Burnout 2: Point of Impact Review

By Kristan Reed Published 4 June, 2003

The best racing game on Xbox, or a lazy port?

Version tested: Xbox

In these days of lowest common denominator development and identical ports, it's often a pointless exercise reviewing conversions like Burnout 2. It's akin to watching a DVD movie being played on a Panasonic machine and rewatching it on a Toshiba. There might be infinitesimally subtle differences, but it's hardly worth committing a thousand words to the subject. Games have become a little like that; what chance of Burnout 2 bucking the trend?

On a basic level, Criterion has delivered a very straight up port, with very few extras of any real consequence. Yes, there's the welcome addition of 15 extra Crash junctions, the ability to upload and compare around 60 different high scores on an Xbox Live leaderboard, 5.1 surround sound, 480p support, supposedly increased polygon count with twice the detail on the car (although you'd be hard pressed to notice), real-time cubic environment mapping, four extra decal sets, and the Xbox standard custom soundtrack options, but in practise these are hardly exciting extras. On the other hand, the omissions are lengthy and baffling, given the eight month's extra development time.

Multiplayer madness

'Burnout 2: Point of Impact' Screenshot 1

Every right-thinking Xbox owner will have fully expected the multiplayer side of things to have been improved; at the very least a four-player split screen mode, maybe system link, or, praise be, Xbox Live online racing. But instead, all they get is... exactly the same thing as PS2 owners have had for eight months, albeit with improvements to the split screen mode's frame rate. The presence of an Xbox Live mode would have made this one of the must-have titles for the service, so it's more than a little confusing why Microsoft didn't insist on this being one of its flagship titles.

Stepping down from the soapbox for a moment, we should point out that "exactly the same thing" as the PS2 shouldn't put off Xbox owners from nipping down to the shops and snapping this up immediately. Justified ranting about lazy ports aside, there are very few games we enjoyed just as much the second time as Burnout 2.

Right from the minute you engage in the Offensive Driving 101 you're in for an eye-popping manic racing thrill for as many hours as you can stand. The game itself is split into various modes that are equally, insanely entertaining. Top of the bill is the Championship mode, which is where you'll unlock all the cars and tracks available, (and the Custom mode full of oddball concept cars to race once you've completed it). Single Race simply offers you the ability to race on any of the currently unlocked tracks with any of the available cars, Crash is like a game all of its own, tasking you with creating as much vehicular carnage as possible, while Pursuit is a straightforward lift of the Need For Speed cop vs. escaping car mode, but even prettier, and faster.

Slam, screech, scrape, smack, sparks and chaos

'Burnout 2: Point of Impact' Screenshot 2

The controls have been tweaked slightly for Xbox, with the Burnout boost being shifted to the A button, and accelerate now assigned to the right trigger, which allows for more subtle control over your speed, but you hardly need it. Slam that hammer down, screech around the corner, scrape past an oncoming car, dodge between lanes of HGVs, smack the boost down hard before smacking into five different innocent cars, spraying arcs of beautiful sparks into the sky and spinning across the opposite carriageway and causing utter chaos, not to mention lots and lots of damage.

Get the picture? Words can never do justice to the ridiculous sensation of speed as cars repeatedly roar past you in the opposite direction. Arguably, the ever so slightly sharper visuals do make it a more playable game, as you can see what you're about to crash into that tiny bit quicker than before. Burnout 2 is one of the few games that plays even better in 'bumper cam' view, because it gives you that split second extra to see the oncoming traffic, and dodge out of the way just in time.

One area you might be tempted to pay more attention to this time around are the scores you receive after each and every race. Whereas most racers will leave you with nothing more than a lap time and race total to beat, Burnout 2 is positively awash with them; biggest slide, air, oncoming traffic, most damage, most crashes, you name it. Whereas the PS2 version dutifully recorded them, there was little point going back and trying to beat your own record, other than personal pride. Being able to check up your performance against the rest of the continent's players does add a little extra to the package. It doesn't come anywhere near making up for the loss of full online racing, but when you've finished sobbing, it is quite cool.

Driving me crazy

Burnout 2 has gradually built up a decent following on the PS2 after an initially muted commercial response. Sceptics were doubtful that the sequel could really be that much of an improvement over the disappointing original, but as we found out, any game that has you physically dodging oncoming cars from your television is no ordinary game.

