Criterion to "transform" Paradise

By Ellie Gibson Published 4 April, 2008

More patches promised this year.

Criterion has pledged to "TRANSFORM" Burnout Paradise by issuing a series of hefty updates.

As previously reported, the first of these will be called "Cagney". According to Criterion's website, the updates have names rather than numbers because they're extra special.

"You may have noticed us referring to our future new content by codenames," the latest post reads. "Just to clarify - you’ll see them in this order: "Cagney", then "Davis" and then "Eastwood"." James Cagney, Clint Eastwood, yes, but Davis? As in Steve?

"What we’re working on now goes way beyond conventional content updates, so we figured the usual 1.1, 1.2 version numbers didn’t do it justice."

These aren't just patches, you see. "We will TRANSFORM Paradise over the coming year," says Criterion.

Any chance of some menu screens?

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Triggerhappytel #1 4 years ago

    I suppose just releasing a finished game is beyond anyone these days.



    /Is being facetious - doesn't even know what the patches are for.

  • funkstar #2 4 years ago

    extra content in the form of 'islands' from what i've heard....

  • FortysixterUK #3 4 years ago

    That's a great idea, as long as the "named" patches are free....

    oh...hang on...this is EA....

  • KingOfIceland #4 4 years ago

    Ehhh..... I'll believe it when I see it.

  • IAmBatman #5 4 years ago

    yes, but is Alex Ward still there?

  • Ignatius_Cheese #6 4 years ago

    Can. Not. Wait.

    One of the best Burnout games by far and one of my personal favourite Xbox Live experiences \o/

  • rashes #7 4 years ago

    cool. Glad I haven't traded in my copy so..

  • BootLace #8 4 years ago

    Bah, I was hoping for "Cagney and Lacey" and "Crockett and Tubbs".

  • Madafunkola #9 4 years ago

    Went back on BO:p (terrible acronym) this week after a month or so and it's still great fun - can't WAIT for some updates, don't care if they cost some money.

  • Murbal #10 4 years ago

    Roger Davis of Alias Smith and Jones fame?

  • jack_klugman #11 4 years ago

    Retry option?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #12 4 years ago

    Surely it would be so easy for them to add the 'retry' option, and even better a jump-to-selected-junction on the map (the UI is practically there, in fact I'd wager they deliberately took it out at some stage).

    But will they do it? If they do, I'll buy Burnout paradise, but I'm guessing they won't want to make such a major u-turn (like the ones you have to do in-game to drive back to the start of the race you narrowly failed).

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #13 4 years ago

    Incidentally: Bette Davis.

  • groovychainsaw #14 4 years ago

    Maybe if they put restarts in and made it so you couldn't get lost during a race through 90 degree turns i would consider it, but its not likely. Considering I own all 4 previous burnout games and have ocmpleted them all 100%, can't say how disappointed i am that the latest one just isn't as good...

  • BillyBrush #15 4 years ago

    too much too young too faaaast, criterion's decisions were really arrrse

    surprisingly bad game given it's average review scores - restarts, showtime, burning routes, ouch

    start again from scratch, don't patch, by the looks of 2nd hand bins across the land most people have moved on already
    Edited by 1 at 04/04/08 @ 15:38

  • BillyBrush #16 4 years ago

    but well done Ea trax for opening one's eyes to the band Airborne, like AC/DC only new...niiice

  • Rash' #17 4 years ago

    That's a bit harsh Billy. It wasn't that bad.

  • sebsal #18 4 years ago

    Please transform in a Crash Mode

  • bdgr #19 4 years ago

    James Cagney? Damn, I thought they meant Cagney & Lacey!!

  • nuffmon #20 4 years ago

    Transform it into crash mode and i might buy it.

  • Quint2020 #21 4 years ago

    Criterion with enflated promises of revolution, surely not?

