New not only to the crash mode, but in every other style of play as well, is the ability to maneuver the car after the initial accident (though they are not always accidental in "Burnout"). The idea behind it is not only to cause more damage, but also to intercept opponents in races so they don't gain a huge lead. It seems like such a minor tweak to the gameplay engine, but its essence adds another layer to an already deep racer. Keep in mind that just about every mode can be taken online, including the crash mode that lets multiple players attempt to rack up a larger damage amount.
Key to just about every race you enter is boosting, something which has remained with the series since its inception. Driving recklessly fills up the meter, which lets players achieve an insane amount of speed, but also increases the risk and fun factor. New to this edition is the ability to actually lose a section of the bar, caused by opposing drivers crashing into the player's vehicle. It can of course be gained back by slaughtering the AI in various ways. Slam the same driver that caused your wipeout and earn revenge points, the games largest boost increase.
All of this is lost unless the game handles well, and here it performs admirably. Each style of vehicle (none officially licensed) has its own feel; the F-1 series especially changes the way you play the game. Weaving in and out of traffic is hardly a problem and you'll amaze yourself by some of the moves you can pull off once a rhythm is established. Sadly, the ability to save replays or change the camera angle has been cut, a strange decision for a game that relies on such visual thrills.
With the budget obviously increased thanks to EA's pocketbook, "Burnout 3" becomes the best looking racing game on the console. This is major praise with games like Rallisport and Project Gotham sitting alongside this one. Crashes look just stunning, the added spark particle effect being the most spectacular edition. Reflections on the vehicles are cleaner, more realistic, and the cities are just sprawling with detail. The frame rate never drops below 60 (except in split-screen mutli-player, but this is hardly a problem), a stunning achievement when the screen becomes filled with traffic and car pieces. Those with HDTV's get the full effect thanks to 480p support. If you still play games with either a RF unit or composite cables, you really can't imagine how much detail is being lost.
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