But with Midnight Club II out on Xbox on June 20th, complete with full Xbox Live support, and four player split screen racing, Burnout 2's lack of online multiplayer antics, and weedy two-player split sreen have cost it a point. It's still a cracking game, but if it came down to a choice between the two, we'd plump for the former if you're an Xbox Live player. If multiplayer gaming isn't important to you, then Burnout 2 is by far the more accessible, although some might tell you it's easy. It's easily one of the best arcade racing games out there, and you'd have to have a heart of stone to not come away from playing it will a stupid grin etched on your mush. But we'll say it again - why no Xbox Live racing, Criterion? You've broken our hearts.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (37) Latest comment 9 years ago

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

  • Blerk #1 9 years ago

    Doesn't Burnout 2 use Renderware? In which case are we really surprised that it's almost identical to the PS2 version? I guess they could've added some more features though...

  • Xensor #2 9 years ago

    2nd! \o/

  • krudster #3 9 years ago

    Well, obviously, yes it does use Renderware, but you'd think as the *creators* of the thing, Criterion would be able to add a few more bells and whistles for the Xbox.

  • gizmo #4 9 years ago

    I bought this for xbox - Hasn't come out of the thing yet! Excellent stuff. The handling is spot on for this type of game, and its the first time I remember a game making me physically flinch during a crash.

  • Marcus #5 9 years ago

    I assume the GC version is 'functionally identical' too then...

  • Neverness #6 9 years ago

    After playing it last night next to the PS2 version, I found there to be an increase in the amount of other traffic, which made the game much better, and ever so slightly harder/funnier.

    "Burnout 2 is one of the few games that plays even better in 'bumper cam' view..."

    I thought that was the best way to play ALL driving games? You get a better impression of speed and can judge the line better...maybe its just me?

    edit: spelling (thats what happens when you try and post while on hold..)
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/03 @ 10:36

  • krudster #7 9 years ago

    Maybe it's just me, but when I play in bumper cam view on most driving games, I drive like a complete twat. Burnout 2 and Gotham are about the only two games I prefer it in this mode.

  • FWB #8 9 years ago

    I thought that was the best way to play ALL driving games? You get a better impression of speed and can judge the line better...maybe its just me?

    Nope. I'm with you.

    Yeah, this game is cool although the lack of a MP Championship mode is kind of annoying and once yoy unlock all the cars there's really only one that you'll ever use. But its good.

    Now where's my decent GC rally game?

  • lennon #9 9 years ago

    Its a quality game alright. The feeling of uncontrollable speed when you start chaining burnouts together is awesome.

  • Neverness #10 9 years ago

    "Maybe it's just me, but when I play in bumper cam view on most driving games, I drive like a complete twat."

    I am the same on external views (apart from on wipeout and other 'non-traditional' racers bizzarly), I just seem to over compensate all the time. Course I only have a GC now so there are no real decent racers anyway (this one excluded).


    "Now where's my decent GC rally game?"

    Excactly...Isn't V Rally 3 supposed to be coming soon? Not sure if that counts as a decent Rally game but...
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/03 @ 10:51

  • tiddles #11 9 years ago

    In many driving games the steering, handling etc has obviously been tweaked to "favour" one view or another - for example, the TOCA games feel all stiff and unwieldy if you play them from inside the car (IMHO), whereas for the latest Colin McRae it's the other way around, with the inside view giving the best sense of responsiveness and control.

    For me it depends on how much you need to know about the space to the sides and rear of your car (especially in games which involve a lot of "jostling" with opponents), and whether the car or cars are strong characters within the game - it seems kind of pointless to me to spend hours racing to buy new vehicles if you hardly ever see the darned things driving on the track!

  • FWB #12 9 years ago

    Excactly...Isn't V Rally 3 supposed to be coming soon? Not sure if that counts as a decent Rally game but...

    Someone did provide me with a link to a preview on it and it didn't sound too hot: lack of handling differences between surfaces for one thing, which, as far as I'm concerned, is a major part of a rally game. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

  • Grom #13 9 years ago

    Obviously the renderware components which allow xbox live are well matured and easy to integrate into any game you care to try. Oh wait.

  • beep #14 9 years ago

    Bumper cam is for wimps and akin to cheating (why not just view the whole track from top down, you wussies).

    Just joking, of course! The best camera to use is the one you have a preference for, it's as simple as that.

  • Blerk #15 9 years ago

    Isn't V Rally 3 supposed to be coming soon?

    I thought the Cube version of V-Rally 3 had been canned? Did it get un-canned again?

