bit-tech Shopping: Electronic Arts Burnout Paradise (PS3)

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Month

Strengths: Great open world format. Can choose from many types of events. Continued support from Criterion with frequent updates and HUGE additions.

Weaknesses: Only if you don't like cars or racing.

Summary: Get this game! If not now, when it hits the PlayStation Network this fall at $29.99. I hope that other studios follow the lead of Criterion and provide MASSIVE UPDATES and EXPANSIONS for their games. Value of this game compared to price is off the charts!

Rating: 8

Time with product: 1 Months

Strengths: Speed, crashes, graphics

Weaknesses: no "restart race" option

Summary: The Burnout series has always been known for its amazing speed and off-the-top crashes as an arcade racer. Don't expect a racing simulator here. This title also offers probably one of the biggest change of direction in the series of Burnout games. Instead of having to flip through layers of menus to start a race, this one lets you continuously drive around town and pick races and challenges to run. This game is meant to be played on a big screen HDTV. The graphics are amazingly sharp. The details you can see in the slow-motion crashes makes you think you are watching an pre-rendered CG. Crashing into other cars, jumping off ramps, taking down the opponents, all these really get your adrenaline pumping. It's a great way to release some stress. Online races are also great ways to test your skills against real people. There are free and paid updates to the game that can be downloaded online. One of which (available in Aug 2008) is to introduce motorcycles to the game. The one gripe I have about this game is the lack of "restart" option. Because of its free-roaming design, you are unable to restart a race in the middle of it. It makes retrying races a chore - you have to drive back to the original spot to re-initiate it.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1

Strengths: Huge length of roads, great stunts, updates

Weaknesses: No real cars

Summary: I love the concept and the execution. There is something like 250 miles of road filled with items you can use for action. Unlike many other games, there are periodic updates that actually add content to it!Only one downside: I wish they'd used real cars instead of fictitious american metal :-) but even that is not a great concern.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 6

Strengths: Excellent graphics, very fast, easy to pick-up-and-play, addictive gameplay, FUN

Weaknesses: Can be slightly repetitious, difficult to follow map while racing

Summary: Burnout Paradise is one of the best racing games I've played in years. It's incredibly fast racing, and the crashes are downright brutal. The open world aspect adds a lot of exploration to the series - there are jumps to find, billboards to smash, gates to break. There is a LOT to this game, but the developers are still adding more. Several free updates either have releases or will release for this, including one in the fall that will add motorcycles and nighttime racing. If this type of game interests you at all, don't hesitate.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 6

Strengths: Cool graphics, Fun races and objectives

Weaknesses: Not really a weakness - but is different that you can do virtually anything you'd like.

Summary: Lots of places to crash and explore. Many interesting objectives and rewards. Music is quite good and graphics are very good - especially good crashes. Has a good feeling of speed. Utilizes the newer dual-shock controller as well. Overall a very good game.