Burnout Paradise
Encyclopedia
Burnout Paradise is the seventh game in the Burnout
racing
video game series. It was developed by Criterion Games
and published by Electronic Arts
. It was released in January 2008 for PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
and on February 5, 2009 for Microsoft Windows
. It was also released on the PlayStation Store
in September 2008 and via Xbox Live Marketplace
's Games on Demand August 25, 2009. It was later added to the libraries of Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits titles.
Paradises gameplay is set in the fictional "Paradise City", an open world
in which players can compete in several types of races. Players can also compete online, which includes additional game modes, such as "Cops and Robbers". Several free game updates introduce new features such as a time-of-day cycle and motorcycles. The game also features paid downloadable content
in the form of new cars and the fictional "Big Surf Island".
The game was received well by critics, with aggregate score sites GameRankings reporting an average score of 88% and Metacritic
reporting an average score of 88 out of 100. The game won several awards in 2008, with Spike TV, Gametrailers
and GameSpot
all awarding it Best Driving Game. Reviewers felt the game had an excellent sense of speed, and praised the open world
gameplay, a first for the Burnout series
.
. According to Alex Ward, creative director
of the game at developer Criterion Games
, this game is a "complete reinvention" of the Burnout series. He also said "To create truly next-generation gameplay, we needed to create a truly next-generation game from the ground up." Initially day and night cycles were not included in the game but a software update entitled "Davis" added this element to the game. For the first time in the series, records are now kept on a player's drivers license, including statistics such as fastest time and biggest crash for every street in the game.
In previous Burnout games, "Crash Mode", was a dedicated mode in which players were given scenarios in which to cause the biggest crash. In Burnout Paradise, "Crash Mode", now called "Showtime", can be initiated at any time and place in the game. Showtime does differ from the previous incarnation of Crash Mode being that instead of crashing into a busy intersection and watching a crash play out, Showtime has you bounce the vehicle around for as long as possible to gain points. During a race players may now take any route to get to the destination. Races and other events are started by simply stopping at any of the traffic lights and applying the accelerator and brake at the same time. The game features the ability to customize race settings, such as traffic, race routes, and including/excluding cars based on their boost types.
Paradises damage system has also been reworked. There are now two different types of crashes based on the car's condition after the crash. If the player's car manages to retain all four wheels and does not break its chassis the player can drive out of the crash and continue playing; this is called a "driveaway". If a player's car loses any wheels, the engine is damaged too much from an impact, the car lands on its side or roof or lands outside of the game's map, the car is in a "wrecked" state and the player will have to wait until their car is reset. Cars dynamically compress and deform around objects they crash into.
Cars now have manufacturer and model names, which are loosely based on real-world cars. Cars may not be "tuned up" or customized apart from color changes, which may be done in real-time by driving through the forecourt
of a paint shop, or by selecting the color during vehicle selection. Other real-time changes include driving through the forecourt of a gas station to automatically refill the vehicle's boost meter, and driving through the forecourt of a repair shop to automatically repair the vehicle.
and the 'Easy Drive' menu appears in the corner of their screen. From there, players are able to invite other players from their friends list. Once friends have joined the game, the host can select the event to play. A "Mugshots" camera feature is available for the PC via webcam
, PlayStation 3 via a PS3-compatible webcam, and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Vision. When a player is taken down, their photo, or 'Mugshot', is shown to the aggressor, and vice versa. These photos can then be saved to the PC or console's hard drive.
The "Cagney" update was released on schedule on July 10, 2008 for PlayStation 3 and on August 4, 2008 for the Xbox 360. The update introduces three new Freeburn multiplayer modes: Online Stunt Run, Marked Man and Road Rage. Online Stunt Run involves up to 8 players who simultaneously compete for the highest stunt score within 2 minutes. Road Rage features two teams; one must race to a checkpoint while the others tries to stop them through takedowns. Marked Man is like a game of tag, with one player as the Marked Man who cannot see the other players and has no boost. In addition there are 70 new online challenges. These new challenges are different from Free Burn challenges, being timed. Timed challenges start once all players gather at a point of interest. The players then must all complete an objective within a certain time, such as jumping a ramp. "Cagney" also brought custom soundtracks and 1080i
support to the PlayStation 3 version.