  • FWB #16 9 years ago

    The best camera to use is the one you have a preference for, it's as simple as that.

    That's an illogical, stupid and ignorant comment.

    Bumper cam is clearly for champions.

  • FWB #17 9 years ago

    I thought the Cube version of V-Rally 3 had been canned? Did it get un-canned again?

    Apparently not. June 27th, so it says.

  • FWB #18 9 years ago

    :) Too complex for them, I guess.

  • Tiger_Walts #19 9 years ago

    I usually feel that using any viewpoint that isn't similar to a driver PoV is cheating and detracts from any sort of realism, but then it is also with internal views that I race the best with.

    This however is not the case with Burnout, navigating the roads is easy enough from a driver PoV, but I had trouble spotting cars in the distance and so opted for a higher external view. Interestingly I found this more enjoyable, not because it was easier but because you can appreciate the near misses and see just how narrow the gap between the bus and central reservation was when you actually passed. In short a more pleasing experience.

    Incidentally, anyone who doesn't play a rally game with an internal view is not getting the best. Also, changing the view in CMR3 because the bonnet has been bashed loose and thus obscures the view is cheating, it's your fault it's in that condition, live with it!
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/03 @ 12:05

  • Neverness #20 9 years ago

    Has anyone played the Cube version? Is the two player smooth or PS2?

    I always find bumper cam the best because of the feeling of speed, and on BO2 you get that sickening feeling when you miss judge a gap between busses that is missing on external views.

    "Incidentally, anyone who doesn't play a rally game with an internal view is not getting the best"

    I may be a genius at Bumper cam racing ;-) , but I drive like a muppet on the CM3 drivers view, not sure why. But I do find I switch to that view when the bonnet flies up, I find it amusing.

    VRally 3 is supposed to have a better career mode than CM3 but worse handling. That I can cope with, but if it has the SOOOOOOO anoying bits of stickyout tape that flip your car like on Vrally 2 then I'm afraid that it will be the end for me.

  • Pirotic #21 9 years ago

    i loved the game, but had to take it back as i finished it way to quickly.. all the crash courses, all the custom courses, all golds.. after 2 days, could find no reason to play it after that, seeing as if you perform worse second time around it still saves that medal over your existing one.

  • FWB #22 9 years ago

    Yep, the GC version is solid... as a rock... sitting on more rock... in themiddle of a tectonic plate.

  • Neverness #23 9 years ago

    so your saying that its 'alright' then?

  • Neverness #24 9 years ago

    I see...hmmm, once I complete moving house I may have to reinvest some time in this one. My wife loved Burnout but found the unclear tracks and slow two player mode too fustrating. Well I hope she will love it because her favorite at the moment is Wave Race: Blue Storm...arrrrrrgh I hate that game.

  • Neverness #25 9 years ago

    I think you have found the missing link between Hardcore Gamer and Casual Gamer. The HC sit still as solid as the Burnout 2, Gamecube, 2 player, mode whereas the casual throw them selves around the room and are as unsteady as...um...Black and White...sigh must think these things through.

  • Tiger_Walts #26 9 years ago

    The tectonic plate is also bolted down. With a big weight on top.

    The rocks are also rich in iron ore, and someone has swithed on a very huge elctromagnet.

  • Henrik #27 9 years ago

    I was disappointed in the PS2 version of this. It was too easy and had a cheap PC shareware feel to it.

  • Xensor #28 9 years ago

    POV in racing games are entirely subjective for the simple reason that its a game, not real life. In GT3 I use the behind the car view 95% of the time because it enables me to see what the back of the car is doing and also easily judge width issues etc. However on a couple of tracks (Monaco and Seattle) I find it much more satisfying using the bumper view as the sensation of speed is awesome and it's actually easier to judge the corners and get the racing line correct with the barriers so close to the track. In rally games i personally think its entirely dependant of the driving experience. Some games are really good at simulating the in-car experience, yet the cars seem to float or skate unnaturally when viewed externally. Others the opposite is true where the in-car driving feels artificial yet the car movement is spot on externally. Either way it's a matter of trying all the views to see which you like.

  • Neverness #29 9 years ago

    !I was disappointed in the PS2 version of this. It was too easy..."
    Should have tried using the external view but looking backwards all the time, the difficulty soom ramps up! :-)

    Edited by 1 at 04/06/03 @ 14:13

  • Merefield #30 9 years ago

    In my view this game is as near perfect an arcade racer as you can get and the most fun since Road Rash...but it isn't as classic as Road Rash imho.

