Right, Burnout Paradise is basically the ninety billionth Burnout game so they decided to use a different tact which in theory sounds like a good idea but has a crucial flaw: The in-game map reading, which at times could completely ruin the effect of the game and flow. I mean, imagine every time you come to a junction you have pause the game, select map read (which is harder then you think) and then memorise a route and take it.
The "new" idea is to go around to find a race to take part in, then if you really need or want to, you can run of any time you want to just for a laugh. The problem with this idea is if you loose the race you have to drive back to start of the damn race which means if you lose a race you will never have the confidence the do it again for another fifty years (I'm being serious). After the second time (sometimes first) you crash in a race, which means you can not possibly win the race, it gets more infuriating as you get nearer and nearer the end of the race. Countless times you're just near very end and then you will crash and you are forced to sit there and watch first, second and third get stolen from right under your nose, by this you've lost the will to live (I really wish I was kidding).
Burnout Paradise is the kind of game that tries to crash you and cruelly laughs at you for it. As you crash it will all go black and white, swap to the preferable camera view and then in slow motion replay your inglorious moment of defeat again and again (until you shoot the TV and go do something boring like reading these boring reviews of boring games on boring consoles and boring TV until you so bored and kill yourself in the most painful way in the world by listening to the Beatles or something stupid and suicidal like that)
All in all I'd say that Burnout Paradise is probably the best racing game I've played but most racing games are in my opinion are a great steaming pile of poo.
I'd give it 7/10 and in summary say if your really disturbed and actually a fan of racing games (and if that is you then I think you should see a doctor) then you should check it out.
Finger pig says Yes.