Burnout Revenge

How was It Revenge might as well be an IV of adrenaline pumping into my veins. It has the same intense traffic-battling action as Burnout 3. though don't expect the same huge jump in quality that you saw from Burnout 2 to 3.

You won't see a lot of new modes, but now, the tracks have more alternate paths and side ramps, which means more room for the cars to bump around in. Also, regular traffic on the road doesn't automatically mean instant death anymore. With the exception of oncoming cars, big rigs, and buses, you can barrel right through all normal traffic without missing a beat. This makes the game a lot less frustrating--and less challenging--than Burnout 3.

I have loved playing Burnout since the second game in this series, and I can't say that I've ever seen an arcade style racer that's better. And although it has already appeared on the Xbox and Playstation 2 several months ago, you'll see that Burnout Revenge is a creature born to live in the Xbox 360. From stunning high-def to the multiplayer offered by Xbox Live, this game is a great combination of ease of play, game features, and sheer destructive energy.

The first thing I'm happy to report on is the crash mode. In Burnout 3, Crash mode was crippled, having been turned into a powerup hunt. Aftertouch your car into a crashbreaker, win the stage. Revenge fixes that by giving you access to crashbreakers all the time, as long as you can crash enough cars to fill up your boost bar. A further improvement over the Xbox and PS2 versions is the discarding of the acceleration minigame before you started the crash junction. Another great change is the traffic checking, which lets you slam same direction traffic out of your way. You can't take out a big rig or a bus, but you can knock other traffic into them to take them out. Finally, I've got to say that after walking through the races in Burnout 2 and 3, I was happy to see a much more refined balance in this game. It is difficult to get a gold the first time around in certain gameplay modes, and even at lower levels, getting the highest rank in a normal race offers good challenge.

Ultimately, all improvements aside, there are two reasons why Criterion deserves accolades for their design. First, Burnout games are always really easy to play, since you can just jump straight in and start playing. Second, these games almost always know exactly how to use their features to the fullest potential; Revenge is no exception.

Visually, this game serves to prove one important fact. I need a high-def TV. After seeing the difference between a normal TV and a high-def TV, this game is meant to be played with such high quality. Visual distance is greater due to the clarity, and frankly, it is so much easier to avoid crashing on a better TV. Like most modern EA titles, the soundtrack that comes with the game is great, but what made me happiest is the sound of the Burnout theme playing over the intro menu screens.

Burnout Revenge is an unqualified success, and in my opinion, should be a must have for any Xbox 360 owner.