New Burnout demo upgraded

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 January, 2008

More player support, more tasks.

Criterion has boosted the online content in the recent Burnout Paradise demo, adding 13 new Freeburn challenges and upping multiplayer support from four to eight people.

According to the game's website, the eight-player support will be apparent from today until 14th January, and of the 13 Freeburn challenges three are specific to 5/6/7-player sessions, with four for people in groups of eight.

The update should apply to both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gamers.

The demo, released earlier this month, allows you to explore a section of the free-roaming Paradise City gameplay area, putting the new engine through its paces ahead of the game's release on 25th January.

Just before Christmas, Criterion issued a statement defending the demo after complaints were made about the wholesale changes the developer has embraced for this release.

We've been quite impressed, as it goes, entranced by the game's singularly new take on the classic formula at Games Convention, and further buoyed by a subsequent playtest.

Look out for our review in the near future.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 4 years ago

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  • BadBoyBonner #1 4 years ago

    No retry then? ;-)

  • Beano #2 4 years ago

    Well.. the demo changes are a "retry" in itself ;)
    Edited by Beano at 04/01/08 @ 12:54

  • ccfb #3 4 years ago

    How are these features delivered? Re-download the whole thing? "Auto update"?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #4 4 years ago

    Doesn't it already support 8 player games?

  • Whizzo #5 4 years ago

    The demo only supported 4 players before, nothing updated when I just fired it up a few minutes ago by the way.
    Edited by Whizzo at 04/01/08 @ 13:08

  • kissthestick #6 4 years ago

    retry sayz lolz

  • monkie_king #7 4 years ago

    I assume it's just serverside changes?

  • IAmBatman #8 4 years ago

    It's all multiplayer stuff so the changes can be done server side, like Halo 3 matchmaking changes etc.

  • agparrot #9 4 years ago

    oooh I'm going back on this later, if only because when I get bored of the challenges I can go off and try for the 100% score on Power Parking, which I think I've managed twice.

    The challenges were a great laugh in multiplayer, and it is going to be fun fun fun trying out 8 player MP.

    If Live works for long enough, that is.

    Still not convinced I am getting Paradise straight away, but I might. This may sway me, if it is grrrreat when I try it out later.

  • Stormflood #10 4 years ago

    I liked the demo a lot, and I look forward to seeing the whole map.

  • dsmx #11 4 years ago

    I really do feel that a retry option will be sorely missed if they don't stop the AI cheating.

  • BBIAJ #12 4 years ago

    Still no Showtime then?

    Big mistake... :o(

  • dllord #13 4 years ago

    "The demo, released "earlier this month", allows you to explore a section of the free-roaming Paradise City gameplay area, putting the new engine through its paces ahead of the game's release on 25th January."

    Shouldn't that be "earlier last month"?

  • Kazzahdrane #14 4 years ago

    So, is the multiplayer only driving around the map and annoying other people, or will there be "classic" Burnout multiplayer? i.e. races?

  • Moz #15 4 years ago

    This suggests that Criterian are a little worried about peoples reaction to the demo.

    Still can't say i'm convinced by the game myself, it just doesn't feel like a burnout game, if they'd called it something different e.g. Paradis Racing - from the creator of Burnout.

    I got all excited about a pick up and play arcade racer which this most certainly isn't.

  • TheRealBadabing #16 4 years ago

    Burnout has lost it.

    A next (current) gen racer should include what was good last gen with extra bits to make it appealing enough for another purchase. Not some designed-by-committee focus group led pack of arse.

    Burnout reached it's peak at 2. No need for bullshit. Just speed, fish-eye and that awesome music effect when the boost kicked in. That is enough to differentiate between racers, surely?

    Anyone actually rather have this crap than a BO2 remake with higher resolution?

    Producer should be sacked.

  • OllyJ #17 4 years ago

    still not convinced, there's a lot to like about the demos i'm sure, but personally I can't get over the free roaming/retry/no race timeout etc....it's just too intrusive to what works best as an arcade game IMO. I think you could still move the series forward whilst keeping the Burnout spirit and NOT going free roaming!

    Why is it Devs think this is the way to go? I mean it's pretty much killed Tony Hawk for me, some things are better when you can enjoy small focused areas, to be honest I simply can't be arsed to get used to yet another game city!

    Whilst not quite as bad as Def Jam Icon I feel the same way in as much as what was once a one of a kind game is now pretty much too different in all the aspects you loved it for.

  • BabaBooey #18 4 years ago

    The first thing this demo update should contain is an option to skip that goddamn intro. It takes so damn long before you can actually start your car.

  • TurboBailey #19 4 years ago

    i thought the demo was gash

    Tried again last night - its still pants.

    Burnout 1,2,3 were all great. Its lost its way recently. I thought it was a racing game???

  • BBIAJ #20 4 years ago

    This suggests that Criterian are a little worried about peoples reaction to the demo.

    That, or they just want to trial the servers with more players per online game.

  • mkreku #21 4 years ago

    I think it's good they're trying something new. The last good Burnout was Takedown (number three in the series) and the franchise has been treading water ever since. As long as they identify what went wrong with the last two games and don't incorporate that into this new game, all will be fine. Besides, I am all for free-roaming games anyhow.