Burnout 3: Takedown

Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Criterion Games

Platform:  PS2

Genre(s): Racing, Driving, Action

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: September 7, 2004

Intro:

Burnout 3 begins with a musical smorgasbord of driving action and spectacular crashes ending with an airborne sports car crashing dramatically into traffic and exploding.  It's a rush and it does draw the player into gameplay instantly.

Getting Going:

Identify yourself in your profile and you're off.  Taken to the map, the player will then choose whether to Race or Crash.  Either way, Stryker of Crash FM is heard over the radio mentioning what is new in racing and crashing such as the Aftertouch feature.  Stryker also provides commentary throughout the game, introducing raceways and new environments as well as tips for better play.

Fun:

I found myself laughing, groaning, yelling at myself for doing something stupid, and moving up and down in my chair.  There is so much to do and the rewards are frequent enough to keep you playing for a long time.

Visuals:

One of the most remarkable things I noticed in the visuals was the garage floor.  While it looks like a garage, complete with mottled cement and lines, the floor is shiny enough to offer a mirrored effect when you get a look at your new cars.  The camera moves around your car without any help from the player and, sometimes, it moves too fast.  The cars are not all completely polished, displaying an odd surface sheen and weird texturing.  Still, Burnout 3 offers plenty of eye candy in the cars making this a minor detail.  The environments are well-textured and abundant, allowing the player plenty of visuals on the road, as well.  Crashes are stupendous and extremely well-done.  Cars slide down the road, wheels roll away, Crashbreaker creates stunning explosions and flying parts.  The physics of a crash have received an amazing amount of attention allowing for airborne barrel rolls and airborne spins into buildings.

Sound:

While many of the cars sound different while revving, the sound difference mostly lies in tone.  You don't get a real feel for the revving sound of a different engine; one more gutteral and one more high-pitched, for instance.  Stryker's commentaries are humorous and informative and add a light tone to gameplay.  The music soundtrack is amazing, but non-existant in crash mode except for between events.  The crash sounds are breathtaking.  

Intelligence:

The Burnout franchise will go on to add a great deal more intelligence into Burnout: Revenge.  Burnout 3: Takedown allows players to shunt, and takedown opponents, but opponents don't seem to bother with you. And, if you shunt or hit a car which is not partaking in the race, you crash.  Burnout: Revenge opponents will take you out quite on purpose and crashing into innocents is encouraged. In Crash events, the cars don't seem to notice you and will, in fact, continue into the crash after they've had time to stop.

Immersion:

Burnout 3 hits two major fantasies, driving fast and creating devastation.  It is immediately immersive.  It's impossible to race while doing something else.  It's too exciting to put down when during Crash events. 

Rewards/Punishment and Win/Lose states:

Each event offers Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards.  During Race events these are earned for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively.  Crash events earn them for the amount of damage created.  Getting at least a Bronze in any event unlocks new events.  During events, players can earn trophies for various moves such as using your crash to take an opponent with you.  Money earned unlocks new cars for your garage.  Players can choose to perform exclusively in Crash Events or Race Events or to do both.  Career mode travels the world offering a host of venues and races to unlock.  Of course, races can be replayed for higher awards.  However, if a player chooses to replay an event instead of continuing, and they get a lower score, while they will retain the medal earned in the event, the money earned will be whatever was earned in the final try.  It is best, therefore, to continue and go back into the race for a better score.  Failed races or crashes merely end quicker.  

Cameras:

There aren't any real camera options in Burnout 3 and you can't look at the crash course once the flyover is complete.  For the most part, this is unnecessary, but it will be remedied in Burnout: Revenge, nonetheless.

Controls:

The controls are minimal and easy to use.  Gameplay is completely intuitive in this way.

Ideas:

I've played many EA games and I'm impressed with their ability to be true to their franchise.  Each Burnout game retains the features that made the first one brilliant and adds new features.  It becomes easy to see why this is so important when it is done so well.  It's also easier to notice when it is done poorly.

Memory:

Of all of the Burnout games, this one remains my favorite.  Checking traffic in Burnout: Revenge is a great deal of fun and a loss in this, the previous, version.  However, I love that I can choose to play only crash events, if I so choose.  And, this game remains my favorite party game.