On April 23, 2008 it was announced that motorbikes and night-day cycles would appear in the Bikes Pack (originally codenamed the "Davis" update), along with tailored locations, challenges and game modes. Criterion Games announced on August 5, 2008 that the update would also feature a new dynamic weather system, two starter bikes in the player's junkyard, 70 new bike-only challenges, and special "Midnight Rides" challenges that appear only at night. The Bikes pack was released on September 18, 2008 on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
On September 25, 2008 another update was made available which introduced support for the PlayStation 3 trophies system. Criterion Games originally stated that the trophies could be awarded retroactively to players who had already made certain achievements. However when the update was released they stated that this had proved to be impossible and that users would have to start a new game in order to achieve some of the goals. On February 5, 2009, Criterion released the free 1.6 update, which includes the addition of an in-game browser for the PC and PlayStation 3 versions, which gives users access to the Criterion Games Network. An in-game store was also added to all versions which allows users to purchase content from within the game.
On November 7, 2008 Criterion announced the first premium content pack called "Legendary Cars". The pack features four cars inspired by famous vehicles from film and television. The Jansen P12 88 Special (based on the DeLorean from the Back to the Future films), the Hunter Manhattan Spirit (based on the Ecto-1 from the Ghostbusters
films) the Carson GT Nighthawk (based on KITT
from the television series, Knight Rider), and the Hunter Cavalry Bootlegger is (based on The General Lee
from the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard
). The Legendary Cars pack was released on February 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, and later in 2009 for the PC.
On March 5, 2009, Criterion announced the release of the "Toy Cars" pack. It features a collection of new vehicles designed with a "toy car" aesthetic, although modelled as full-size cars. The Toy Cars pack has been released in three packs. The full pack offers all toy cars along with the Nakamura Firehawk; a toy motorcycle, while the others split the content into two parts, minus the Firehawk.
On March 12, 2009, the "Boost Specials" pack was released. It featured two cars: the Carson Extreme Hotrod and the Montgomery Hawker Mech. The Carson was described as the fastest car in the game and featured a 'locked' boost; the car continues to boost until it is brought to a stop in any manner. The vehicle dynamics system were rewired so that the Carson performs more realistically than any other car in the game. The Montgomery Hawker Mech also featured a unique boost system, which allows the player to willingly switch between the three different boost types at the touch of a button.
On February 6, 2009, via the Criterion Games Network, Criterion announced the "Cops & Robbers" pack, which was released April 30, 2009 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The content does not involve AI Police patrol cars but instead borrows from the Cops and Robbers modes of older Burnout games, notably Burnout 2: Point of Impact
. Players are split into teams, the Cops and the Robbers. Teams attempt to return gold bars to their respective bases to score points. Every Paradise car (except Carbon and Premium DLC cars) receives a Police livery with the content.
Originally announced as the "Eastwood pack coming in Fall 2008", the expansion known as "Big Surf Island" was released June 11, 2009. Design for the island was guided by the principle of "If you can see it, you can drive it". The island puts emphasis on the playground aspect of Burnout. The developers mentioned that in their telemetry they noticed that players congregate in areas of Paradise City that lend themselves to stunt-driving, and so the idea was to create an entire island to accommodate player desire. Big Surf Island also features new vehicles, which includes the Carson Dust Storm buggy, a car tailor-made for stunts. In addition to the Dust Storm buggy two specially featured cars, the Hunter Olympus "Governor" and the Carson Annihilator Street Rod are also included. The unlockable cars also include toy versions of all four "Legendary Cars" pack vehicles and a special Jansen P12 Diamond awarded once all 500 freeburn challenges were completed. It features several new events, billboards, smash gates, and mega jumps. New Trophies and Achievements were also added along with a new 'Big Surf Island License' to obtain.
As of October 2010, the PC in-game store is nonfunctional. Criterion Games has stated the store is closed.
and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Marketplace
. On January 4 through January 14, Criterion raised the maximum number of players for the online Freeburn in the Paradise demo to 8 players (Online play for the demo has since been shut down completely). With it, a total of 13 new Freeburn challenges were made available for players to attempt. On the September 25, 2008, Criterion announced that Paradise would be made available for download on the PlayStation Store
. Upon installation and first execution, all updates would also be downloaded and installed, which gives the player to have the latest version of Burnout Paradise. Paradise would also be added to Xbox 360's Games on Demand in August 2009
Burnout Paradise features in-game advertisements for a number of brands, including Burger King
, JL Audio
, Gillette and CompUSA
. From October 6, 2008, in-game billboards featured ads for the then United States
Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama
. Electronic Arts
confirmed that the Obama campaign paid for the advertisements, marking the first time that a United States presidential candidate has bought in-game advertising
. The Obama campaign ran only on the Xbox 360 version of the game.
