We go for a nostalgic, reckless spin around Paradise City in this remastered version of the brilliant Burnout Paradise for PS4 and Xbox One.
Until 2018 the Burnout series appeared to be well and truly extinct, after a full decade of silence. This apparent demise was made all the more tragic by the fact that Burnout Paradise, the last full console release, was an absolutely stunning entry. I was already a massive fan of the franchise and its wince-inducing takedowns, but Paradise took the core gameplay and perfected almost every aspect. The open-world city was a joy to speed around, while every street held some form of challenge, race or ridiculous stunt to pull off.
Although we’re still waiting for a new Burnout title to emerge, those fine folks at Criterion Games have finally served up a hot slice of reckless speeding to the Xbox One and PS4. Burnout Paradise is back, in full ‘Remastered’ glory. And we’ve fallen in love all over again.
Burnout Paradise Remastered: What do you get?
This rejiggered version of the original game includes the full Year of Paradise experience. In other words, the base game has been expanded with all eight expansion packs.
All of the DLC cars are included, giving a massive selection of vehicles unlocked at the very start. This includes an impressive range of cop cars from throughout time, complete with blazing sirens. You even some famous vehicles, such as the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.
Also included is the full complement of multiplayer modes and the add-on ‘Big Surf Island’ area.
As you’d expect from a remaster, those graphics have also been fully updated for modern consoles. If you own the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, you can expect 4K visuals and support for 60 frames-per-second. The result is super-crisp, super-smooth gameplay. Owners of the original PS4 or Xbox One (or TVs that don’t support Ultra HD), don’t despair. You will still enjoy high-res graphics and updated textures.
Burnout Paradise Remastered: Is the game still great?
Oh my god, yes.
Although the game takes a while to load up, that action is non-stop once you’re in. Paradise City still remains one of the best car playgrounds of all time, with a layout that’s perfectly geared towards speed and crazy driving. The sheer amount of stuff to do is incredible, just like a GTA title. The events are fantastically varied, from standard races and the violent Road Rage challenges (where you have to take down as many opponents as possible in the allotted time). Yet we could spend hours simply tearing around the city, smashing through hidden shortcuts, crashing through the Burnout billboards (140 in total to find and destroy) and trying to beat the many, many time trials.
The huge number of unlockable cars and bikes will keep collectors occupied for days. Some of these are discovered simply by completing those events and upgrading your Burnout license. Others need to be taken down when spotted on the streets.
And even if you’re not an avid racing fan, many things about Burnout Paradise are bound to appeal. The difficulty level is surprisingly gentle, for one. You can wreck yourself two or three times in a challenge and still come out on top. Most races and other challenges are short enough so you don’t get frustrated if you crash and burn. And there’s always another distraction just around the corner if you do flop.
All of this crazy action plays out to one of the best gaming soundtracks outside of Tony Hawk. The Guns and Roses title track never grows old, while a massive selection of punk and rock tunes will make you feel like a total bad-ass as you slam through your opponents like a hot poker through butter.
How do I get Burnout Paradise Remastered?
You can grab the remastered version of Burnout Paradise right now for PS4 and Xbox One consoles, for £35. It’s available on the console’s online stores, as well as in high street shops.
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