Burnout 3 Impressions (Release Version)

[Toper]

Friend from EA dropped off a nice gift for me today. Here are my quick hits after 2 hours of play (Xbox version):

- Game moves fast...I didn't play the demo, but I played the hell out of the first two burnouts, and there's no dropoff in speed/framerate in this one.

- Graphics are mindblowing. Seeing the camera pan to your "victim's" car after ramming them off the road (while showing details of the crash) feels so good (camera pan can be turned off).

- Cars controlled well, with your typical arcade-style handling, powersliding, and turbo. Everything felt as good as the previous versions.

- Didn't try xbox live yet

- Game tracks all sorts of stats: from number of takedowns to longest powerslide, etc.

- 2 player mode played well. No probs with framerate and up to 4 other ai drivers. Multiple modes as well.

- Only 3 cars unlocked in beginning.

- "Crash" mode is back and can be played with 2 players at same time, also. New feature is a sort of "car bomb" that you can set off after the initial crash to cause even more damage.

- Lame DJ is in the story mode (think SSX 3). Hope you can turn him off somewhere.

Bottom line: Sofar this one just "feels" like a quality title to me. I can't see any reason that fans of the first two wouldn't like this one. I would like to try the ps2 version for comparison's sake, tho. Anyways, I know that there's some peeps in here waitiing for this one and all I can say is that I don't think you folks will be disappointed.

Toper

[Spooky]

Thanks for the impressions Toper. I am anxiously awaiting my purchase tomorrow!!!

[dbdynsty25]

Yup...Pro Fishing Challenge and Burnout 3 are in my future at EB tomorrow.

[jLp vAkEr0]

Friend from EA dropped off a nice gift for me today. Here are my quick hits after 2 hours of play (Xbox version):

- Game moves fast...I didn't play the demo, but I played the hell out of the first two burnouts, and there's no dropoff in speed/framerate in this one.

- Graphics are mindblowing. Seeing the camera pan to your "victim's" car after ramming them off the road (while showing details of the crash) feels so good (camera pan can be turned off).

- Cars controlled well, with your typical arcade-style handling, powersliding, and turbo. Everything felt as good as the previous versions.

- Didn't try xbox live yet

- Game tracks all sorts of stats: from number of takedowns to longest powerslide, etc.

- 2 player mode played well. No probs with framerate and up to 4 other ai drivers. Multiple modes as well.

- Only 3 cars unlocked in beginning.

- "Crash" mode is back and can be played with 2 players at same time, also. New feature is a sort of "car bomb" that you can set off after the initial crash to cause even more damage.

- Lame DJ is in the story mode (think SSX 3). Hope you can turn him off somewhere.

Bottom line: Sofar this one just "feels" like a quality title to me. I can't see any reason that fans of the first two wouldn't like this one. I would like to try the ps2 version for comparison's sake, tho. Anyways, I know that there's some peeps in here waitiing for this one and all I can say is that I don't think you folks will be disappointed.

Toper

*drools*

Looks like Pk was just cranky that day afterall

[wco81]

Pro Fishing Challenge?

[Toper]

Some bad stuff:

- No controller config (unless it's hidden somewhere).

- Load times suck.

- Only 2 views (bumper and 3rd person)...thankfully the 3rd person view they chose is good.

That's all for now.

Toper

[pk500]

Toper:

Triggers for gas and brake, right? You don't have to use the buttons, right?

Javi:

Very good chance I may have been cranky. I was cranky when I first rented NASCAR 2005, and now I can't peel it out of my Xbox. The game is incredibly fun. So I'm definitely going to rent Burnout 3.

My fear about Burnout 3 is the same as the first two Burnouts: The game was really, really fun for a few weeks and then got old, routine, samey. Maybe XBL play will keep this one fresh.

I also worry that Burnout 3 will become the "testosterone racing game of choice," much like Midtown Madness and PGR 2 did after a while. You know, random games filled with idiot teen punks all amped up on Mountain Dew and grunting like Beavis and Butthead.

But since ramming dudes is an object of Burnout 3, nailing those dicks might not be so bad after all.

Take care,
PK

[Toper]

Toper:

Triggers for gas and brake, right? You don't have to use the buttons, right?

PK:

Yes, triggers for gas and brake. I prefer the buttons, so I guess that sucks for me.

Also, there's no handbrake button! You gotta "do it yourself drift" by first braking then accelerating into the turn (which took me about an hour to get used to).

I highly recommend watching the tutorials (which I skipped over at first, but then went back to watch)...they're nice, but are video only (not hands on).

Toper

[pk500]

These video tutorials must be the new rage for EA racing games. NASCAR 2005 has them, too.

Pretty cool. I have no problem with them.

Take care,
PK

[Spooky]

PK,

LIVE games have the option of teaming up with a buddy to do joint crashes in 'Crash' mode, and I read that you can also team up with up to 3 others to 'take out' (yes, that's take 'out' not take on) another team of 4 other people in a race.

Sounds like a great game to take your frustrations out with!

[Toper]

Controller UPDATE:

Just learned that while the xbox uses the triggers for gas/brake, the ps2 version uses the face buttons (as I thought would be the case). Something to consider for you dual system owners out there.

Anyways, it's pretty f*cking stupid that you can't just change the button config. So I'll probably end up giving the ps2 version a try and if there isn't a big dropoff in graphics/load times, I'll most likely make the switch over (I prefer the face buttons).

