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Destroys the Racing Barrier

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 50 / 56
Date: September 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

An email I wrote in December 2003:

"Dear Criterion Games:

I hear that Burnout 3 is going to focus on wrecking opponents. This is a mistake. It's not going to work. Why turn your brilliant, traffic-weaving Burnout franchise into a demolition derby? Change is good, but this is too much - it's now a fighting game with cars instead of a racing game. Hopefully Burnout 4 will get it right.

Regards, A Fan"

Fast-forward to September 2004. Burnout 3 is now here, and I am now sending them my sincerest apologies. I now invite them to send me a very nasty "We told you so!" response, because they've managed to not only prove me to be completely and utterly foolish for doubting them, they've made what is hands-down the best arcade racing game we're likely to play.

Criterion has managed to tap into some kind of suicidal primal instinct all of us seem to have - the urge to fly through populated streets at near the speed of sound in a sleek automobile (or firetruck), careening headlong into anyone and anything in our path. Better yet, Burnout 3: Takedown now adds the lovely feature of a dream made virtual reality: smashing into pieces that no-good idiot who dared to try and tap you into the guardrail. We've all had those fantasies, right? Now you can live em in the comfort (and safety!) of your own living room.

For those of you who are skeptical, one thing should be made clear up front: Burnout 3 is very different from the first two games in the series. You'll still race through beautifully rendered courses at brain-searing speeds, missing traffic by millimeters. But even though B3 now focuses on making your race opponents wreck in the most ghastly ways possible, the intensity and rush is still here...no, it's actually been ratcheted up to a realm of insanity no racer has ever attained. It's different, but still more than worthy of attention.

One thing Burnout vets will appreciate is the single-player mode has been greatly expanded. There are a huge number of race events - close to two hundred, ranging from single races to burning laps to eliminations to crash junctions to....well, it doesn't get old. Add a ridiculous number of unlockables (including fake headlines, signature Takedowns, forty tracks, seventy cars, etc etc) and suffice to say you could finish the first two Burnout games twice each before seeing all B3 has to offer. You still progress by earning medals - only getting golds will unlock everything - but it's no longer just about finishing first. Peforming Takedowns is essential, and well-worth it, as the game lovingly displays the mechanical carnage you create, but it's not always easy. The AI is wicked this time round, and will even gain grudges for you......and go after you. If you do fall victim, you can always choose to enable the Aftertouch, a brilliant feature that allows you to control your wrecked car, and steer it into the path of your opponents. Revenge has never been so sweet.

Screaming down a Hong Kong-ish crowded street, golden Buddha statue looming overhead, desperately trying to keep your lead when two guys in F1-type racers are inches from your rear bumper.....yeah, it's exhilirating all right.

Crash Mode returns in all its destructive glory, but now it's deeper, and larger. Power-ups litter the course - yes power-ups, ranging from temporary boosts to points multipliers. Add the Crashbreaker - in which your car becomes a literal bomb that you can detonate at any time, and we're talking serious mayhem. And oh yes - this mode can be played co-operatively now. One more thing - there's 100 crash junctions now.

The multiplayer madness continues with Road Rage Mode (whoever takes down the most opponents wins), Elimination (whoever's in last place at the end of a lap is disqualified), Burning Lap (boost as fast as you can without crashing once), and normal Single Race, and there's a lot more meat here than before.

The bad? Well, the default soundtrack can leave a lot to be desired (and turn the announcer OFF, trust me), but this is easily fixed by lovely custom soundtrack support. HINT: Causing wrecks to bluegrass is poetry in motion. EA Games - who now owns Criterion - has plastered advertising signboards all over the courses, and they're kind of distracting in an annoying way. There are also many minor details (you race in car classes now rather than picking any you want, the scoring system is different, no nighttime races or weather changes, no licensed cars (like any respected auto manufacturer would let their lovingly crafted creations get dismantled like this!), Crash Mode repeats junctions) that one could complain about, but the core gameplay is so sublime, well-done, and addictive, it's silly to dock the score for any of them.

Burnout 3 is the epitome of what arcade racing should be: easy to pick up, hard to master, appealing to everyone, unimaginably intense, and unbelievably fun. Mark my words, you're gonna see Burnout 3 on a lot of Best Games of 2004 lists -- it'll be on mine, without a doubt.

Thanks for proving me wrong, Criterion. But I need to ask - what's next? You can't possibly top Takedown....can you?

BURNOUT 3 almost perfect.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: September 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I picked up Burnout 3 on 9/8/04 and I have to say I was impressed. The graphics and speed are amazing on the XBOX(unsure what PS2 offers) I also like the little touches like the sounds of the gears switching, whoosh as you pass other cars and the sound of the fire when you use the boost. My biggest complaint is the soundtrack. Completely terrible and would have expected more since Criterion games is in UK. This is my biggest dissappointment. Keep the alternative rock for skateboard games not for solid racing. Even a soundtrack like GTA 3 would have blown this ones away. SOUNDTRACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING LIKE ENERGY DRIVEN ELECTRONICA!!! The Soundtrack for one and two of the burnout series were better than this one. I shouldn't have to put in my own cd in the stereo while turning this crap off. I hope the artist licensing didn't cost too much because it was a waste. Also where is Pursuit mode? :(
Glad i still have burnout 2 for the PS2.

