Silicon Fusion >> Reviews >> Burnout Legends (PSP)

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Review:

23rd September 2005:
Burnout Legends (PSP)
The PSP gets a real Legend and gamers get smashed in the head. Everyone wins...
Posted by Chris Barnett - - UK and Europe

The Burnout games have developed quite a reputation since the first game was released in 2001, mainly due to their quality. In an unusual tend, each sequel seems to outdo the previous game on all counts, even commercially. So when the game is miniaturised you would at least expect a diminishment of quality wouldn’t you? Well you would in most cases, but Criterion have done a fine job of taking everything from the four years and compounding it into one package.

The term ‘Legends’ is not used sparingly here; the franchise has earned its reputation though being so different to all other racing games out there. In many senses it is unfair to even label it as a racing game; a more accurate label would be a ‘crash-em-up’. With the added production of Electronic Arts you get the presentation that would put a millionaire’s buffet to shame, too.

The game has all the classic modes such as road rage, crash and pursuit, with added multiplayer variations of each. But the way in which all these modes are adapted to the PSP is remarkable – they are quite possibly better than we could have wanted!

The crash mode allows the destruction of entire highways in exactly the same magnitude as in the previous games, but with an added degree of after-touch control to compensate for the smaller control area. This adds a lot to the whole experience as it allows more strategic ‘leaps’ into the incoming vehicles. All of the different cars that you hit have their different weights according to their sizes, which is pleasing as this could have been an easy flaw to make. The only flaw here is that the reloading of stages takes around 30 seconds, making score-beating a slower process than it could have been. But with the amount of detail in the stages, this is understandable.

The road rage mode is as intense as you would imagine, but smoother than you would imagine. As you weave through traffic it is smooth and easy to control, especially when shunting rivals into obstacles. The ‘burnout’ meter is here and correct, allowing super turbo induced speed bursts that really show off the frame rate of the entire thing. In fact, it feels as fast as Wipeout Pure when you are playing it, even though it is actually slower. This really feels like a game that has been designed to give the player everything that they want.

The cat and mouse nature of the ‘police’ chasing pursuit mode is also excellent, intense to the last second. With the multiplayer feature, this allows you to chase your friends like the criminals that they (likely) are.

As a single player game, this is essential. When the multiplayer is considered, it is one of the greatest experiences that could be possible on Sony’s dinky new handheld. Not only does the game offer detailed multiplayer modes for those with multiple copies of the game; there is also a game share feature, which few PSP games have used to date. This share mode allows a single race to be performed with two people, with no slowdown at all. There is also an option to upload a demo of the game to your friends who are unlucky enough not to own the game, allowing them to sample the delights of the game.

The graphics and sound are also very special. Whilst the visuals may not be as detailed as Ridge Racer’s, they have much more depth to them – instead of confined circuits it genuinely feels as though you are riding on the highways and side roads. With the addition of damage and slow motion impacts; there is little to fault this as a vision of destructive beauty.

As the single player game offers progressive events as well as new vehicles, it is going to last a long time for those who simply want to play through. But to those who want to better their times and damage causing, there is no lifespan – it will last as long as the non-biodegradable plastic of the PSP.

Without a doubt, this is as good as Burnout could get on a PSP. It may not quite have the ‘ten pin bowling’ physics of the new ‘Revenge’ game on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but when you are playing this on the bus, the last thing you will be thinking is of what’s at home! Essential for everyone who has a PSP and a pulse and you may be tempted to buy it for those without either as it is that good.

Chris Barnett

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Review Summary:

The classic smashing of the Burnout games was never destined for the small screen, but it made it in the only way it knew - by breaking every expectation that anyone could have had of it. If the loading times were improved a little, this would be close to perfect; but the waiting is worth it, tenfold.

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