Burnout 2: Point of Impact
The sequel to Criterion's criminally underrated racer is here, and yes, it still has the best crashes on the planet.
Published: October 27, 2002
I loved the first Burnout. I loved it so much I not only reviewed it here at PSX2.com, I did it for IGN as well. Here's the thing, though, and it's something I merely touched on in both of those reviews: most people look at the game and see it as a simple arcade racer, which it really isn't. Sure, it looks like an arcade racer, and it sure as hell feels like one, but hidden underneath is something very sneaky, very seductive, and very, very addictive. Burnout, and even more so with the sequel, is a gamble.
Yes, of course, it's still an arcade racing game too, but there's more to it, and it's really only something you'll understand once you've wrapped your mitts around a controller and given it a couple minutes. Everything in Burnout 2 revolves around speed, or rather maxing it out. This is done most effectively by employing the Burnout meter, which is built up by driving like a sauced up New York cabbie that has a pastrami on rye heading out whether he's ready or not. You're forced to drive against oncoming traffic, to narrowly avoid cars, to voluntarily loose the grip those four contact patches maintain with the road. It's the only way to build that Burnout meter and REALLY get moving. Here's the catch: how much you do it is completely up to you.
You can get away with simply tap dancing around dangerous driving, but that'll only get you one, maybe two Burnout sessions per race. This might nab you the win, but it's going to be insanely close. If you want to widen the gap between you and the other racers, you'll have to push the boundaries of comfort. Blink, sneeze, cough – break your concentration in any way – and there's a good chance you'll find yourself not only out of control, but more than likely intimately familiar with exactly how many flies had spattered against the license plate on that 18 wheeler.
And there's the gamble. The sense of speed is incredibly addicting, and the cost – especially later on in the game – can be as little as a place or three or as much as the race. This is something that was present in the first game, and it's just as obvious here. The difference is that Burnout 2 is more polished, more refined, and just flat out more fun. The same basic premise – get to the finish line before the other guys – still holds true, and the only thing that's really been added is the fact that lifting all four wheels off the ground for any stretch of time will get you a little more Burnout juice.
There are small tweaks, of course; you'll no longer eat it if you slam into one of the arrow guides, and ramming into the other racers simply nudges them. I can't be certain, but it feels like the game is a bit more forgiving about slamming into walls, and scraping along big rigs and moving vans doesn't seem to result in the same dire consequences. The control feels a bit tighter as well, but that may just be a result of retooled tracks that favor gentler curves and bigger straightaways. Before you hop into the game proper, you'll also be taken through a driving school to bring you up to speed. This simply walks you though how to play the game, and offers the opportunity to unlock a car. The tracks themselves are broken up into either single races, multi-track championships, Need for Speed-style pursuit chases, or one-on-one duels for pinks (theirs, not yours).
The car list has grown considerably, so in addition to the usual sports cars, pickups, and sedans, you can unlock Driver's Ed putters, NASCAR racers, concept cards, and a smattering of other high-performance machines. The tracks, too, have undergone a metamorphosis – not just in basic layout, but in presentation; things are a bit more freeway-friendly this time around, and in a slightly disappointing turn, less varied. There's still variety from track to track, but something I dug about the first game was how much things changed over the course of a level. Moving from a crowded alleyway to waterfront to mountain pass wasn't uncommon, but I suppose sacrifices had to be made for the sake of speed.
I've said it before and it bears repeating: the Burnout games have the best crashes ever seen in a videogame. Criterion knows this, and they decided that the best way to really hammer this home was to build an entire new mode around it. Crash Mode lives up to its moniker, saddling you with the task of unleashing utter chaos on an orderly, unsuspecting intersection. For each crash scenario, three monetary levels are set. Simply cause that much damage and you get a bronze, silver or gold medal, and unlock more levels. Pileups equal multipliers, which equals the big money needed to nab a medal. It's simple, it's effective, and holy hell is it addictive. Crash Mode is the very definition of "Just One More Try," and has kept me up many, many nights hours later than I wanted to be.
