Kumiko Nikaido
Vindication...sweet.
Title - Burnout 3: Takedown
Developer - Criterion Software Limited
Publisher - Electronic Arts
Genre - Racing
Format - PS2 (also for Xbox)
Release Date - September 7, 2004
MSRP - $49.99
Electronic Arts has let loose a demo (for retail purposes only) of their upcoming adrenaline-filled racer, Burnout 3: Takedown. What will fans of the Burnout series find in this 3rd entry? A whole lot of shock and awe.....and then some. Burnout 3 is pure arcade-style racing gold through and through, even leaving the intensity of it's prior incarnation, Burnout 2: Point of Impact, in the dust. This 3rd game, courtesy of the fine folk at Criterion once again, have crafted a blistering racing experience like no other. With a plethora of racing titles scheduled to hit the market for the end of the year (Need for Speed: Underground 2, Street Racing Syndicate, Gran Turismo 4, Juiced, Outrun 2, Forza Motorsport, etc.), Burnout 3 goes head-above-shoulders over the competition with its awesome sensation of speed, "takedown" crashes, and its overall style of being aggressive.
Graphics
This is sweet eye-candy at its finest, folks. The framerate is at a knock-out 60 FPS, complete with motion blurs (that distort on the sides of your peripheral vision), lens flares, dust/smoke/flare/spark effects, and particle/debris effects (when you crash) up the wazoo. Criterion have fined tuned their RenderWare middleware tools and it shines brightly......this is best looking game developed using RenderWare Version 3.0. The car models themselves could be a wee tad better, but their use of reflections (when they pass under lights, graze other cars, etc.) are tight.
Things get quite eye-opening when you crash (or when you see your oppenents bite it big time).... all hell does indeed break loose: You see your car chassis break apart and ricochet across its surroundings. Even the pieces of your car break apart and bend like crazy (even more dramatic compared to what you saw in Burnout 2). When your car bashes against the environment, you see crazy spark and light effects that compliment your pathetic destruction. Woo, good stuff!
The demo only showcases one racing course through the city, but even the city is teeming with more detail compared to the already pimp looking Burnout 2: POI. The buildings and skyline are crisp.....but since you'll be paying attention to your aggressive driving for mass pointage, perhaps you you won't have time to notice, haha!
Music/Sound Effects
The audio showcase heard in Burnout 3 is more or less the same compared to the aural experience of Burnout 2. When you engage your nitro boost, your hear your car "whistle" as it floors down the highway with flare. Speaking of "flare", your hear your boost gauge "on fire" as you zip down the streets and alleys taking down your opponents....nice touch. And when you crash, you hear your chassis' metal grind against the street and surroundings.....oohh, painful to hear!
Gameplay
They don't subtitle Burnout 3 with "Takedown" for nothing. That's the name of the game hear. In addition to racing to vye for first place, you're totally encouraged to drive aggressively and take down your opponents....by slamming into them, bashing them into guardrails, leading them into oncoming traffic.....you name it. When you take them down, the camera pans over to them in slow-motion, and you see their demise. The camera cuts back to you and your racing, and its off to more continuous racing rampage. The more dramatic and style you take down your opponents, the more points for score you earn.
Opponent A.I. is also aggressive, as they'll attempt to nudge you from the back or sideswipe you into oblivion. A.I. smartness range from witty to just stupid.....you'll see them smack into traffic or tail you with determination. In essence, just like what was had in Burnout 2...heh.
The breakdown of the controls (applicable for this demo) is as follows:
X = Accelerate
Square = Brake
Triangle = Camera Toggle
Circle = (nothing)
D-Pad = Steering
Left Analog = Steering
Right Analog = Acclerate/Brake
R1 = Boost/Induce Slow-Motion (for crash replays)
L1 = Look Back
All drifting through corners is handling by the brake button....there's no handbrake to use for powersliding here. Powerslider purists may be miffed, but the controls are responsive and easy for all sorts of insane driving antics.
Real-world cars are out the door, but Criterion's selection of would-be cars provide the all the thrills you need.
The demo is quite short, with just one lap and one city track to give a test run. But, wow. Just wow. The sense of speed is amazing and exhilarating, and the gameplay is oh-so-good fun and taut. You'll definitely be playing this over and over again at the kiosk (or wherever you'll get to experience this fine racing beast). Too bad Criterion didn't have more meat to sample.....that would've been even more fine.
Verdict
Hands-down a very, very strong contender for arcade racer of the year. Gran Turismo 4 may take the cake on the simluation and real-world scenarios end, but Burnout 3 takes the cake for ultimate crashing and pile-up scoring bliss. It's total fun to see your car wreck and bite it big time, and it's very tense to negotiate city traffice to outwit, outsmart, and outcrash your racing competition.
The final version of Burnout 3 will feature over 30 locations spanning North America, Asia, and Europe. In terms of car selection, the game will have over 60 cars to drive. Multiplayer for offline experiences will have 6 modes of play. And of course, both the PS2 and Xbox versions will go all out with online racing modes of mayhem and spectacular destruction.
Hands-down a must-buy on release date, Burnout 3: Takedown is no-holds barred relentless for all you speed demons and crash freaks....the true definition of white-knuckle action! Slow-ass grandmas and pansies need not apply!
