Burnout 3: Takedown
Burnout 3: Takedown | |
---|---|
Racing | |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Burnout 3: Takedown is a 2004
Before the creation of Burnout 3: Takedown, UK-based development studio Criterion had been collaborating with publisher Electronic Arts (EA) on a skating video game. However, disagreements over the game's creative direction led to its cancellation and falling out between the two companies. EA later approached Criterion about reuniting and partnering on a game, and so Criterion began developing Burnout 3: Takedown in June 2003 on the condition that EA would not interfere in the creative process. Over a year later, EA acquired Criterion and the Burnout series; their high expectations for Burnout 3: Takedown was influential in the acquisition. The game launched in September 2004 on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox video game consoles.
Upon release, Burnout 3: Takedown received critical acclaim, becoming one of the highest-rated racing video games of all time, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Critics were enthused by the shift to a more aggressive style of racing game and the addition of gameplay mechanics like Takedowns. The addictive gameplay and visuals were widely praised by reviewers, many of whom ranked Burnout 3: Takedown among the best games released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The game went on to win numerous awards including three from the British Academy Games Awards, two from the Spike Video Game Awards, and one from the Interactive Achievement Awards as well as the Golden Joystick Awards. Retrospective coverage of the game has been highly positive with some publications declaring it as the greatest arcade racer game ever made and the peak of the Burnout series. A successor to Takedown, titled Burnout Revenge, was released in September 2005.
Gameplay
Burnout 3: Takedown is a
Road Rage is a new game mode in which the player must achieve a certain number of Takedowns in a preset time limit or before their vehicle is totalled.
World Tour is a single-player career mode that combines Single Races, Road Rage, Crash mode, and several other race variants into a series of 173 events spanning ten locations across the United States, Europe, and Asia.[3][4][8] Events are presented on a navigation map and a medal is awarded for every one that is completed successfully.[3][9] World Tour includes Grand Prix events that group several races together into a point-based tournament. Face-Off is a one versus one race event wherein the player is granted with opposing vehicle if they win.[3] Burning Lap is a single lap time-trial event where the player must beat predetermined lap times.[3][4] Eliminator is a five lap race in which the driver in last place at the end of each lap gets eliminated.[3] The game features 67 vehicles which are divided into classes based on their speed.[3][4][9] New and faster cars are unlocked by earning medals in World Tour mode and achieving milestones such as attaining a certain number of Takedowns or causing a certain amount of damage across Crash mode junctions.[3]
Burnout 3 supports
Development
Background and production
Burnout 3: Takedown was developed by
At the 2003
Design
Ward noted that EA's snowboarding video game series
The game was developed on Criterion's proprietary
While Criterion had their own audio team to create original music, working with EA allowed them to include licensed music in Burnout 3.
Release
Criterion and EA officially announced their partnership for Burnout 3: Takedown in March 2004.
Reception
Critical reviews
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 93/100 (PS2)[31] 94/100 (Xbox)[32] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Edge | 9/10[5] |
Eurogamer | 9/10[33] |
Game Informer | 9.25/10[8] |
GameSpot | 9.5/10[3] |
GameSpy | [34] |
GamesTM | 10/10[4] |
IGN | 9.4/10 (PS2)[35] 9.5/10 (Xbox)[36] |
Burnout 3: Takedown received "universal acclaim" from professional critics on both platforms according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Based on the game's metascore, it was ranked the second best video game on both platforms in 2004.[31][32] It is also the highest scoring Xbox racing game of all time and the second highest scoring PlayStation 2 racing game of all time on Metacritic.[37][38]
GameSpot editor Jeff Gerstmann opened his review by calling Burnout 3: Takedown one of the best racing games of all time, noting that it stood out among contemporaries in the diverse and expanding genre. He felt the quality of the game was high enough to recommend it to gamers who were impartial to driving games.[3] Edge magazine regarded Burnout 3 to be Criterion's finest work to date; they thought the studio had demonstrated their proficiency by revising the series structure and dynamic. They were also mindful of how Burnout 3 offered fun and exhilarating experiences while other developers were prioritising realism in their games.[5] Andrew Reiner of Game Informer wrote that the addition of significant gameplay mechanics had helped craft one of the most addictive racing games ever made.[8] GamesTM awarded it a perfect score; they proclaimed that Burnout 3 was without a doubt the greatest racing game ever made and described playing it as the most fun they had ever had in the genre.[4] GameSpy reviewer Miguel Lopez, who also awarded the game a perfect score, remarked that it was possibly the best arcade racer ever made.[39]
