Criterion

Identity Crisis

HIGH Blistering down a sunset highway at almost 200mph.

LOW Hurtling straight into a divider at almost 200mph.

WTF Where is the start menu?!

I was listening to a podcast recently (and I've heard this same thing multiple times from other people over the last week or so) and I was shaking my head at the way the speakers were discussing recent Events Which Shall Not Be Named. Over and over, they were so insistent that reviewers are "getting paid off" for good scores.

A Smashing Good Time

HIGH When the final explosion in Rush Hour mode causes a chain reaction that demolishes everything on the screen.

LOW Reaching the end of a Pile Up with a full 5x multiplier and dying immediately due to being out of position.

WTF "Umbrellers"?

If there were a heaven for cars, then Burnout Paradise would be it. In Paradise City, there are no drivers in the cars and no people on the streets. Traffic laws are nonexistent, and the laws of physics apply only loosely. Not only that, but cars seemingly drop right out of the sky over at the junkyard, as if deposited there by some automotive deity.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Language, Violence

Game Description: Make action your middle name, as you control what happens when and where in Burnout Paradise. Welcome to Paradise City. Immerse yourself in the open roads of Paradise City from the downtown streets through the hectic freeways to the sweeping mountain roads; the world is waiting to be explored. Slam, Shunt and Wreck opponents in cross-town race events, where you decide the fastest route to the finish line. Hit the jumps and find shortcuts, smash through barriers and get to the places that other racers can't reach to get that competitive edge. Meet your friends online with the revolutionary EasyDrive system that smashes through the tedium of lobbies and servers and cuts straight to the chase. Burnout Paradise provides the ultimate driving playground for you and your friends to play online on the Xbox 360.

Here's my question: Was Burnout intended to be a racing game or a traffic accident simulation? Combining these two elements created a somewhat interesting product, and Peter is accurate in saying this marriage sets up a solid foundation. And the result? A building that looks amazing, but is as structurally sound as a house of playing cards.

I owe some of my driving skills to video games. I know it sounds silly, but its true. I learned how to navigate curves by playing Segas OutRun arcade game back in 1988. For some reason, I couldnt get the feel of steering properly during practical driving, but after playing OutRun, things just clicked. Its pretty scary to imagine what would have happened had I not learned this valuable skill. For starters, I probably wouldnt have earned my drivers license; and what worse, I probably would have constantly veered off the road at every turn and that would've been ugly.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Violence