  • Darren #22 4 years ago

    Great news... so Criterion plan on changing this good but flawed game into something really special then? Can't wait! :)

    Seriously though, Burnout Paradise might be the most ambitious game in the series yet but it's also the most underwhelming and disappointing one IMO and I got bored of it far quicker than I did any of the other games. There just didn't seem to much variety to it and the city got stale very quickly since most of the events follow the same routes. Yeah, there are in theory millions of routes from A to B but in practice you have to use one or two otherwise you'll lose, there's no room for exploration or detours while racing, so Criterion might as well have made each event closed off with the odd shortcut to keep things interesting, like the earlier games. The open world structure really doesn't work here IMO, all it does is replace having to choose events from a menu by driving around looking for them instead with the side effect that it renders the environments even more lifeless because the absense of any people is all the more obvious. The lack of a restart option was annoying too as was having to drive to one of only five garages in order to change your car.

    P.S. I'm referring to the offline game only as I had no interest in playing the game online, never did for Takedown or Revenge either and I loved those games.

  • BillyBrush #23 4 years ago

    @Rash

    yea it wasn't that bad, still fun, prob an 8/10 on the Billy scale....it just wasn't a 9 or 10 in my opinion as most sites gave it...would have been excellent if there was restarts and change to burning route....so a great game with a few bad decsions in there imo, surprised such glaring design issues got overlooked by reviewers imo (not overlooked, but didn't affect scores is prob a better way of putting it)

  • Peew971 #24 4 years ago

    Road Rage online would bring me back...

  • Les #25 4 years ago

    I'll stick to Burnout 3 for my arcade racing fix once in a while...

  • Ryze #26 4 years ago

    TELEPORTING?

    SET MARKER ON MAP?

    ROTATING MAP?

    FIX THE FUCKING NINJA GAIDEN BACKWARDS RIGHT STICK CAMERA!!!!!!!

    POINT TO POINT RACES WITH BLOCKED BEND MARKER CHEVRONS?

  • MrCrun #27 4 years ago

    What about Miles Davis?

  • peterfll #28 4 years ago

    Restarts

    + 1

    POINT TO POINT RACES WITH BLOCKED BEND MARKER CHEVRONS.

    + 1

    Perhaps I'm getting old but I've been driving around the city for hours now and I still get lost in races.

  • Rirekon #29 4 years ago

    All those complaining about the lack of Crash-mode; You do realise you can initiate a free-form crash mode at any time by holding both bumper-buttons (360) right?

    I love Paradise, really enjoy the fact that you can choose your own routes during races, and aren't blocked by stupid non-physical barriers. The exploring and driving between different races is different and you can go so fast in most cars that the distance is usually negligible in terms of time. I have nearly half the cars, over half the shortcuts and billboards, most of the jumps, and I'm still loving it.

    Massive kudos to Criterion for trying something different and not rehashing the previous titles in the series again.

  • DarthInsinuate #30 4 years ago

    Are they adding giant robots or something?

    *excites*

  • Darren #31 4 years ago

    @MrED209 - Did it ever occur to you that everyone is different and what you think might be great about Burnout Paradise is what someone else might think isn't, or vice versa? ;)

    Personally I think Burnout Paradise is less immediate and accessible than the earlier games... if I want to jump straight into a racing event I haven't yet completed, I can't, I have to bloody drive around the sterile, empty environments looking for them. Terrific when I just wanted a quick five minute play. What's wrong with adding a NFS Carbon-style shortcut system so you can jump straight to events offline? I believe the feature exists online. That's just one of the many flaws the game has IMO, including the lack of a restart option.

    Anyway, I think the Burnout series peaked with the second and third game myself, the others haven't been anywhere near as much fun to play.

  • rogueJT #32 4 years ago


    Great Game.
    The lack of restart only made earning your elite license all the more sweeter - there's certainly a greater sense of acheivement.

  • Beano #33 4 years ago

    "I suppose just releasing a finished game is beyond anyone these days."

    BOP is one of the most "complete" game I've seen I a long time :)

    Can't complain that Criterion is expanding the game by offering DLC and keeping the game fresh.

  • cyber_nicco #34 4 years ago

    Bette Davis, perhaps?


    oops, a little late to the party am I...
    Edited by 1 at 04/04/08 @ 18:20

  • kopykatt #35 4 years ago

    I don't understand all the criticising. It was my favorite game for ages and online has been great fun. But I have 100% completed it so can't wait for the new stuff. Although a restart option would be cool.

  • Feanor #36 4 years ago

    Were they always such a bunch of wankers?
    Edited by 1 at 05/04/08 @ 01:36

  • agparrot #37 4 years ago

    Well I understand that there have been a lot of people who haven't enjoyed this so much.