Easily the most noticeable change between the two games, however, is the graphics. There's probably no better evidence of exactly what the RenderWare platform is capable of than to look at the first and second Burnout games side by side. The difference is absolutely night and day, Criterion basically used the first Burnout game to show off what the RenderWare engine was capable, but they've always touted the fact that it's constantly being optimized and updated for all the consoles. Burnout 2 is a perfect testament to that fact, and it's truly something to see the PS2 go toe-to-toe with the other consoles and still hold its own without breaking much of a sweat.
The crashes have gotten a serious bump up in a couple different areas, the most prevalent being the way entire panels tear off an go skittering across the pavement, leaving rooster tails of white-hot bouncing sparks. Likewise, slipping up alongside another vehicle and kissing metal to metal meets with similar particle punch. More glass shatters, more debris leaps into the air, more metal deforms… Just watching a crash is full facial exercise, working all the muscles necessary for a cringe, grimace, smirk and full-blown grin.
There's literally so much being heaped onto the screen that I found it nearly impossible to see how the PS2 could keep up. The nighttime airport track alone should have had so much happening inside my loveable black brick that it should have melted down into a useless hunk of black plastic. Instead, any eyes lucky enough to behold the level in all its softly falling rainy glory will likely bug out of their head. It's simply amazing. In fact, slowdown is a very rare occurrence, and even then only happens during crash replays. In all honesty, the PS2 shouldn't be able to kick out such sickly sweet eye candy, but it does, and it does it with unbridled bravado.
The audio wasn't left out of the upgrade either. Tire squeals, metal-on-metal impacts, engine revs – all of it has gotten a noticeable kick in both fidelity and variety. The music has undergone a shift as well, ditching the more dynamic electronica-tinged loops from the first game in favor of more poppy, grinding guitar work. The music stays relatively subdued until you kick in the boost, then jumps into high gear, arresting your eardrums and slamming you firmly into the realm of serious speed.
Burnout 2 is good, that much should be readily apparent. Unless you're a die-hard gear head, I can't see any reason why this game wouldn't be a must-have. Like the first game, it doesn't break any racing paradigms, doesn't forge new territory in the genre, doesn't try to be anything other than what it is: a really, really solid, gorgeous, blisteringly fast racing game that just wants you to have fun.
Yes, of course, it's still an arcade racing game too, but there's more to it, and it's really only something you'll understand once you've wrapped your mitts around a controller and given it a couple minutes. Everything in Burnout 2 revolves around speed, or rather maxing it out. This is done most effectively by employing the Burnout meter, which is built up by driving like a sauced up New York cabbie that has a pastrami on rye heading out whether he's ready or not. You're forced to drive against oncoming traffic, to narrowly avoid cars, to voluntarily loose the grip those four contact patches maintain with the road. It's the only way to build that Burnout meter and REALLY get moving. Here's the catch: how much you do it is completely up to you.
You can get away with simply tap dancing around dangerous driving, but that'll only get you one, maybe two Burnout sessions per race. This might nab you the win, but it's going to be insanely close. If you want to widen the gap between you and the other racers, you'll have to push the boundaries of comfort. Blink, sneeze, cough – break your concentration in any way – and there's a good chance you'll find yourself not only out of control, but more than likely intimately familiar with exactly how many flies had spattered against the license plate on that 18 wheeler.
And there's the gamble. The sense of speed is incredibly addicting, and the cost – especially later on in the game – can be as little as a place or three or as much as the race. This is something that was present in the first game, and it's just as obvious here. The difference is that Burnout 2 is more polished, more refined, and just flat out more fun. The same basic premise – get to the finish line before the other guys – still holds true, and the only thing that's really been added is the fact that lifting all four wheels off the ground for any stretch of time will get you a little more Burnout juice.
