

As to the "holdovers" mentioned in the title? Steering and braking top the list of problems this game exhibits. Often, an attempt to avoid an obstacle is thwarted by a system that barely permits the player to move to one side or the other. This causes a number of crashes that truly are not the player's fault. In the even that the player brakes to avoid crashing, a Drift (that is, turning one way while moving in the direction they were going in the first place) may result, which still results in crashing. If the player successfully brakes, there is still a steep penalty in that acceleration can be a slow process (even with boost), allowing competitors to zip ahead to the top positions.

Further, the camera in Crash mode (cause a massive pileup by crashing in key locations) remains problematic. While limited control of the camera has been inserted, it can be wildly unhelpful and even disorienting when it suddenly snaps into place, facing in a completely different direction than where the player was looking just a moment ago.

The Thoroughly "Meh"

The soundtrack is a hit-or-miss affair. Some songs are good, some songs are out of place, and some songs are just sort of there. This is typical of licensed soundtracks, but most players will not find the music an offense to their ears.

The Wrapup

Ultimately, Burnout Revenge is an entertaining, addictive game with flaws that hurt the overall experience. Those willing to overlook the sometimes random nature of the penalties system, and who can forgive some of the design shortcomings of the game will have a grand time.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/06/06