    There are only three issues with this game in my view:

    1. The Neon semi-transparent walls that guide you to the route but prevent you from taking a wrong turn. In my oppinion being able to take the wrong turning and having to recover would have added to the fun.

    2. Races are always too close...personal taste, but if I drive really really well I think its only fair I build up a big lead and can afford to make the odd big mistake towards the end. Its a bit Nintendoey the way the others seem to catch up so easily after an amazing run then a crash.

    3. THE WORST THING (SPOILER) The traffic doesn't seem completely random...so not only can you learn the track but you can learn where cars are likely to appear around most corners and over most hills....this is a real fun spoiler and takes away a lot of the challenge.

    Other than that, brilliant, and I must say the Renderware engine, despite its cross platform nature, delivers amazing graphics to the XBox which don't seem to be crippled by its port roots...

  • Neverness #31 9 years ago

    "1. The Neon semi-transparent walls that guide you to the route but prevent you from taking a wrong turn. In my oppinion being able to take the wrong turning and having to recover would have added to the fun. "

    Never liked than myself, but then at the speed the game runs at, it would be mad if there were wrong turns.

    "2. Races are always too close...personal taste, but if I drive really really well I think its only fair I build up a big lead and can afford to make the odd big mistake towards the end. Its a bit Nintendoey the way the others seem to catch up so easily after an amazing run then a crash. "

    Normally I would agree with you. On a circuit racer (F1 or what ever) it winds me up no-end, Apex is probably one of the worse for this and I hate it. With Burnout it doesn't seem to bother me, I guess the traffic makes it feel like there is a bit of a leveler there.

    "3. THE WORST THING (SPOILER) The traffic doesn't seem completely random...so not only can you learn the track but you can learn where cars are likely to appear around most corners and over most hills....this is a real fun spoiler and takes away a lot of the challenge. "

    Most of the traffic isn't random, it is by design. The aim is to make 'moving chicanes' so you learn where the near misses are etc. Some of the traffic is random though, mostly the small cars etc.

  • Feanor #32 9 years ago

    All racing games should have the feature in Colin McRae Rally 2.0 that let you adjust the height, proximity and swinginess of behind-the-car view

  • David_W #33 9 years ago

    "I was disappointed in the PS2 version of this. It was too easy and had a cheap PC shareware feel to it."

    Amen to that! I actually created an account here just for you to beat me to it... It's way too easy!

    It really annoys me the way that one car constantly is so clearly better than the next one. Ever noticed that the cpu cars always end up in the same order during a championship? You usually end up winning all the races, sure it might take a second try, but that's it. A second car hogs all the runner-ups, and a third one finishes third throughout the champ. and so on.

    Sure, it's really neat looking and good fun to play for an hour or two, but if I'd bought this at full price I'd been sorely disappointed. Looks great, but feels like it belongs on a demo disc.

    I really don't get why it seem to excite the eurogamer crowd to the extent that it does when, imo, the last championship is the only one that provides a challenge. Them long, against traffic only courses ARE fun! But too late, and there's not enough of them.

  • tiddles #34 9 years ago

    I'm absolutely with David W on this - Burnout 2 on PS2 lost all tension for me because it was too easy. The first one is far superior on this front - you really get in the zone dodging traffic, and the tension is high because it's very unforgiving - but the sequel just becomes tedious and flaccid very quickly (I'm not talking about Crash mode, and it seems the Xbox version may be better with more traffic on the roads).

    If you really want to be challenged, buy Midnight Club II - it's the game Burnout should have been. And it's coming to Xbox pretty darn soon....

  • barchetta #35 9 years ago

    IMHO the visuals are as good as any racer I've yet seen - yet to really look at PGR2. Can't help but think how good GTA games would look dressed like this. I know engine probably optimised for racing but with the draw distance and all it would look really peachy!!

  • Merefield #36 9 years ago

    Yeah, but don't forget GTA has to "simulate" and render all those pesky pedestrians!

  • mal #37 9 years ago

    Well don't forget that BO2 was developed within Criterion, and the BO team will have had close access to the Renderware team. They'll know the API inside out, unlike the GTA team.

    Personally I think this game is quite hard enough when you have to get all golds to unlock some of the levels. Playing through six races for half an hour only to stuff it up at the end and get a silver is the definition of unforgiving in my book.

    Also, some of those high scores look a git to beat.