Burnout 2: Point of Impact

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Burnout 2: Point of Impact

Developer(s)	Criterion Games
Publisher(s)	Acclaim
Designer(s)	Gamestracker
Engine	RenderWare
Picture format	480p (EDTV) 480i (SDTV)
Release date(s)	October 2, 2002
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone ELSPA: 11+
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube
Media	DVD

Burnout 2: Point of Impact is the sequel to the popular racer Burnout. The game was created by Criterion Games and was published by Acclaim. It launched in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. It then launched for the Gamecube in early April 2003 and then the Xbox in late April of the same year in a special edition developers cut with improved features. Burnout 2 gets most of its fame from the much-loved crash mode, where the player tries to crash and cause as much insurance damage as possible. In 2004 the sequel Burnout 3: Takedown came out and immediately went to the number one spot in video game sales.

The game takes place this time around the United States, and includes real-world cities, landscapes, and roadways from the USA: the only difference are the track names. Each track has a little bit of everywhere (East versus West United States), though visually the locations appear to all be of West Coast origin.

Like its predecessor, Burnout 2: Point of Impact's many race tracks have unique soundtracks that give one's self an even greater feel for the location: a coastal road may have music that coincides with surfing and electric guitars, whereas a a city circuit may have fast-paced, techno-based music.

The basic gameplay of Burnout 2 is simple: race circuits around a track, either by yourself or against computerized or player opponents. However, the track features mass traffic, complex junctions and obstacles which can make driving at high speeds difficult. In order to travel faster, the player needs to accumulate 'Boost' (nitrous, in other words). This can be done by:

Driving down the wrong side of the road. (Oncoming)
Skidding around corners at speed. (Drift)
Swerving to avoid traffic. (Near-Miss)
Hitting jumps at speed to gain lift. (Air)

Colliding with traffic, other racers or scenery causes the car to lose control and deform. After a short interval, the car then reappears on the track without damage, but with a loss of boost.

1 Tracks
2 Crash Mode glitches
3 Different versions
4 Trivia
5 External links

[edit] Tracks

The tracks on Burnout 2 are:

Area	Short Track Name	Long Track Name	Real-Life equivalent
Pacific International Airport	Terminal 3	Terminals 1 & 2	A fast, straight track with some tight corners. Based on Los Angeles Int. Airport and O'Hare Int. Airport
Palm Bay	Palm Bay Heights	Palm Bay Marina	A race along tree-lined highways and steep backstreets of a large coastal metropolis. Based on Los Angeles and San Francisco
Sunrise Valley	Sunrise Valley Downtown	Sunrise Valley Springs	This desert city, with heavy congestion and long straight-aways is based on Albuquerque and Las Vegas
Interstate 88	Interstate Loop	88 Interchange	A twisting scenic rural highway carries traffic into Palm Bay from around the state. Based on U.S. Route 66 and California's State Route 1
Crystal Summit Ski Resort	Crystal Summit Peak	Crystal Summit Lake	This turning, slippery mountain path is fraught with danger. Based on Aspen, Colorado and Lake Tahoe
Big Surf	Big Surf Grove	Big Surf Shores	A coastal country road that follows the twists and turns of the landscape. Based on Monterey Peninsula and Miami Beach

The game also includes 'Sprint Tracks'; long, straight courses made by combining 2 or 3 tracks.

[edit] Crash Mode glitches

A truck glitch.

In Crash Mode, there are glitches that will allow you to get an enormous score. One glitch is the flying truck glitch. This glitch is an explosion of a truck, and it happens when a truck is jackknifed at more than 90 degrees. It will be sent incredibly quickly into the sky and if it hits buses, the buses will spin at a massive speed, giving many points. Another glitch is when a truck explodes, but stays on the ground, without flying up at all. This kind of glitch can also give an enormous score. Another problem is that in later Grand Prix, opponents can get overwhelmingly ahead in seconds so the player has no chance of catching up, no matter what car is being used and played against. Likewise, a player can get many consecutive burnouts without increasing the lead.

[edit] Different versions

The Xbox version of Burnout 2 is subtitled the Developers Cut featuring 21 new car skins. It also features an Xbox live online leaderboard, which is the first use of Xbox live on a Burnout game. The GameCube and Playstation 2 versions include all custom cars from the Xbox version, but they do not have customizable skins, online functions, or custom soundtrack functions.

[edit] Trivia

In real life there are two Interstate 88, both in the East of America. Interstate 88 (west) travels entirely within Illinois, while Interstate 88 (east) stays entirely within New York State.