[Choose a Classic] Burnout 3 or Burnout 4?

[vimes]

A friend just lent me for a few days Burnout 3 and I find it, very, very, very enjoyable... so good, in fact, that I'm considering buying it; I'm just not sure to get Burout3 TakeDown or Burnout 4 Revenge.

On a related note, buying a console at the end of the lifespan of the system is definitely something I will do again (console is cheap, games are cheap and you know what is unmissable) but I can't believe how some classics can't be found at decent price in France.

[DanJW]

Hmm, I haven't played Burnout 4 as much, but I think I prefer 3. The only thing 4 has going for it is smashing civilian traffic out the way, and some impressie stunt shortcuts. But in a way it makes the game less challenging. It might have some better multiplayer too, but I don't know for sure.

[Lechimp]

Burnout 4 has a better racing mode and no annoying announcer (in the English version anyway), but Burnout 3 has a better crash mode and since that's the best thing about the Burnout series, I'd say to go for Burnout 3. Plus it's probably cheaper anyway.

[miffy495]

I played Burnout 3 obsessively when I got it. Sure, it may have been because it was the only PS2 game I had for about a month there, but considering that I haven't really liked any racing game before or since (Mario Karts excluded) it's still a pretty impressive feat. I was lent a copy of Burnout 4 by a friend who wanted me to use it as a way of christening my new 360, but honestly I have yet to touch it for more than a few minutes. It's still a great game and all, but it just lacks something that made 3 amazing. I can't put my finger on it. Legends for the PSP was quite enjoyable for me, and I played that almost as much as I played 3. Why I can't get into 4 escapes me. Take that information as you will. I'm more inclined to recommend 3, but I really don't know why.

And yeah, end of lifespan consoles rock. I got my PS2 late last summer on the cheap and loved the opportunities that it presented. I'll have to do the same thing with the PS3 in a few years.

[brkl]

PS3 is supposed to last, what, 10 years?

Burnout 4 is nice but Burnout 3 is better. Some questionable design decisions in 4. For example, gone is the world map, instead you choose missions from a linear menu :/

[toblix]

"Whazzup, yo! This is DJ Stryker here on Crash FM!"

Ah, the memory.

[loonyboi]

They're both awesome.

Burnout 3 has a better interface (these things matter to me), and some better tracks. Revenge has some cool additions (crashbreaker road rage == awesome) and some things I'm not so crazy about.

For me I prefer Revenge, b/c it's on 360 which means it looks freaking awesome on my HDTV.

[brkl]

I think the most important factor in why I like 3 more is the immense focus you need to go as fast as you can and not crash. The way you can push away cars going the same way as you in 4 makes the game a lot more forgiving.

[vimes]

Okay, I really like the Road Rage mode in which you have to Takedown several opponents in a limited amount of time.The Time Attack and Duel modes are a bit frustrating because I keep on crashing while my ûber robotic opponent doesn't seem to make any mistake. As for the crash mode... for the time being it's not very hard to get the gold medal thus it is a bit disappointing.

So... should I like the fourth opus more than the third one ?

[miffy495]

I spent some time with Revenge today (mostly because of this thread) and have decided that it is awesome. As Loonyboi said, the fact that it's on 360 and thus looks amazing doesn't hurt. It's got some nice tracks and everything, but the change of race-selection interface is a bit jarring after Takedown and Legends, which both used the world map. Still don't think it's as good as Takedown was back in the day, but as I got all the gold medals available in Takedown, I need something different to keep up the challenge. It's a damn fun game, but it's really just more of the same. I'd think the impact of Revenge would be greater if I hadn't played Takedown to death.

Really, before you make the decision, think about how skilled you want the game to need you to be. Do you want to be dodging traffic all the time, even when you're going the same direction (Takedown) or do you want to be able to stay in your lane and just blow everything around you up in a frantic attempt to get to the finish? (Revenge) I think I actually prefer the extra focus on skill that Takedown had, but that's just me.

[Tommy Gun]

I love love love Burnout. I actually prefer Takedown overall. The Crash events are more fun (with the modifiers), somehow the takedowns feel better to do, and the takedown camera is way better. That doesn't sound important, but it's what made me love Burnout in the first place and say, "Holy shit, this is awesome!"

Revenge is fun though, and there are some nice changes. The way you can hit traffic is actually really great, you'll have all these cars flying over you, and smashing into the other racers. The crashbreaker races are really cool too (blow up your car during a race if you crash).

So, I'd get both. But get 3 first.

