Burnout 3, for the better!
This is my very first experience with the Burnout series, and I can say that I'm impressed. I don't typically enjoy competitive sports titles, which is what my brain tends to classify racing titles. Even still, I don't particularly enjoy racing games, and the ones that I have had fun with faded very quickly (I'm talking within a mere couple of 1/2 hour sittings).
Burnout 3 is different; yes, it's racing, but for a person like myself, that typically enjoys strategy and role-playing games, it kept me coming back enough that I made no regret of my purchase or time spent playing it. It offered enough variety and fun to keep my attention even despite the other recently acquired games I could have been playing. For me, that says a lot. I often find racing titles repetitive, monotonous, and boring, so this was a great thing for someone that never thought he could find enjoyment in a genre usually so "geared" toward... well, gearheads.
Portions of the game command a bit of reflex, but that can easily be abated by skipping those respective parts. The game offers a pretty free-for-all, non-linear experience, and includes enough different types of gameplay modes for those that don't enjoy driving around in circles over and over again.
In terms of multiplay, it even works well in social scenarios; you can easily pick a gameplay mode that allows for quick turnover, allowing you and your friends to switch off, still keeping everyone quite entertained--even when they're not playing. Of course, the game also sports some simultaneous play modes, but I've actually come to prefer the formerly mentioned style.
Overall, the game is rather well-done, and is a proud part of my collection. I could recommend this to nearly anyone that enjoys fast-paced action.
