Burnout Paradise to halve price, become download

[Brandon B]

Later this fall allegedly. I have the demo for this. The price drop (and my son) might push me over the edge to a purchase on this one:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2008/08/15/burnout-paradise-to-see-re-release-as-a-downloadable-ps3-title

[dieroboter]

I played the demo too, back when it was released. Great game, easy to play and plain fun

I hope we see more games available like that, it's a nice idea.

[Yuri]

Looks great.

For this sort of game I won't mind downloading but I do hope wipEout HD will be released on packaged media because I adore the Designers Republic packaging designs (which is why I chose one of their designs as my avatar )

[Brandon B]

Well, this title is now $20, either in BD form or as a download. It also includes a couple of add-on content packs in that price, a pack of motorcycles, and a challenges and paint jobs expansion.

We've had the demo of this game on our machine for a year, and come close to buying it a few times. Kid finally put it on his birthday list when it hit $20 and we got it. Have to say, it is well worth it at this price. You are free to drive all over a surprisingly well conceived "city" and race, jump and destroy as you see fit. You can choose challenges at most of the traffic signal intersections (stunt runs, races, demo derby challenges, etc), or just thrash around endlessly. As you complete challenges, you get new cars, paint jobs, trophies, etc.

While crashing is an integral and highlighted part of the game, there are no humans anywhere (cars are driverless) so it's pretty much just a debris fest. The motorcycles do have riders when you choose those as a vehicle, but they sort of vanish from the scene in a crash. So while it is violent from one standpoint, they've tempered it so that I, at least, have no issue with my kid playing it.

They also just released a pack of cars which I yielded to temptation on, including a knockoff of the BTTF DeLorean, the Ghostbusters Ecto-1, faux KITT from Knight Rider, and a custom job of an already in game car. All the cars in the game are fictionalized (cut down on licensing copyrighted designs). The 'DeLorean' can hover and lay burning tire trails. All 4 are in an $8 pack, or you can buy each separately, but since the BT car was $4 alone, I just nabbed them all.

There is an upcoming expansion pack with an additional island of driving routes and new stunts.

Anyway, this a completely spiffy driving game if you're into that, and well worth it at this price.

[Brandon B]

OK at over 30 hours of playing this game, I will say that they should not have the title track playing every time you boot up the game. I was never a GnR fan, but even my wife hates that song now, and she likes them.

Fun game though.

[Brandon B]

New add-on coming to the PSN tomorrow. They're adding an additional area with 9 more cars for $12.99 US called "The Island".

Features some huge jumps and a baja racer type car among other things. To prevent abuse by my offspring, I'll be picking it up.

I am at 67 out of the original 75 cars on the main game and still enjoying this title,

[The Seventh Taylor]

Hehe, abuse of you, you mean?

[Brandon B]

'zactly