Burnout
- April 29, 2002 00:00 AM PST
If you�ve got a need for speed, a GameCube, and a death wish, click here.
Finally, an arcade racer that does what it should! Burnout offers a great mix of easy accessibility, straightforward style, and pants-wetting excitement. Yes, �pants-wetting.�
Road Rage
Burnout doesn�t just let you drive recklessly�it downright encourages it. The game rewards your near misses, power drifts, and dangerous swerves in the form of a boost meter: The more you cheat death, the more speed boost you�re allotted. When the gauge is full, hit the turbo button and fly forward even faster. Of course, that just means you�re more likely to crash�but without risk, there is no victory. If you can survive the Championship mode, you�ll unlock several hidden cars and a total of 14 tracks.
For an arcade racer, there�s an awful lot of reality in Burnout. The advanced physics model means cars lose grip when you�d expect them to and crash spectacularly. The graphics offer their own subtle realism�you won�t see really complex objects, but you won�t find distracting elements here either. Slightly shiny cars, nice textures, and basic geometry all keep the focus on the gameplay. The one indulgence is replays�they look fairly fancy.
Go Play in Traffic
The game�s most important aspect, control, is as sharp as your reflexes�you�ll be darting in and out of traffic in no time, and the faster cars with looser handling will put you to the test. Only the music�a lackluster combination of generic dance beats and tire squeals�seems lacking.
Burnout is a low-profile, working-man�s arcade racer�low on flash, high on crash. It delivers the goods�seek it out.
