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GameCube | Driving | Burnout 2: Point of Impact

Boxart for Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Burnout 2: Point of Impact 15 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.5
  • SOUND: 4.5
  • CONTROL: 4.5
  • FUN FACTOR 4.5
  • AVG USER SCORE 5.0
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.3
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Review: Burnout 2: Point of Impact

Review by DANELEKTRO | 05/02/2003 | 11:28:51 AM PST

The most dangerous driver on the road is back on the GameCube?and it?s prettier, faster, and smashier than before.

Burnout 2 made its debut on the PS2, but a game this good can?t be contained on just one platform. The GameCube version cranks up the fun and adds some neat perks that Nintendo race fans won?t want to be without.

Reckless and Wild
The old racing rules don?t apply to Burnout 2. You?ve got to drive dangerously?speed against the flow of traffic, barely miss other cars on the road, catch air whenever possible, and pull dangerous powerslides around corners. All those things build your boost meter, which reduces the game to a frantic blur. Link those boosts together, and you get a terrifying Burnout chain that will leave you white-knuckled and short of breath.

There?s two-player racing and a new cop chase mode, but the most fun in Burnout 2 is the crash mode. It?s simple: Pick a car, drive into one of 30 traffic situations (twice as many as in the PS2 version), and figure out how to create a pileup for maximum damage. It?s like Tetris with scrap metal?and indescribably addictive.

Visually, the game?s a stunner?cars look great thanks to a high polygon count, and when they crash, parts fly absolutely everywhere. The specular reflections look wonderful, and the game supports hi-res progressive scan output. Not only do the traffic sounds and honking horns add to the tension, but the Satriani-like guitar music also increases in volume and intensity when you unleash your boost. Control is super-sharp, enabling powerslides and pinpoint steering with very little learning curve.

Smashing!
Burnout 2 on the GameCube outshines the first game and the PS2 sequel in several ways; if you missed any of the other editions, this is the perfect way to catch up.