Burnout Paradise is the first game in the Burnout series to be released for the PC. Criterion made use of existing graphics technology and introduced enhanced visuals and the ability to play the game across multiple monitors to enhance widescreen playing. Players can link three 4:3 monitors to play in a Polyvision
aspect ratio. PC users are also able to download a trial version of the game for free. It includes the entire map and three cars but will expire after thirty minutes. All saved data will be carried over if the user decides to purchase the full game.
has the game calculated at 88 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 release and 87 for the PS3. Game Rankings
calculated an 88% for the Xbox 360 and an 88% for the PS3 version. GamePro
, Giant Bomb
and Game Chronicles gave the game a perfect score. Reviewers praised the game's open world, stating "Burnout Paradise is an amazing open-world racing game that stays true to the Burnout legacy", but that the large world may "feel a little daunting at first." New gameplay mechanics such as gas stations and body repair shops were also praised which "mitigate potential frustration when the heat is on." Hyper
s Daniel Wilks commends the game for its "great sense of speed and things that go boom". IGN
's Chris Roper praised the vehicle unlock system, which gives the player a new vehicle with each license, and also gives the player the opportunity to "take down" certain vehicles, which earns the player a reward if completed. He further lauded the game as "controlled chaos".
While the game was well received, some reviewers were disappointed that there was no option to restart a race or event. Instead the player had to either fail the event, or cancel the race by bringing the vehicle to a stop for a few seconds, and then return to the specific place on the map to try that particular race or event again. Criterion responded to this criticism by stating that they don't feel that this is a problem and that adding a "retry" option would introduce loading screens, which they "hate with a passion". Despite this, the option to restart an event was later added to the game via a free software update. One reviewer found DJ Atomika, the game's guide, to be "instantly dislikeable".
Paradise won several awards in 2008, with Spike TV, Gametrailers
and GameSpot
all awarding it Best Driving Game. Additionally, Paradise won GameSpot's award for Best Downloadable Content by in 2008. Burnout Paradise became 2008’s Most Decorated Driving Game.
Burnout (series)
Burnout is a series of high-speed racing games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. Also, for the very first time, a PC version of the latest installment in the series, Burnout Paradise, has been released...
racing
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
video game series. It was developed by Criterion Games
Criterion Games
Criterion Games is a Guildford, England based British video game developer. It is best known for its work on the award-winning, multi-platform Burnout series, the PS2, Gamecube and Xbox first-person shooter Black.Criterion Software Ltd was created in 1993 to commercialise 3D...
and published by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. It was released in January 2008 for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and on February 5, 2009 for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It was also released on the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
in September 2008 and via Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
's Games on Demand August 25, 2009. It was later added to the libraries of Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits titles.
Paradises gameplay is set in the fictional "Paradise City", an open world
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
in which players can compete in several types of races. Players can also compete online, which includes additional game modes, such as "Cops and Robbers". Several free game updates introduce new features such as a time-of-day cycle and motorcycles. The game also features paid downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
in the form of new cars and the fictional "Big Surf Island".
The game was received well by critics, with aggregate score sites GameRankings reporting an average score of 88% and Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reporting an average score of 88 out of 100. The game won several awards in 2008, with Spike TV, Gametrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
and GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
all awarding it Best Driving Game. Reviewers felt the game had an excellent sense of speed, and praised the open world
Open world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
gameplay, a first for the Burnout series
Burnout (series)
Burnout is a series of high-speed racing games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. Also, for the very first time, a PC version of the latest installment in the series, Burnout Paradise, has been released...
.
Gameplay
Burnout Paradise is set in an open-world environmentOpen world
An open world is a type of video game level design where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how to approach objectives...
. According to Alex Ward, creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
of the game at developer Criterion Games
Criterion Games
Criterion Games is a Guildford, England based British video game developer. It is best known for its work on the award-winning, multi-platform Burnout series, the PS2, Gamecube and Xbox first-person shooter Black.Criterion Software Ltd was created in 1993 to commercialise 3D...