... and I don't even like racing games!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: September 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is great. The only reason I bought it was because I was craving a new toy and saw that Gamespot rated this game a 9.5/10. I think Gamespot/Gamespy/IGN/etc are a little easy on games these days, but a 9.5? I figured there must be something in this game worth trying.

They were right.

I don't particularly care for racing games. They just don't hold my attention. But Burnout 3:Takedown is just downright addictive. The controls are simple (even talked my wife into playing it with me!), but the gameplay mechanics are a perfect balance between art and science. I won't go into the game's details, since other reviewers have already done that. But rest assured, this game offers hours of adrenaline-pumping replayability.

Battling other cars (and players online!) for position by trying to nudge them into the path of an oncoming Mack Truck, over the guardrail, or into the deep blue sea, is just as fun the 1,000th time as it was the 1st time.

My only complaint is the soundtrack (just like everyone else). It's pretty bland (and the announcer is a little irritating). Both of these issues, though, are easily overcome. Queue your own tunes up in the playlist and disable the 'Im too cool for this gig' announcer, and you're ready to rumble.

If you don't feel like plunking down $50 for the game, at least do yourself a favor with a rental.

Worst case scenario: You're out $5.

Likely scenario: You'll go out and buy your own copy after renting it.

AWESOME

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 7
Date: September 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Burnout 3: Takedown is a REALLY TOTAL AWESOME game to play

I give it 5 Stars "Highly Recommended" REALLY TOTAL WORTH IT TO BUY & PLAY this game on the Xbox game system

Burnout 3: Takedown got REALLY AWESOME REVIEWS for this game

***This is a MUST HAVE GAME TO BUY & play***

It will take you down

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: September 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Great game. Super fun and lots of modes. To the other Laurel reviewer. You can use your soundtracks if you have ripped any CDs to your Xbox hard drive. Pretty cool. Most Xbox racing games can do this option.

Blurry when you go fast but hey SWEET GAME!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: September 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I rented this game and it is the best racing game ever!The impact thingy is good for taking out ur opponents when they make you crash.

Get this for xbox(Xbox live) not for ps2(unless you have a memory card)

Wow

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 5
Date: September 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

OK here we go

Graphics: 9.95/10 Wow, there isnt much i can say about the graphics exept the 9.95.

Gameplay: 10/10 Exeptional gamplay

AI: 10.5/10 The AI in this game is amazing, they actually make you crash. Impressive.

Controls: 9.2/10 pretty good, A: is boost R is acc.

Sound: 9.3/10 Good sound, but OK music.

OVERALL: 10/10

wow. get it.

Phenomenal sense of speed, and overall one of the best

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: September 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is pure speed, adrenaline, and white knuckle racing taken to the extreme. I bought Burnout 2 some time ago and didn't think it could get much better than that. I loved that game for its insane speed, graphics, and especially the crashes. Crash mode in Burnout 2 was so much fun it was unreal.

Burnout 3 makes 2 look primitive by comparison. There is such a sense of extreme speed in 3 that no other game I've seen has come even close to having. This game feels dangerous. The addition of takedowns was a genius move: its added a layer of aggressive strategy that I can't imagine playing without now. I'm not going to go into detail about every little bit of the game, you can go to official magazine or website reviews for that.

There are a number of play modes to choose from, all of which are fun. The world tour mode (which is where everything is unlocked) is excellent, combining every aspect of the game into a system of increasing difficulty, but also variety. Some have complained that the crash mode levels are not all unique, with some being extentions or other minor changes, but I have to disagree. With all the additions made to crash mode, changing anything on a level changes it completely. With the ability to steer your wreck after a crash you are able to destroy more vehicles or obtain more power ups, and in fact this is often required in order to meet the requirements for the lowest of medals.

This is not a game to read about. Like intimate encounters, its all about the experience. Secondhand information is good, but its all about the experience.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: September 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I own it, Played all 3 of them, this blows the rest of them OUT OF THE WATER!!!! NOTHING else to be said about the GREATEST RACING GAME EVER CREATED But BUY IT RIGHT NOW I MEAN RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Minor faults aside, this is one amazing racing game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: September 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Having been a huge fan of Burnout 1 and 2, I was really looking forward to this release.

This truly is an amazing racing game. I love the non linear progression through the world series and the added bells and whistles such as the 'crash FM' announcer.

Graphically it is different to both Burnout 1 and 2. Personally I feel that not as much detail has been given to the buildings, however everything is moving so fast that you don't really have time to notice it.

One major complaint for me is the lack of the vibrational effect. I thought the effect added so much to the previous burnout games - drive over cobbled stones for instance and the controller vibrates madly. In Burnout 3 there is some slight vibration during some crashes. That's it. Though this is one minor glitch in an otherwise hard to fault game.

I rarely pay full price for games but just couldn't wait for Burnout 3!!! Hopefully there will be a Burnout 4 next year!

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