[StarEye]

Casual poster here, but if I'm allowed to give you my opinion, I'd say you can't really skip any of the Burnout games. The first one concentrated a lot more on the drive fast, don't crash theme, and difficulty was accordingly. It's a pretty hard game, but that makes it even more satisfying when you drive a perfect round. Burnout 2 introduced the Crash mode, if I remember correctly, and I still find that one to be the best. None of that multiplier nonsense - but I know lots of people enjoy that.

Burnout 3 and 4 just seems to emphasize on driving reckessly, 4 moreso than 3. Revenge is more like an expanded Takedown, but I miss the hardcore elements of the first two, which made crashing a much bigger deal than in the last two. When you crash in the last two, it's nothing special, it happens all the times, and you don't really care if you crash or not, and you don't really desperately try to keep on the road. The thrill of not crashing for a full round has completely gone.

So, I'd say, give all of them a try. They all have potential to become your favourite, not just the last two.

[brkl]

In 3 if you want gold from a race you can't really crash more than once (if even that).

[vimes]

Casual poster here, but if I'm allowed to give you my opinion, I'd say you can't really skip any of the Burnout games. So, I'd say, give all of them a try. They all have potential to become your favourite, not just the last two.

Mmmm. okay, I would definitely do that if my family had gather a shitload of money thanks to the Collaboration during the French Occupation .... but it didn't, sooo.. I think I'm going to try and go as far as possible in Burnout 3 ( I'm around 25% after three days playing) then give Burnout4 a try.

Because I reaaallly like Takedown.

[StarEye]

Didn't say you should buy them all, I said you should TRY them all. 'cause they all have their own "thing" to stand out from the others. But of course, if you can't try them all out, I'd go for Burnout 3 too, as that's the cheapest, and you know what you're getting (since you already tried it).

[miffy495]

Burnout 2 does have the awesome Pursuit mode though. That's a good deal of fun. Plays like a graphically updated version of the same sort of mode from NFS Hot Pursuit, but where your goal is to blow up the speeder rather than stop them.

[Aussie Ben]

Burnout 5 is going to have a free-roaming mode...just like Test Drive Unlimited!

It's new and fresh.

[loonyboi]

Burnout 5 is going to have a free-roaming mode...just like Test Drive Unlimited!

It's new and fresh.

Yeah, I really don't like that idea. I don't want to drive to each mission, I want to just jump right into it!

On the other hand, it sounds like the crashes are going to be insane.

[miffy495]

Burnout 5 is going to have a free-roaming mode...just like Test Drive Unlimited!

It's new and fresh.

You'd better be fucking kidding. Then again, it's sadly plausible. Well, I guess Burnout has officially jumped the shark. What's the next series to get all excited about?

[StarEye]

There really isn't much left to do with the Burnout series though, 3 and 4 were basically identical apart from the traffic thingy on 4.

Burnout 5 could be interesting, but I doubt it'll feel like Burnout anymore. It'll probably be like Midnight Club but with fancy crashing, and a lack of licenced cars.

[DanJW]

tue, i dont think they can keep putting out one a year. they will have to slow down or they might burn out. oh, wait... sorry ¬¬

There are refinements that could be made however. The game is all about savouring the visceral effects of a crash - peices of glass, crumpling metal. I would like to see notable crashes slowed down even more, and the physics on cars falling apart improved. in fact, I've just realised why I didnt like Burnout 4 as much - when there's a crash, the game hardly slowls down at all, you dont get a chance to appreciate that gorgeous bullet-time as you did in 3; when the heavenly choir starts and tears fill my eyes.... MWHAHAHAHAHAH!

[loonyboi]

tue, i dont think they can keep putting out one a year. they will have to slow down or they might burn out. oh, wait... sorry ¬¬

That's exactly what happened, actually. Revenge came out last year and 5 won't be out until next year.

There are refinements that could be made however. The game is all about savouring the visceral effects of a crash - peices of glass, crumpling metal. I would like to see notable crashes slowed down even more, and the physics on cars falling apart improved.

Sounds like that's what's happening...from the OPM article:

The physics will have a lot more parts to work with as well. Whereas cars in Burnout Revenge were composed of 12 different parts, cars in Burnout 5 will now have 80 different pieces that can get blown off in a collision

[Tommy Gun]

Well, I guess Burnout has officially jumped the shark. What's the next series to get all excited about?

This is just too easy, miffy. (but seriously, I really want to play it.)

[miffy495]

Deformable terrain? That detail slipped by me during all the conferences. I'm suddenly really pumped about the prospects of Excite Truck.

[Tommy Gun]

Deformable terrain?

Yes! You can see it in all the videos. There are icons you can pickup, and the ground in front of you will rise up into a giant ramp really suddenly! I don't know tons of people make fun of this game, I think it looks awesome.