Burnout comes to the 360 (Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox))

Member Name: sagat

Product:	Burnout 3: Takedown (Xbox)
Date:	09/03/09 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent arcade racng

Disadvantages: Some fiendish later levels

I have never been a massive fan of driving games, especially realistic ones. Give me a bit of Mario Kart or Micro Machines any day. I purchased Burnout 2 on my Playstation 2 on a friend's insistance and never looked back. Its arcade style presentation and over the top game mechanics were thoroughly good fun, whilst the different game modes offered plenty of multiplayer fun. I recently picked up Burnout 3 at a discount price for the 360 and gave it a good going over.

The beauty of Burnout is that it is so instantly accessible. You simply start the game and you can jump straight into the action. The graphics are excellent, bright and vibrant, whilst the sound is loud and in your face. Gone is the brash and sometimes irritating Crash FM, replaced with a variety of current songs as is EA's way.

As before, Burnout offers several different playmodes such as standard races and time trials. Personally, I gain a massive amount of pleasure from the crash modes. In this mode you are presented with a set piece scene. Using your car as a missile, you have to cause the biggest amount of damage possible. The simplistic nature of this mode make it hilarious fun and it is easy for beginners to get to grips with, so it is great fun for friends to play who haven't played the game much before.

As you progress through the game, you unlock new tracks and vehicles to use. These range from sleek concept cars to hotdog vans, each with their own attributes and driving styles.

One problem I found with Burnout 2 was that I simply could not complete any of the races! As such, I could not unlock anymore. This is probably due to me not investing enough time in learning the circuits, but I did find it frustrating. Takedown is far more accomodating to us lazy types. By mainly just playing the Crash mode, I managed to unlock a plethora of new racing tracks and cars, so I am glad this issue was addressed.

The races themselves are simply a joy to behold. The courses are well thought out and varied, with plenty of action going on as the races take place. I felt a real sensation of speed as you zoom through cities, gripping tightly on to the controller as I tried to beat my opponents. The crashes really do hurt! Metal grinds and screeches as you put your poor car through hell, but it is all worth it when you use aftertouch to take out a rival with your twisted hunk of metal!

I found the races themselves very enjoyable. Although the computer AI does sometimes feel like it is cheating to catch up, you usually receive boosts to push you back into contention as well, so it is a fairly even playing field.

Multiplayer mode is simple to navigate, offering a variety of challenges and courses to suit all levels of player. When actually driving, the split screen is easy to understand and visibility is excellent.

Overall, I would recommend this to newcomers and long time fans. Burnout offers a refreshingly lively arcade take on the racing genre which is fun in single and multiplayer modes.

Summary: Great fun for pros and beginners