Ben-DutkaAlthough Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit felt a little bit like Burnout , we haven’t received an actual Burnout title from Criterion since Paradise released in early 2008. And while the next entry in the critically acclaimed franchise isn’t a blockbuster big-budget title, it may have a place in your downloadable collection. Upping chaotic destruction to new levels in a fun top-down perspective, Burnout Crash is all about leisurely insanity via various hectic modes. It’s all about bringing down the highest score possible and the frenetic pace of the gameplay ought to keep you riveted. Let’s just hope it controls well…
You will earn points by causing more destruction; it’s really that simple. The game boasts three modes and all of them are about fast-paced action. As an example, Rush Hour is a timed mode where you attempt to destroy as much of the city as humanly possible within 90 seconds. It’s one of those modes that we’ll want to retry again and again, simply because we’re convinced we can jack our score higher and higher with every successive attempt. Road Trip also sounds interesting; it’s exactly what it sounds like: you visit a variety of locales and just smash through everything. Wrecking certain parts of the environment unlocks more of the game, too.
Certain mini-games can be unlocked in this fashion, and for more depth, we can always turn to the Autolog feature, which debuted with last year’s Hot Pursuit . This feature definitely enhances the multiplayer aspect of the game, and you’ll always want to top the scores of your buddies. To spice everything up, there’s a whole lot of comedy and atmosphere; in addition to the colorful, vibrant environment, we also get a few running gags. The soundtrack will feature popular and recognizable artists and will play into the tongue-in-cheek style. In short, this is the type of game that doesn’t take itself seriously, and takes pride in poking fun at everything.
The developers are also promising a few more totally outrageous features that haven’t yet been revealed, so stay on the lookout for more details. Also, you might want to download this one on the Xbox 360, as the Kinect support sounds like an intriguing addition to the experience. Burnout Crash is rumored to look and sound a lot like a complex, vivacious pinball machine…only with cars and explosions. This might be right up your alley and even if it isn’t, it sounds like a definite tension-reliever, doesn’t it? We’re going to need an exact price and date before we can get too excited, though. The last question that needs answering is: how much are gamers willing to pay for it? And will they get appropriate bang for their buck?
