Burnout Revenge Review

Platform: Xbox 360
ERSB: Teen
Genre: Racing (Crashing)
Publisher: EA
Release Date: 03/07/2006
Official Website
Writers: Typhoid

Rating: 9.0

Burnout Revenge: Fun to Crash and Burn

As I’ve mentioned in my review for Flatout 2, I don’t generally like racing games. However there are a select few games which rise above the same tired recipes. This particular game is great because it is as much about crashing as racing. Not only are you encouraged to crash into other cars during the races, but there are separate levels called “Crashbreakers” which are solely about causing the most disastrous multi-car pile-up as possible. As you smash through the levels, you achieve ratings which proclaim you to be a higher danger to the driving public with each pass.

Graphics:
The look of this game is best described as “unrealistically amazing.” Burnout perhaps could have been made to look more realistic but then it wouldn’t have been as pretty- and that’s definitely the intent here. The cars’ exteriors reflect like mirrored glass, and the body designs are pulled from any masturbatory car aficionado magazine. At the end of each level you are encouraged to review your race with added flourishes so flamboyant that the game makers expect their players to have an unnatural love for their car racing.

Controls:
The cars stick to the road with supernatural ease, and the responsiveness is ridiculously accurate. Sometimes I think the cars are invisibly attached to tracks in the ground, not free-moving vehicles. However, not skidding around makes for a more FUN game… just not a more realistic one.

Sound:
The soundtrack is more diverse than Flatout 2’s, which makes it a lot less repetitive. There aren’t as many songs that are readily recognizable to the public and this game’s music relies less on hard rock and more on electronic music. The sound effects of the cars and levels are outstanding, though I’m usually inclined to turn up the music.

Flow:
The load screens are nearly unbearable. In the “Crashbreaker” levels, the load screens are often longer than the level itself. The amazing thing is that it’s still worth it; you just need to have something to do while waiting. The progression from level to level is very simple to pick up and understand. You are also able to easily navigate to previous levels to improve your scores to pass levels.

Fun Factor:
Not only is this game fun, but it’s also an enormous stress reliever. However the long loading screens might be frustrating enough to quit if you’re impatient. One part that makes this game less fun than other games is the utter lack of variety in the cars, and the lack of any feeling of ownership over them. With the exception of the Crashbreaker levels, all of the cars are high-end performance cars. Level after level of shiny sports cars just gets old. One of the only spots of originality was when there was one car that was painted with an Xbox 360 motif. Also it would be nice to feel like the owner of the cars, like in Flatout 2 where you can upgrade your cars and keep them in your garage.

Female Aspect:
None, but there really isn’t a male presence either. It’s perfectly acceptable that the game is more about the cars than about sex. Though there are times that I think the game’s love for the cars themselves starts to cross that line.

Replay Value:
Very high until you go back and achieve gold on all of the levels. Then you’re probably never going to touch it again… at least until another sequel is made.

Really the only thing that needed drastic improvement was the loading time, which probably isn’t going to happen on a Next-Gen console. Also I’d really like to see some personal stake in the wins and some feeling of variety and possession over the cars.