For a long time, Criterion dominated the arcade racing genre with the Burnout series , but, sadly, in the last 10 years it moved away from the franchise and left the destruction enthusiast wanting a new crash title. Now, the king is back, although not as the fans expected, since Burnout Paradise Remastered is the same game we saw last generation, only with the power of current systems. ¿ Burnout aged with dignity or is it a game with obsolete mechanical? The answer is not so simple.
Let’s start with the basics. Burnout Paradise debuted on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in 2008 and this year’s version is exactly the same, but with visual improvements. It was the first game in the series to bring action and racing to an open world, and changed some important mechanics introduced by its predecessor, Burnout Revengeto make it more aggressive, where even the slightest touch could cause a carom of massive destruction and epic
The most obvious change in Burnout Paradise Remastered is the graphic section. EA improved the title to reach a 4K resolution on Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 Pro and PC, as well as 60 frames per second on all systems, however, do not expect new textures as happened with the remastering of Shadow of the Colossus or Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy . It must be said that the game looks great in the highest resolution and maintains a stable frame rate, something worth mentioning if we take into account that at all times there is action and wholesale shocks.
ACCELERATE, DRIVE, ATTACK AND REPEAT
The true value of Burnout ParadiseIt is in fun. I must confess that when I started my first race I was a bit skeptical about the driving and the fun that I would find because in these 10 years the racing genre has evolved in an amazing way. Fortunately, the result surprised me. In my first encounter I crashed so many times that I lost count, but little by little I remembered the old traditions of driving and that speed demands paying attention to every movement and, basically, to the whole environment, since an error can be fatal. In a short time I realized that the latest jewel in the Criterion crown was still offering freedom and action like no other title in the last decade. The controls are responsive and allow you to do crazy acrobatics to generate chaos and destruction as has always happened in the series.
“The true value of Burnout Paradise is in the fun”
Paradise is committed to constant action and invites you to drive all the time. When you go through Paradise City you will start to win races to improve your level of driver, but as you explore the terrain you will see that there are other activities. You will find more than 400 billboards, 120 posters and 50 super jumps that, strategically, were placed so you never stop and, when you realize, you have destroyed 3 fences that will take you down a small alley that ends in a super jump that they lead you to the destruction of a poster. In the city of paradise everything is so well connected that I forgot the competitions and I was walking the map to cause destruction.
EXPERIENCE FREEDOM AS AN ANGEL IN PARADISE
The objective of the game is to give the feeling of freedom and constant action, so Criterion has managed to make you forget to follow directions. In Paradise, the key is to memorize the city, since the races do not generate a predefined route, so you can reach the finish line by following the path you want. At the beginning it may seem confusing, but believe me, it is enough for you to get lost in Paradise City so that you memorize each shortcut and path. The pause menu map does not allow you to mark a destination, which could be a problem if you are used to placing routes in open world games, but if you travel a few meters you will find a new activity that will serve to continue improving your license. Just keep in mind that you can get lost if you do not study the stage in depth.
If you played the version of 10 years ago you will know that, as you advance, the AI becomes a monster that attacks without mercy and can make you dust in a few seconds. With Burnout Paradise RemasteredThis challenge may go unnoticed, but this version includes most DLC cars, so you’ll have high-speed beasts available from the start. During the start races I used the predefined car, however, afterwards I wanted to feel like Marty McFly and selected the Jansen P12 88 Special, a fake version of the DeLorean. Although it is not the fastest vehicle in the game, its power was enough to leave all my adversaries behind and reach the finish line without problems. This can reduce the experience of the game, but in the end it is your decision. My recommendation is to change the car as you progress in the races so that you always have a challenge to overcome.
“The objective of the game is to give you the feeling of freedom and constant action”
Out of this, the action offered by Burnout Paradise RemasteredIt will be more than satisfactory. When you tire of the races you can opt for other modalities. In Fury to the Wheel, one of the classic characteristics of the series, you will have to realize the greater number of Takedowns to win, but you will have to be attentive to the damage of your car because if you hit too much you can be disqualified before time; Fortunately, you can always go to the garage in the middle of a meeting to fix your vehicle. In Hunt and Capture you will be the prey, so you will have to run at full speed until the goal while the AI will try to knock you down at any cost. You will also be able to access the Tricks Tests, where your duty will be to collect the most points with jumps, skids and other acrobatics. In addition, there is Showtime, one of the most fun activities of the game, It consists of throwing your car into traffic to cause the most damage while directing the impact in slow motion. It’s not as spectacular as Crash of theBurnout previous, but it is still entertaining to damage the property of others. As for the online system, you share the city with 7 other players to destroy the city or compete in races.
Once you finish with Paradise City you can go to Big Surf Island, a stage that was part of the DLC of the original game and is now available from the first minute. While in the city you compete running from one point to another, in this small map you must run on several circuits with a certain number of laps. Even some competitions ask you to go to the city and return to the island to win, but the most impressive attraction of Big Surf Island, in addition to its beautiful beaches, are 15 megawatts. Select the fastest car in your collection, find the right ramp and accelerate to the maximum to make an impressive jump that will take you through the heavens; Just be careful when calculating your fall, since the minimum friction will cause a great impact and, obviously, the effort will have been in vain.
IMPRESSIVE, BUT LACKING NEWS
Despite reaching a decade, Burnout Paradise feels fresh and it is clear that it is a game ahead of its time, however, it does not offer a new experience for those who played the first version, so if you are looking for something new you will probably be disappointed . This also involves music, because although many of the original songs are present, EA did not add new melodies. On the other hand, if you never had the opportunity to try the original title, it is the best moment to play this remastering, since the frantic races with merciless rhythm demand that you be attentive to every second, an action that no game on the market offers in a so solid.
” Burnout Paradise does not offer new experiences”
These 10 years have also claimed invoices to Burnout Paradise . To begin with, the user interface feels outdated and although it had a small redesign, it continues to be confusing at times. If you are used to following the path outlined, perhaps here you are frustrated because there are no indications and you can not make marks on the map, so many times you will have to pause the game to find the way to your goal. I repeat, these mechanics are designed to invite you to know the city, but there is a possibility that the experience may seem old if you are familiar with other racing titles.
Out of the bad points, Burnout Paradise Remastered is a solid title that offers a lot of content, dozens of hours of game and action, but, above all, fun. And that is their strongest point, as Criterion reminds us that there is potential in the arcade racing genre and that nothing compares to driving at full speed to win a race while doing spectacular stunts and throw your opponent against a wall or another vehicle. While the terrain is dominated by Forza Horizonthese days, I hope this remastering is the key to the return of Burnout to the starting grid, as the series offers an experience that no other has achieved in years. Burnout Paradise Remastered he knows very well that the key is fun and making the driver feel like a beast on the road, although he also reminds him that a simple mistake can leave him in the last place.
Burnout Paradise Remastered is a sample of how much fun racing titles can be and it is also an example of how a title with well-crafted mechanics can keep up with the passage of time. As the song by Guns N ‘Roses says: Welcome to the Jungle .