, this game is a "complete reinvention" of the Burnout series. He also said "To create truly next-generation gameplay, we needed to create a truly next-generation game from the ground up." Initially day and night cycles were not included in the game but a software update entitled "Davis" added this element to the game. For the first time in the series, records are now kept on a player's drivers license, including statistics such as fastest time and biggest crash for every street in the game.
In previous Burnout games, "Crash Mode", was a dedicated mode in which players were given scenarios in which to cause the biggest crash. In Burnout Paradise, "Crash Mode", now called "Showtime", can be initiated at any time and place in the game. Showtime does differ from the previous incarnation of Crash Mode being that instead of crashing into a busy intersection and watching a crash play out, Showtime has you bounce the vehicle around for as long as possible to gain points. During a race players may now take any route to get to the destination. Races and other events are started by simply stopping at any of the traffic lights and applying the accelerator and brake at the same time. The game features the ability to customize race settings, such as traffic, race routes, and including/excluding cars based on their boost types.
Paradises damage system has also been reworked. There are now two different types of crashes based on the car's condition after the crash. If the player's car manages to retain all four wheels and does not break its chassis the player can drive out of the crash and continue playing; this is called a "driveaway". If a player's car loses any wheels, the engine is damaged too much from an impact, the car lands on its side or roof or lands outside of the game's map, the car is in a "wrecked" state and the player will have to wait until their car is reset. Cars dynamically compress and deform around objects they crash into.
Cars now have manufacturer and model names, which are loosely based on real-world cars. Cars may not be "tuned up" or customized apart from color changes, which may be done in real-time by driving through the forecourt
Forecourt
In architecture a forecourt is an open area in front of a structure's entrance.In archaeology, forecourt is the name given to the area in front of certain types of chamber tomb...
of a paint shop, or by selecting the color during vehicle selection. Other real-time changes include driving through the forecourt of a gas station to automatically refill the vehicle's boost meter, and driving through the forecourt of a repair shop to automatically repair the vehicle.
Multiplayer
The online lobby system used by most video games has been replaced by a streamlined system known as "Easy Drive". While driving, players simply hit right on the D-PadD-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
and the 'Easy Drive' menu appears in the corner of their screen. From there, players are able to invite other players from their friends list. Once friends have joined the game, the host can select the event to play. A "Mugshots" camera feature is available for the PC via webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
, PlayStation 3 via a PS3-compatible webcam, and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Vision. When a player is taken down, their photo, or 'Mugshot', is shown to the aggressor, and vice versa. These photos can then be saved to the PC or console's hard drive.
Updates and expansions
Burnout Paradise has undergone significant changes since its initial release. These have been implemented through several free patches and downloadable packs. The first major update, codenamed "Bogart", fixed several glitches and was scheduled to be released on April 24, 2008. However, it was made available to Xbox 360 users on April 18, 2008 and to PlayStation 3 users on April 24, 2008.The "Cagney" update was released on schedule on July 10, 2008 for PlayStation 3 and on August 4, 2008 for the Xbox 360. The update introduces three new Freeburn multiplayer modes: Online Stunt Run, Marked Man and Road Rage. Online Stunt Run involves up to 8 players who simultaneously compete for the highest stunt score within 2 minutes. Road Rage features two teams; one must race to a checkpoint while the others tries to stop them through takedowns. Marked Man is like a game of tag, with one player as the Marked Man who cannot see the other players and has no boost. In addition there are 70 new online challenges. These new challenges are different from Free Burn challenges, being timed. Timed challenges start once all players gather at a point of interest. The players then must all complete an objective within a certain time, such as jumping a ramp. "Cagney" also brought custom soundtracks and 1080i
1080i
1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
support to the PlayStation 3 version.
On September 25, 2008 another update was made available which introduced support for the PlayStation 3 trophies system. Criterion Games originally stated that the trophies could be awarded retroactively to players who had already made certain achievements. However when the update was released they stated that this had proved to be impossible and that users would have to start a new game in order to achieve some of the goals. On February 5, 2009, Criterion released the free 1.6 update, which includes the addition of an in-game browser for the PC and PlayStation 3 versions, which gives users access to the Criterion Games Network. An in-game store was also added to all versions which allows users to purchase content from within the game.