    However, I was one of the doubters, really, having played the demo, and I was incensed at Alex Ward telling me to 'suck it and see', believing that I knew best.

    But coming to it with an open mind, and a gang of EG forumites, it has without doubt been some of the best online gaming fun that I have had. Freeburn Challenges are just a work of genius, and I relish the prospect of getting back online in Paradise City with all the forumites that I have met there. I, too, have 100% completed the single player, and I have also completed all 350 online challenges, but I still love dipping back in to help other people finish their challenges off, and do some online racing.

    So as sceptical as I am about Criterion 'transforming' Paradise, I am far less quick to criticise this outlandish claim, because last time around, Alex Ward was right, and I was wrong.

    I had previously been of the opinion that Burnout 2 owned all other iterations, but Paradise is really like a different kettle of fish - bound, unfortunately, to upset purists, but I count myself a happy convert.

    There is just something funny about Van Racing, and something challenging about trying to outdo online buddies on Time road rules, and the comic banter that has come from playing online - whether that is with people who have been playing since day one, or just people who I have stumbled in along the way. It makes a nice change of focus from the immediate competitiveness of CoD4, and if you have only thought about picking up the 360 version, there are still a gang of us happy to play on an informally regular basis.

    I cannot wait for DLC for this thoroughly enjoyable title.

    I should have got a badge for the 350 challenges, though!

  • dryden555 #38 4 years ago

    glad I'm waiting to buy this -- I content to wait when the content is all there for one low combined price

  • Ryze #39 4 years ago

    hurry up then!!!


    /waits...

    /looks at watch...

    /taps foot...

  • Saltefanden #40 4 years ago

    Heres hoping they're adding splitscreen support.

    Only reason why i haven't bought this game yet.

  • Stonker #41 4 years ago

    FFS the game is awesome now with or without added extra content or patches. I honestly can't understand people waiting to buy this game. I have a few minor quibbles with it but it's still the best Burnout of the series so far.

  • shamblemonkee #42 4 years ago

    you'll all make a fine bunch of grumpy old men.

    BOP is a great game, i only ever missed a retry option a the very very end of the game.

  • CARL05 #43 4 years ago

    Retry option,
    Map jumping - to anywhere on the map,
    local multiplayer support and
    the crash event back not this stupid bloody showtime!!!

    and this all better be free EA cos im not paying to get the rest of the game I've already paid for!

  • Ryze #44 4 years ago

    Oi! Don't you call me a grumpy old man, young whipper-snapper!

    I don't know... kids today with your PS3s, Wii, and 360s. In my day it was all ZX81 and 10p a go for Track & Field!

    You don't know you're born!

    /grumble, grumble...

  • Agent_Llama #45 4 years ago

    When this game has instant restarts, I'll buy it. Until then, I'm more than happy with the still-brilliant Takedown.

  • myke6699 #46 4 years ago

    menu screen; if you press the START button on PS3, it takes you the the menu.

  • doriangray #47 4 years ago

    I want to be able to put my own music in the game please. You could in previous burnout games but for some reason i can't in this one.

  • Ryze #48 4 years ago

    er... press the guide button and choose your music.

  • misterg1970 #49 4 years ago

    Restarts and Showtime (pointless) aside I thought this game was the best driving game I've ever played. It's certainly my favourite PS3 game and I look forward to additonal content. I'm thinking about getting a 2nd hand copy for 360 for custom soundtracks.

  • 3william56 #50 4 years ago

    Yes! Cars turning into robots! Massive damage!

    Sold.

  • Widge #51 4 years ago

    For the future, I think they should take the previous gen games as a blueprint, update nothing but the soundtrack and graphics, change absolutely nothing. This would be a radical development and will help further the series by leaps and bounds. Also they should go back to putting numbers next to the title and call it Burnout 7. Or perhaps Ridge Racer.

  • Ryze #52 4 years ago

    @ Widge

    It'd actually be perfect if they did this - HD'd Burnout 2+3, and made them online playable with more new music tracks.

    That'd be big. I'd buy. Right now there's no-one playing Burnout 3 online on the Xbox (360).

    I want to play without having to book appointments with or nag people. Feels like playing PS2/PSP online for god's sake!