Burnout Paradise's bikes immune to obliteration

Criterion's forthcoming "Davis" update for Burnout Paradise will deliver not only an array of two-wheeled vehicles, but a taste of automotive irony. Whereas the series' signature sports cars all spectacularly crumple into balls of mangled metal when they collide with walls, poles and, best of all, other signature sports cars, the bikes won't bend or buckle or break. And neither will the riders, safely disappearing from the game's E10-rated environment whenever they wipe out.

MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo explains that when it comes to Burnout Bikes, it's less about SMASH! and more about ZOOM! -- particularly in the update's speedy new single-player challenges and 8-player online, motorcycle-only events. Players can also expect a day-night cycle, weather effects (no, really!) and yes, wheelies.

We imagine plenty of people will bemoan the absence of bikers smashing their heads open on Burnout Paradise's pavements, but hey, Criterion is still giving us a pretty substantial (also: free) addition. The only drawback we can think of is not having a place to hang our pair o' dice.

Reader Comments (31)

Half the fun of playing games with bikes in them is watching the crashes. I found GTA: San Andreas very satisfying in that aspect.

There's always motorstorm.

Well, if you have a PS3. (Which I don't)

watch them delay it a month for 360 I mean we are still waiting for fcking Cagney!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to break it to you but PS3 is probably gonna get eastwood before 360 gets cagney. And thats perfectly fine by me.

Yeah that is kinda lame, what is the point of bikes in a "Burnout "game is they are indestructible.
Oh well, still...free is always a great thing.

I was looking for anatomically correct respones to crashes. Like breaking arms and legs, ribs, perhaps even skull fractures. Damnit.

With the speed of the crashes in Burnout, bikers would be reduced to strawberry colored granola.

Exactly! Who doesn't like strawberry granola? So delicious. Except those god damn commies...

Burnout is all about the amazing smashes. That's what differentiates it from other racing games.

I'll find away! THIS I SWEAR!!!

More excited about new challenges, day/night, and weather.

f that noise!

I was really mad about this until I noticed the "free" part. Now I'm only mildly annoyed.

Burnout has always been about the speed for me, so this is an excellent feature that I am really looking forward to. Who cares if I can't damage the bike or driver.

Burnout Paradise is rated E10+, not T.

I seem to remember seeing somewhere that there can be ESRB-rated DLC that can be a higher rating than the package game.

Of course, this is coming purely from memory and could just be a random thought my mind threw out there to keep me off its trail...

So, is it coming out before or after the 360 gets its Bogart (?) update, the one PS3 has apparently had for 1 month already.

Yeah at first it sounds lame but the earlier games were all super fast racing with the constant danger of smashing into cars and the walls. Lately it seems the focus is more on destruction with the traffic checking. It's OK to keep the destruction in the modes that center around it. Although at the same time why can't they show at least some damage I mean come on at least paint scratching.

The riders disappearing I understand, as the cars don't have drivers, but why can't the bikes take damage? Smashing stuff up is a core component of the game.

Agreed. Let the two wheels fly off and the tail light smash. Where's the harm in that?

Well this confirms what I already suspected:

DAVIS IS THE BEST!

:)

All credit to criterion: few developers support their game this extensively. A few tweaks here and there, sure, but nobody to my knowledge has added new classifications of vehicles, new modes, new day cycles, new online modes, new islands... It sounds like they still have a nearly full development team working on the game, nearly half a year after release.

Nicely done, sirs. I hope you are financially well rewarded for your efforts.

I know! When this game first came out I wasn't going to get it(wasn't thrilled with the open world), but after hearing about all this great new content they are adding I picked it up for $20 on Gamefly.

P.S. The open world takes some getting used to but it is fun after a while.

I was actually just thinking that all of this extra content their creating is going to make it hard for the next Burnout game to stand out.

Don't these sort of improvements get done and then packed together as the next retail game? Burnout Paradise 2?

As you said, it's great for them to continue supporting and developing this title. It just leaves me wondering if they're also working on the next one?

One time I was driving and I saw a car that got wrecked so bad it looked like a motorcycle. The driver was fine.

Wow, definitely just got half as excited about this update than I was before.

The FlatOut series has ragdolled drivers that smash through the windshield and sprawl out all over the track, and they're all still rated Teen. "Safe" or not it's not a valid argument for not being included.

I knew the riders were likely to not be dynamic, but why not the bikes? Surely it can't be that much harder than dynamically deforming a car...

I'm okay with no motorcycle crashes as long as EA gets the hint and gives Criterion free reign to bring back Road Rash. I mean, they have Rusty Cage in the soundtrack along with the bikes, it's like a cry to EA to bring back the mid-90s awesomeness. Burnout on bikes with fighting would be the ish.

The free portion of the Davis update does not include the bikes. It only includes the weather effects and night-time driving challenges. Bikes will be paid DLC (or Game Changing Content, sheesh).

Yeah this is pay-for DLC.

Which is fine, the guys deserve a few notes for all they've done, and continue to do.
The upcoming islands later in the year are free, which is cool.

And look at the bike crashes on youtube, they look fine, you barely notice anything different.

Hey, I thought the bike update was pay. Oh, I guess some people already pointed this out. I can't wait to get bikes in Burnout, I'll gladly pay for it. I think they should crumple just like cars though, especially if we're paying for it.

EA and Criterion ROAD RASH!!! oh how sweet it would be. This no crashing thing is lame.

Burnout Paradise's bikes immune to obliteration

Reader Comments (31)

Posted: Aug 1st 2008 7:30PM WiiFTW said

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