Burnout PS2

Like your racing games fast, furious, and full of spectacular smashes? You're in luck. With Burnout, Acclaim removes all pretense of providing a serious simulation and instead serves up a delicious dish of pure arcade fun on the PlayStation2. The title features two key selling points--the speed of the action and the spectacular crashes. To facilitate these, the setup couldn't be more straightforward, as the aim is simply to be first past the post. You can increase your chances by driving more dangerously, although that comes with obvious pitfalls in the shape of those aforementioned smashes. Let's just say that to get through the game you're going to have to take your chances.

Contrary to the serious approach of Gran Turismo 3, this is foot-to-the-pedal stuff, and tremendously good fun to play. And when you do put your proverbial foot down, get ready to move, for this is a blisteringly fast title that deceptively requires more concentration than at first appears. The downside is that this won't appeal to those who like their racing games nice and serious, nor to those looking for anything particularly innovative. Burnout has few qualms about marrying the multimedia power of the PlayStation2 to a game engine that forsakes bells and whistles for speed, destruction, and sheer good fun. Fortunately, in this case, it's all the better for it, making it yet another PS2 four-wheel treat. Highly recommended. --Simon Brew