Toper

[Noledog]

this is the only game my wife will sit and play with me. she is hopelessly addicted to the crash modes. she is starting to like the rage mode, so it may be only a matter of time before i can get her to try out other racing games.

but i will second whats been said before. i have the xbox version and it is silky smooth. the DJ has already been shut off in this house.

i tried to play on xbox live, but either nobody was on, or the servers werent allowing people to play.

the only negative is the loading times. but burnout 2 was like this on the ps2 and gamecube (had to get the GC version since it had twice the number of crash modes for the woman), its not the length of the loading times, its the frequency. nothing major as far as i am concerned.

[Badgun]

Controls are sweet and sense of speed is sweeter! Graphics are really nice and the framerate is awesome. I love the game so far and I've unlocked a half a dozen cars or so in the World Tour. Looks like it's going to a lot of fun getting through this mode.

One minor gripe so far and that is when you take someone out, the race freezes and it shows you a little TAKEDOWN sign and how many points you got and then hurls you back into the race. I find that very annoying and it somewhat throws me out of my groove. You'll know what I mean when you see it.

I went online for about 10 minutes and got into one of those "who can make the best crash" races. You get three tries to tear up the most sh*t and you get a total after each try and then the cumulative total is added for the total score. Pretty cool, but I bought these game to race, not crash.

All in all, it looks to be a great game and a lot of fun.

[wco81]

Would like to see impressions of how well 6-player online games play.

[Badgun]

Would like to see impressions of how well 6-player online games play.

I'll let you know shortly. My fears are that there won't be any real racing, but just a lot of crashing. If that's the case, then I'll stick to single player.

[dbdynsty25]

Umm...the point of the game is to crash other people. If you're buying a racer, you're buying the wrong game. Burnouts never been only about racing...it's the strategy to win without getting destroyed.

[pk500]

Umm...the point of the game is to crash other people. If you're buying a racer, you're buying the wrong game. Burnouts never been only about racing...it's the strategy to win without getting destroyed.

True, but it seems from previews that I've read that EA is emphasizing the crashing aspect even more than Acclaim did with the first two editions of the franchise.

The first Burnout was as much about finishing first and avoiding big crashes as it was crashing. The second Burnout seemed to balance racing and crashing with the addition of the separate Crash Mode. The pendulum seems to be swinging more toward crashing with Burnout 3.

I'll be interested to read the opinion of those who have played all three editions of the franchise.

Take care,
PK

[Badgun]

Umm...the point of the game is to crash other people. If you're buying a racer, you're buying the wrong game. Burnouts never been only about racing...it's the strategy to win without getting destroyed.

I know that, I'm just hoping that it's not like a demolition derby and people do actually try to get from point A to point B. If all you want to do is crash, they have a mode specifically for that.

[dbdynsty25]

I know that, I'm just hoping that it's not like a demolition derby and people do actually try to get from point A to point B. If all you want to do is crash, they have a mode specifically for that.

Yeah, but on the flip side...if all you want to do is race, EA's got a crapload of games devoted to that (NFS, Nascar, etc.).

[Boom]

This is pure arcade and it's a fine mix of "crash or be crashed" racing action with white knuckle, one the edge of your seat, in your face having one hell of a good time gaming session IMO.

fuggin love it to death and I've never played the first 2.

[wco81]

So nobody is deriding the high IGN and Gamespot review scores. Maybe a good sign?

[pk500]

Here's a rarity -- a pretty well done review of Burnout 3 by a gamer at gamefaqs.com:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox/review/R78658.html

This portion of the gameplay section of the review was interesting:

>>>The game is still great fun to play, though the formula has changed a bit. So what's different from Burnout 2? The game is less about pure racing, and more about taking advantage of crashes (in B2, crashing was a stupid marketing gimmick that only took away from the experience). Causing other opponents to crash makes you steal a part of their boost bar, enlarging yours (which means you can boost for longer), and refilling it. Reciprocally, getting crashed by an opponent decreases your boost bar.<<<

I thought this was a very balanced review on the whole. I'm intrigued by this title, but I wonder out loud about its replay value once the "wow" wears off and I realize the game is pretty repetitive and simple, similar to Midtown Madness 3.

Take care,
PK

[dbdynsty25]

I'm intrigued by this title, but I wonder out loud about its replay value once the "wow" wears off and I realize the game is pretty repetitive and simple, similar to Midtown Madness 3.

Ahh the beauty that is Ebay. Just play it for a few weeks and sell it at about a 10 dollar loss. Just like an extended rental. Supposedly the single player experience is fairly substantial (according to my buddy who's played it pretty much all afternoon so far) so we shouldn't have to worry about it being that repetitive. Not to mention the fact that it might be fun to get online with you cats and beat the sh*t out of each other, rather than worry if I tapped you entering a corner and causing you to spin out or whatever. That's going to be my draw to it at least.

[pk500]

Good point, DB. All of my racing games require some sort of precision, so it will be fun to just pound the f*ck out of people and be rewarded for it!

That's why I wish Test Drive: Eve of Destruction had XBL play. Online demo derbies would be kick-ass!

Take care,
PK

[dbdynsty25]

That's why I wish Test Drive: Eve of Destruction had XBL play. Online demo derbies would be kick-ass!

While the concept is great...I can't remember the last Test Drive game that was worth the plastic that it was packaged in. They have been going downhill FAST since the good ol' PS1 days. But I do agree...that would be pretty fun as well.