IGN reviews Burnout 2!

[Private Hudson]

Insider Only

Closing Comments
Burnout 2: Point of Impact has a lot of what I clamored for last year. It has more tracks, more vehicles, a thicker single-player mode, extra modes to die for such as Crash and Pursuit, different weather conditions, pretty visuals, and a more impressive sound package. I can only highly recommend it to any arcade racing fan. It's definitely worth a buy, even if the single-player content can be experienced in five hours of less. Crash mode, the Custom Series Champsionship, which features more cars to unlock and all the tracks in reverse, and the multiplayer make up for it.
However, I'm also hopeful that Criterion does a sequel. I think there's still plenty left to exploit in Burnout. Let's have some licensed vehicles, more involvement with tuning the cars, random weather effects, more interaction with computer AI, and more brilliant mode additions like Crash. Most of all, I'd like to see a happier medium between skilled driving and the high-octane, heart-pounding arcade elements.

Few arcade racers can compare to what Criterion has pulled off. I hope there's more to come.

-- Fran Mirabella III


Presentation
All the trimmings, fast load times, a more simplified replay system, flashier cars, but still a lack of official licenses. 8.0
Graphics
This score may be the same as the original's, but the visuals are definitely improved. Standards change, but Burnout 2 is still a super-fast, beautiful racer. 8.0
Sound
Brought into the world of DPLII, it now features the separated whish of passing cars and echoing tunnel chambers. Soundtrack composition is also better. 8.0
Gameplay
Much faster gameplay, more cars, more tracks, more everything; king of high-octane racing. But the dumbed down, easier arcade gameplay isn't quite the happy medium we were hoping for. 9.0
Lasting Appeal
Incredibly addictive four-player Crash mode, intense two-player racing, and a far deeper single-player mode. Still missing randomized weather, but this is a great step forward. 8.0
OVERALL SCORE (not an average) 8.5

Everyone here better buy this game. Seems to be slightly improved from the PS2 version as well. Let's hope that there's online play in the sequal (even on the GCN!). It's still my favorite game of this generation.