Reception towards the introduction of Takedowns was highly positive.[4][5][9] Reviewers admired the impact that Takedowns had in transforming the boost mechanic and shifting the game's focus to a more aggressive style of driving.[4][5] GamesTM pointed out that the hostile behaviour of AI rivals supplemented the system by presenting more opportunities to perform Takedowns, culminating in an intense and dramatic racing experience.[4] Lopez explained that Burnout 3 had intelligently integrated elements of vehicular combat games by introducing Takedowns.[34] Gerstmann commended the game's use of Impact Time and Aftertouch mechanics, which he believed made crashing an entertaining aspect of the game, unlike other racers.[3] IGN's Fran Mirabella III was amazed by the crash system; he considered it to be far ahead of anything that had been done before.[40]
The expanded and refined Crash mode was embraced by critics who found the gameplay to be addictive.[5][7][8][41] Reiner highlighted Crash mode as his favourite part of the game,[8] and Eurogamer writer Kristan Reed stated that it was the mode he spent the most time playing.[7] Edge welcomed the inclusion of ramps and aftertouch, stating that the design of the mode had become "more complex and focused". They thought Crash mode had evolved into a substantial component that was capable of being released as a standalone product.[5] Mirabella and Reed both complimented the balance and variation of events in World Tour,[7][42] and GamesTM was pleased with the amount of content featured in the single-player component.[4] Gerstmann agreed that Burnout 3 offered a large amount of content and excellent replay value. He also felt that the progression of difficulty in World Tour was done effectively by introducing faster cars throughout the campaign at reasonable pace.[3] Reviewers were in agreement that Burnout 3's engaging and frenetic gameplay remained intact during online play.[4][33] Reed stated that he would have liked to see the single-player content become more integrated into the online component, citing other existing racing games as examples. He thought that progress across single-player events should be recorded in online leaderboards enabling score comparisons with friends.[33] Mirabella believed Criterion had largely triumphed in creating a great online component.[43]
The game's visuals and spectacle were lauded by critics who suspected that it would amaze players.[8][33] Reed questioned whether it was the best looking game to have ever been made.[33] Critics observed that the use of high frame rate and motion blur helped convey an incredible sense of speed. Other aspects such as particle effects, reflections, and real-time deformation drew praise as well.[3][40] Critics expressed approval over the sound design of the cars and collisions, but opinions of the licensed soundtrack and DJ were less favourable. Some writers found the DJ's enthusiastic dialogue to be annoying and had mixed opinions on the songs included in the soundtrack, but were thankful for the available audio customisation options.[3][33][36][41]
Accolades
Burnout 3: Takedown received numerous awards from the video games media and independent awards organisations following its release. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine and Official U.S. Xbox Magazine both ranked Burnout 3: Takedown as their "Game of the Year" ahead of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Halo 2 respectively.[44] Eurogamer staff rated Burnout 3 in ninth place on their list of the top fifty games of 2004.[45] GameSpot named it the best Xbox game of September 2004,[46] and it won the publication's annual "Best Driving Game" award across all platforms.[47] At the 2nd British Academy Games Awards, Burnout 3 won three awards in the "PS2", "Racing", and "Technical Direction" categories, and received three further nominations in the "Art Direction", "Online Multiplayer", and "Xbox" categories.[48] Burnout 3 won "Racing Game of the Year" and was nominated for "Console Game of the Year" at the 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[49][50] For its showcase at E3 2004, Burnout 3 won "Best Racing Game" from the Game Critics Awards.[51] At the 2004 Golden Joystick Awards, Burnout 3 won the "PlayStation 2 Game of the Year" category and was a runner-up for "Online Game of the Year".[52] At the 2004 Spike Video Game Awards, Burnout 3 won "Best Driving Game" and was nominated for "Game of the Year". It also won the viewer's choice award for "Most Addictive Game". Alex Ward and Criterion were nominated for "Designer of the Year" for their work on Burnout 3.[53]
Commercial performance
Burnout 3: Takedown debuted at number one in the UK software chart. During the game's launch week in the UK, 57% of sales were for the PlayStation 2 and 43% were for the Xbox. The game became the fourth fastest selling Xbox title ever in the UK.
Legacy
In 2005, Criterion launched their follow-up to Burnout 3: Takedown, titled Burnout Revenge. Revenge retained Takedowns but continued to evolve the aggressive style of driving by introducing new features such as the ability to knock traffic out of the way and into opponents.[62] With Revenge, Criterion wanted to set the game on its own path rather than just recreate Burnout 3 again. Ward admitted that later Burnout games may not have recaptured the same quintessential feeling that Burnout 3 did. He considered Burnout 3 to be the game that he was most proud of working on and a high point for the studio.[23]
Retrospective coverage of Burnout 3: Takedown has been overwhelmingly favourable, with many publications considering it to be among the best games released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles,
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