There are small tweaks, of course; you'll no longer eat it if you slam into one of the arrow guides, and ramming into the other racers simply nudges them. I can't be certain, but it feels like the game is a bit more forgiving about slamming into walls, and scraping along big rigs and moving vans doesn't seem to result in the same dire consequences. The control feels a bit tighter as well, but that may just be a result of retooled tracks that favor gentler curves and bigger straightaways. Before you hop into the game proper, you'll also be taken through a driving school to bring you up to speed. This simply walks you though how to play the game, and offers the opportunity to unlock a car. The tracks themselves are broken up into either single races, multi-track championships, Need for Speed-style pursuit chases, or one-on-one duels for pinks (theirs, not yours).
The car list has grown considerably, so in addition to the usual sports cars, pickups, and sedans, you can unlock Driver's Ed putters, NASCAR racers, concept cards, and a smattering of other high-performance machines. The tracks, too, have undergone a metamorphosis – not just in basic layout, but in presentation; things are a bit more freeway-friendly this time around, and in a slightly disappointing turn, less varied. There's still variety from track to track, but something I dug about the first game was how much things changed over the course of a level. Moving from a crowded alleyway to waterfront to mountain pass wasn't uncommon, but I suppose sacrifices had to be made for the sake of speed.
I've said it before and it bears repeating: the Burnout games have the best crashes ever seen in a videogame. Criterion knows this, and they decided that the best way to really hammer this home was to build an entire new mode around it. Crash Mode lives up to its moniker, saddling you with the task of unleashing utter chaos on an orderly, unsuspecting intersection. For each crash scenario, three monetary levels are set. Simply cause that much damage and you get a bronze, silver or gold medal, and unlock more levels. Pileups equal multipliers, which equals the big money needed to nab a medal. It's simple, it's effective, and holy hell is it addictive. Crash Mode is the very definition of "Just One More Try," and has kept me up many, many nights hours later than I wanted to be.
Easily the most noticeable change between the two games, however, is the graphics. There's probably no better evidence of exactly what the RenderWare platform is capable of than to look at the first and second Burnout games side by side. The difference is absolutely night and day, Criterion basically used the first Burnout game to show off what the RenderWare engine was capable, but they've always touted the fact that it's constantly being optimized and updated for all the consoles. Burnout 2 is a perfect testament to that fact, and it's truly something to see the PS2 go toe-to-toe with the other consoles and still hold its own without breaking much of a sweat.
The crashes have gotten a serious bump up in a couple different areas, the most prevalent being the way entire panels tear off an go skittering across the pavement, leaving rooster tails of white-hot bouncing sparks. Likewise, slipping up alongside another vehicle and kissing metal to metal meets with similar particle punch. More glass shatters, more debris leaps into the air, more metal deforms… Just watching a crash is full facial exercise, working all the muscles necessary for a cringe, grimace, smirk and full-blown grin.
There's literally so much being heaped onto the screen that I found it nearly impossible to see how the PS2 could keep up. The nighttime airport track alone should have had so much happening inside my loveable black brick that it should have melted down into a useless hunk of black plastic. Instead, any eyes lucky enough to behold the level in all its softly falling rainy glory will likely bug out of their head. It's simply amazing. In fact, slowdown is a very rare occurrence, and even then only happens during crash replays. In all honesty, the PS2 shouldn't be able to kick out such sickly sweet eye candy, but it does, and it does it with unbridled bravado.
The audio wasn't left out of the upgrade either. Tire squeals, metal-on-metal impacts, engine revs – all of it has gotten a noticeable kick in both fidelity and variety. The music has undergone a shift as well, ditching the more dynamic electronica-tinged loops from the first game in favor of more poppy, grinding guitar work. The music stays relatively subdued until you kick in the boost, then jumps into high gear, arresting your eardrums and slamming you firmly into the realm of serious speed.
Burnout 2 is good, that much should be readily apparent. Unless you're a die-hard gear head, I can't see any reason why this game wouldn't be a must-have. Like the first game, it doesn't break any racing paradigms, doesn't forge new territory in the genre, doesn't try to be anything other than what it is: a really, really solid, gorgeous, blisteringly fast racing game that just wants you to have fun.