Paid content
In addition to the free updates, Criterion has released several optional, premium packs that add content like new cars, areas and modes. The first update was announced as the "Burnout Party Pack" and launched on February 5, 2009 in North America and the United Kingdom. It focuses on single-console multiplayer gameplay, which offers a Freeburn Challenge-like setting but for players on the same console, who pass a single controller between players to complete challenges. The challenges are split into 'Speed', 'Stunt' and 'Skill' with up to 8 rounds and up to 8 players can play at once. Criterion in addition also announced the combo pack "Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box" that launched around the same time which contains the original game, plus the Cagney, Bikes, Party pack and Update pack all in the same package which contained "a mountain of new refinements".On November 7, 2008 Criterion announced the first premium content pack called "Legendary Cars". The pack features four cars inspired by famous vehicles from film and television. The Jansen P12 88 Special (based on the DeLorean from the Back to the Future films), the Hunter Manhattan Spirit (based on the Ecto-1 from the Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters (franchise)
Ghostbusters is a supernatural comedy multi-media franchise created in 1984. Its inception was for the movie Ghostbusters, released on June 8, 1984 by Columbia Pictures. It centered around a group of eccentric New York City parapsychologists who investigate and capture ghosts for a living...
films) the Carson GT Nighthawk (based on KITT
KITT
KITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...
from the television series, Knight Rider), and the Hunter Cavalry Bootlegger is (based on The General Lee
The General Lee
The General Lee is the modified Dodge Charger driven by the Duke cousins Bo and Luke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard. It is known for the chases and stunts, especially high jumps, in almost every episode, and for having the doors welded shut, leaving the Dukes to climb in and out...
from the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
). The Legendary Cars pack was released on February 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, and later in 2009 for the PC.
On March 5, 2009, Criterion announced the release of the "Toy Cars" pack. It features a collection of new vehicles designed with a "toy car" aesthetic, although modelled as full-size cars. The Toy Cars pack has been released in three packs. The full pack offers all toy cars along with the Nakamura Firehawk; a toy motorcycle, while the others split the content into two parts, minus the Firehawk.
On March 12, 2009, the "Boost Specials" pack was released. It featured two cars: the Carson Extreme Hotrod and the Montgomery Hawker Mech. The Carson was described as the fastest car in the game and featured a 'locked' boost; the car continues to boost until it is brought to a stop in any manner. The vehicle dynamics system were rewired so that the Carson performs more realistically than any other car in the game. The Montgomery Hawker Mech also featured a unique boost system, which allows the player to willingly switch between the three different boost types at the touch of a button.
On February 6, 2009, via the Criterion Games Network, Criterion announced the "Cops & Robbers" pack, which was released April 30, 2009 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The content does not involve AI Police patrol cars but instead borrows from the Cops and Robbers modes of older Burnout games, notably Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Burnout 2: Point of Impact is the sequel to Burnout. The game is created by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim. It launched in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. It then launched for the GameCube in early April 2003...
. Players are split into teams, the Cops and the Robbers. Teams attempt to return gold bars to their respective bases to score points. Every Paradise car (except Carbon and Premium DLC cars) receives a Police livery with the content.
Originally announced as the "Eastwood pack coming in Fall 2008", the expansion known as "Big Surf Island" was released June 11, 2009. Design for the island was guided by the principle of "If you can see it, you can drive it". The island puts emphasis on the playground aspect of Burnout. The developers mentioned that in their telemetry they noticed that players congregate in areas of Paradise City that lend themselves to stunt-driving, and so the idea was to create an entire island to accommodate player desire. Big Surf Island also features new vehicles, which includes the Carson Dust Storm buggy, a car tailor-made for stunts. In addition to the Dust Storm buggy two specially featured cars, the Hunter Olympus "Governor" and the Carson Annihilator Street Rod are also included. The unlockable cars also include toy versions of all four "Legendary Cars" pack vehicles and a special Jansen P12 Diamond awarded once all 500 freeburn challenges were completed. It features several new events, billboards, smash gates, and mega jumps. New Trophies and Achievements were also added along with a new 'Big Surf Island License' to obtain.
