What makes the Burnout series so appealing, even to people who can't stand
driving games, isn't the violence or the wrecks. It's the sheer intensity, the
way the blistering motion and garish visuals of Burnout Takedown left the eyes so fried that nothing short of watching Meet The Press could cool them
down. And while they reveled in chaos, Takedown and Revenge also rewarded practice, especially in the "Crash" mode, where the
challenge of ricocheting through a high-traffic area was akin to playing pool
with people's lives.
But Burnout Paradise trades that intensity for laidback cruising. Instead of sticking you in
one race after another, the game takes place in an open city where drivers can
wander around, exploring the train tracks or cruising the mountain roads as
they look for their next race. The strategy isn't a slam dunk: Compared to the
exotic settings of the Burnout World Tours, Paradise City looks as dull as
Denver. You'll have to find your way to the end of each race, which is
rewarding when you know the roads and shortcuts, but frustrating for casual
drivers. And instead of the concentrated carnage of "Crash" mode, Paradise introduces the ridiculous "Showtime," which
lets you flip a wreck half a mile or more through traffic, bopping onto
everything in your path.
Beyond the game: To cover up the game's
fantastic violence, the cars in Burnout Paradise have no
drivers—which gives the impression that zombie cars have overrun the
city, aimlessly prowling the abandoned streets.
Worth
playing for: Paradise nails the
sweet spot of making you feel like you're careening down twisty mountain rides
with your heart in your throat, while protecting you from the dumb mistakes or
cheap obstacles that would break the flow.
Frustration sets in when: If you lose a
race—and by the way, second and third place are worth bupkus this
time—you can't just hit a button and try again; you have to trek all the
way back to the starting point, or just write it off and find something else to
do.
Final
judgment: The Burnout franchise
risks a new direction, and comes one sequel away from perfection.