TAKEDOWN

I made a mistake, and I’d rather correct it now when I notice it then in a few months when it’s exhausted me. Adding an explicit section for links to this newsletter just hasn’t felt right. In the last couple of weeks I’ve spent more time reading/researching than actually playing games or writing which gets away from my initial vision in creating this thing. And when I have found a piece I wanted to share I don’t necessarily want to wait two weeks to do so, and I’d rather just put it up on my personal blog. So I’m stripping this thing back down to the essentials. Mainly writing about games that I’m currently in-progress with.

Thanks for watching me stumble along as I try and figure out how to cram a bunch of my hobbies into a life filled with other responsibilities and worries. I’m sure this won’t be the end of it. Appreciate your time - now onto the game this week!

Burnout Legends

The journey with the PSP continues this week, and we’re really stepping on the gas now! Similar to Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, Burnout Legends is attempting to bring the gameplay users would be familiar with from the larger consoles and make it portable. Unlike with Ratchet & Clank where the usual frenzied gunplay felt a little watered down, the arcade racing genre the Burnout franchise is a part of translates much better to Sony’s handheld.

Burnout 3: Takedown was one of my favorite games growing up, and Legends elicits that same level of energy and excitement from me. While the game repackages tracks and modes from the initial three mainline entries in the series, it was only a year removed from Takedown so the third entry’s DNA comes through the strongest in this bite-sized iteration. There are a few traditional modes everyone would be familiar with like Time Attack and 1-on-1 competitions for vehicles, but the star of the show are the ways in which the game offers opportunities for destruction. Even in a standard race taking an opponent out is a main objective - the easiest way to be number one is if 2-6 are unable to finish a race after all. Slamming the first place car into a barrier, taking their spot in the race, is endlessly satisfying. And the boost you are rewarded with means you rarely lose your momentum.

But the non-standard modes are where the most fun is had. Racking up an increasing combination of Takedowns is exhilarating even on the small screen. The game does a great job of managing the thrill of the chase. The competition may appear too far off to catch up with, but maintaining a high speed for long enough will eventually bring you within arms reach. This need for speed (HA!) keeps you in a state of focus for an entire race. Then there is the “Crash” mode where causing as much damage as possible is the only objective. This was the mode that instantly transported me back to the PS2 days of Burnout 3. Outside of the technical differences between the two, the crash gameplay is a mirror of what I grew up with including the slow-motion that triggers to allow you more maneuverability in deciding what your car hits. It’s a treat, and I’m delighted by what was possible on the PSP at the time especially when comparing what Legends looked like on the Nintendo DS.

As noted, there are inherent differences and noticeable limitations in bringing the franchise to the PSP. Most of these have to do with how many objects can be rendered on screen at a given time. In the crash modes the amount of destruction one can cause is limited by the amount of vehicles the handheld is able to show at once. It’s one of those things that is noticeable if you are looking for it but doesn’t take too much away from the moment to moment fun. The biggest hinderance would be the draw distance and screen size of the device. Developer Criterion Games did a great job in having the headlights and brake lights of other vehicles have a distinct glow so you can identify them sooner, but at top speeds it takes a healthy amount of concentration and some squinting to ensure you don’t mistakenly crash. I could feel my brain having to work a little harder than it would if I were playing one of the console versions.

However, none of those hinder the joy of Burnout Legends. Its arcade spirit pairs well with the pick-up-and-play nature of the PSP. There have been several evenings where right before bed I pick up the device, play through a couple events, and go to sleep. One more shot of adrenaline before heading off to dreamland. It maybe hasn’t been the best for getting those coveted eight hours, but the fact that I keep doing it anyway should tell you everything you need to know.