As of October 2010, the PC in-game store is nonfunctional. Criterion Games has stated the store is closed.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features 40 licensed tracks, as well as 30 songs from previous games in the series. In addition, the soundtrack also includes 22 selections of classical music, bringing the total song count to 92.Release and marketing
A demo was made available on December 13, 2007 for both PlayStation 3 via PlayStation StorePlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
. On January 4 through January 14, Criterion raised the maximum number of players for the online Freeburn in the Paradise demo to 8 players (Online play for the demo has since been shut down completely). With it, a total of 13 new Freeburn challenges were made available for players to attempt. On the September 25, 2008, Criterion announced that Paradise would be made available for download on the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
. Upon installation and first execution, all updates would also be downloaded and installed, which gives the player to have the latest version of Burnout Paradise. Paradise would also be added to Xbox 360's Games on Demand in August 2009
Burnout Paradise features in-game advertisements for a number of brands, including Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, JL Audio
JL Audio
JL Audio is an American manufacturer of consumer audio products. They produce marine, home, and mobile audio products, but are best known for their subwoofers. JL Audio is known as one of the pioneers of the car audio industry.-Formation:...
, Gillette and CompUSA
CompUSA
CompUSA is a retailer and reseller of consumer electronics, technology products and computer services. Its headquarters are in Miami, Florida.Until its reorganization, CompUSA, Inc. was a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Commercial Corp S.A.B...
. From October 6, 2008, in-game billboards featured ads for the then United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
confirmed that the Obama campaign paid for the advertisements, marking the first time that a United States presidential candidate has bought in-game advertising
In-game advertising
In-game advertising refers to advertising in computer and video games. IGA differs from advergaming, which refers to a game specifically made to advertise a product.The IGA industry is large and growing...
. The Obama campaign ran only on the Xbox 360 version of the game.
Burnout Paradise is the first game in the Burnout series to be released for the PC. Criterion made use of existing graphics technology and introduced enhanced visuals and the ability to play the game across multiple monitors to enhance widescreen playing. Players can link three 4:3 monitors to play in a Polyvision
Polyvision
Polyvision was the name given to a specialized widescreen film format devised exclusively for the filming and projection of Abel Gance's 1927 film Napoleon. It involved the simultaneous projection of three reels of silent film arrayed in a horizontal row, making for a total aspect ratio of 4:1...
aspect ratio. PC users are also able to download a trial version of the game for free. It includes the entire map and three cars but will expire after thirty minutes. All saved data will be carried over if the user decides to purchase the full game.
Reception and awards
Burnout Paradise was well received, earning (among other things) the Editor's Choice in GameSpot. MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
has the game calculated at 88 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 release and 87 for the PS3. Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
calculated an 88% for the Xbox 360 and an 88% for the PS3 version. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
, Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb is an American video game website and wiki that includes gaming news, reviews, commentary, and video, created by former GameSpot editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis in collaboration with Whiskey Media...
and Game Chronicles gave the game a perfect score. Reviewers praised the game's open world, stating "Burnout Paradise is an amazing open-world racing game that stays true to the Burnout legacy", but that the large world may "feel a little daunting at first." New gameplay mechanics such as gas stations and body repair shops were also praised which "mitigate potential frustration when the heat is on." Hyper
Hyper (magazine)
Hyper is a multi-platform Australian video game magazine. Australia's longest running gaming magazine, it has been in publication since 1993, and was released the same month as the better known UK magazine Edge...
s Daniel Wilks commends the game for its "great sense of speed and things that go boom". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Chris Roper praised the vehicle unlock system, which gives the player a new vehicle with each license, and also gives the player the opportunity to "take down" certain vehicles, which earns the player a reward if completed. He further lauded the game as "controlled chaos".
While the game was well received, some reviewers were disappointed that there was no option to restart a race or event. Instead the player had to either fail the event, or cancel the race by bringing the vehicle to a stop for a few seconds, and then return to the specific place on the map to try that particular race or event again. Criterion responded to this criticism by stating that they don't feel that this is a problem and that adding a "retry" option would introduce loading screens, which they "hate with a passion". Despite this, the option to restart an event was later added to the game via a free software update. One reviewer found DJ Atomika, the game's guide, to be "instantly dislikeable".
Paradise won several awards in 2008, with Spike TV, Gametrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
and GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
all awarding it Best Driving Game. Additionally, Paradise won GameSpot's award for Best Downloadable Content by in 2008. Burnout Paradise became 2008’s Most Decorated Driving Game.
External links
- Burnout™ Paradise at PlayStation.com