Buckle up and secure your harness put the pedal to the metal as you take on the adrenalin fuelled Burnout from Acclaim, The Game is as intense, fast and has made the transition from the PS2 to Xbox like a duckling takes to water. The game is through and through an Arcade racer, fly down a one way street the wrong way, slide round a corner to build you will be rewarded not unlike Kudos in Project Gotham but in Burnout the reward is an all important boost fill up the boost bar, press the button and off you’ll fly leavening your opponents in a haze.

Burnout is and does exactly what it says on the box, it is a fast paced arcade racer and excels in doing so; the game is easy to pick up and get into. Racing on everyday streets with everyday drivers all law abiding and minding there own business only adds to the excitement as you swerve between them in your quest for overall victory.

Gameplay:
Gameplay is simply arcade action at its greatest, players are able to pick this up and immediately play, with Arcade action from the off at it’s best Burnout offers a fun fuelled experience and without the need for any real drastic amounts of practice are required to get your car slip sliding around the next corner at 100+ miles per hour.

The game actually plays superbly well, the speed and exhilaration players achieve whilst weaving between an 18 wheeler and a couple of random motors minding there own business is second to none, the game is fast, the game is furious and the game most of all is fun.

Graphics:
Burnout, originally a PS2 title has made the leap to the Xbox; the game received a few graphical tweaks including new improved textures and a revamped reflection map system. The cars are not as detailed as titles like Project Gotham or Rallisport yet detailed enough to please even the most demanding xbox gamers amongst us. The textures and surroundings are not as vast either as in titles like Rallisport or Project Gotham, yet Burnout stands tall on its own merits and is well worthy of the port over to the Xbox and most collections

Sound:
In the sound department Burnout offers a similar standard to the rest of the game, excellent. The game does offer a few original soundtracks and the Dolby 5.1 is supported which really adds a lot to the atmosphere, after all there is no better sound then a car whizzing by at top speed, and with positional audio you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat. The basic racing sound effects like screeching tires, the roar of the engine and the carnage that is a crash are all done nicely and complements the game throughout.

Longevity:
There’s plenty to keep players having a burnout from time to time, with the pick up and play value which Burnout offers in abundance this is a title worthy of most Xbox gamer’s collection. Unlocking cars and tracks make Burnout a challenge for gamers looking for a challenge, yet it also still offers plenty of pick up and blast value. The multiplayer features make this a title where friends and family can compete in split screen arcade action, Overall Burnout offers enough to keep gamers busy and coming back for just one more blast from time to time.

Pros:

• Excellent Quick Crash Replays.
  
• Vehicle Handling & Level Design.
  
• Intense
  
• Fast.
  
• Full on Arcade Action.
  
  

  Cons:
  

  • Unavoidable Crashes.
    
  • Repetitive crash replays
    
  • Maybe not quite enough to keep you going.