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Revenge is Sweet

By Steve Richter

Drive fast or die: those are the only two choices you've got in the frantic arcade racer Burnout Revenge™.

Thankfully for those who select the latter alternative—and believe me, with crashes this cringe-inducing, it's inevitable—you'll also take a whole lot of rival drivers with you when you go.

Environments are more interactive than ever, competitors display increased aggressiveness, and those graphics, well … wait until you see the fenders start flying.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of enhancements the game introduces. Allow me to take you on a test run through just a few of the new features …

Get out of the way, slowpoke!

Road Rage

Save good sportsmanship for Little League—here, your in-game progression ties directly to how mean and vicious you are. The more chaos you cause, the higher the real-time rating awarded while tackling each competition. After an event is completed, your ranking is translated into Revenge Points. The greater your score, the easier it is to unlock additional events, hidden game modes, and new cars.

Computer-controlled wheelmen don't play nice either, as evidenced by their repeated attempts to ram you into walls or barriers. Exact your vengeance upon the artificially intelligent upstarts who've earned your ire and net even bigger rewards than normal. Bottom line: It's not about finishing first anymore … it's about finishing, period.

You can see the class action lawsuit already.

Rush Hour

The franchise has always been about flooring it straight into oncoming traffic; now, there's a point to bumping and grinding with drivers on your side of the road too. That's right, sparky: Rear-ending a Sunday driver won't cause a flaming collision any more … at least, not on your end. Rather, nudge SUVs, sedans, and sportscars from behind, and send them swerving into opponents, causing massive pile-ups. Remember to avoid buses, trucks, trailers, and semis, though—they're still instant showstoppers. Electronic Arts calls the concept "checking traffic." I just call it badass.

Vertical takedown in 5, 4, 3, 2 …

Crash Course

So much for static backgrounds—tracks like the ones found in Tokyo, Rome, and Detroit are designed with maximum mayhem in mind. Settings are littered with ramps, jumps, alternate routes, and insane shortcuts at every turn. Buzz through buildings, squeal up underpasses, smash in gates, and soar through warehouses. There's ample opportunity not only for catching massive air (and yes, vertical takedowns are possible), but also barreling opponents into more blockades, medians, and livelier traffic patterns than ever. Here's hoping you've got a low deductible.

Number Crunching

You thought the high-impact head-ons showcased in Burnout® 3: Takedown™ were gut-wrenching? Fun fact: Accidents now boast three times as much detail where demolition is concerned. Slam an adversary into a support pillar in one of over 75 vehicles inspired by real-world designs, and watch hoods crumple, windshields shatter, and pieces of undercarriage fly off in flames. Collect convertibles, stunt cars, and muscle machines, then total them in increasingly spectacular ways. Just don't blame me if you start flinching every time shrapnel comes hurtling at the screen.

Send wreckage sailing in every direction.

A La Mode

Recuperate from a bad day on the freeway with the all-new Traffic Attack scenarios. With a set time limit, bashing into others adds precious seconds onto the clock, as well as building your turbo boost stocks. Racing against a dwindling timer, try to keep crashing and bashing as long as possible. Bear in mind that style pays: Hitting targets at specific angles sends them spinning off in different directions. Use your creative flair for ultra-violence to literally level the playing field by sending victims ricocheting into traffic.

You can also bust out crashbreakers in certain solo races and events. Charge your meter by attempting daredevil stunts and antagonizing enemies. Once the option's available, upon colliding with scenery or a random roadster, hit the B button to self-destruct your vehicle, which instantly goes up in flames. The resulting concussive blast obliterates everything in the immediate vicinity, creating a swath of wreckage that would do an atom bomb proud. It's the ultimate way to flip would-be assailants the finger—and crush both their car and any hopes of victory they've been entertaining in one fell swoop.

Further upgrades include improved Eliminator competitions, a sharper sense of speed, and several crash mode adjustments. But I won't spoil all the surprises … yet. Check back for more inside info as the game screeches closer into view.