Oh Acclaim, you've done it again.
With Burnout 2 you jump straight into the action. There is no fancy storylines or anything like that because Burnout 2 cuts straight to the chase. When you first turn on the game you will have to go through a training program which teaches you the basics skills that you need to master. You will learn how to Steer, Powerslide and all the different ways to fill up your bar to give you that all important speed boost. The training will not take very long and it explains the rules of the road very well.
After you have completed the training you can jump straight into championship mode or you can do the ever popular single race. The key to unlocking cars and tracks is the championship mode. Championship mode provides you with a series of races and mini tournaments were the key is to finish first so you can unlock stuff and of course get the gold.
Apart from Championship mode, the other main mode in Burnout 2: Point of Impact is crash mode. Because the crashes looked so good in the original Burnout game, they have decided to make a whole section of the game devoted to the greatness of crashing. If you can make a great crash and cause alot of damage then you will recieve a gold medal. You have an objective before each attempt to try and cause a certain amount of damage.
The graphics in Burnout 2 are very impressive. With the fast paced action it is surprising how the graphics can maintain their greatness. They are so impressive that they actually make the Gameplay better. Throughout the game, different textures are used and this adds great effect. The different lighting effects create an amazing illusion of the sun's reflection. The graphics are up their with the best of them on the Playstation 2. Fantastic.
If the graphics and gameplay weren't good enough, the sound certainly is.
Burnout 2 supports Dolby Pro Logic II. I don't really believe that it takes full advantage of the surround sound but it is still fantastic. The music is great and depending on the situation, the music can change to something that supports the situation well. For example, the music beomes much more franatic as you activate your turbo boost. Overall the sound is very good.
Overall I believe that Burnout 2: Point of Impact is a great game and definately deserves to be part of the ever popular Burnout series. Arcade and normal racing fans alike will love this game and I believe that most gamers will also enjoy Burnout 2: Point of Impact for the Sony Playstation 2.
That was a review by Edge-o-Matic.