Burnout Paradise Remastered on Android Review

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It's hard to believe it has been a decade since Burnout Paradise first roared onto the gaming scene, leaving an indelible mark on fans of high-octane racing games everywhere. Now, with its remastered edition now available for mobile devices like the Google Pixel 3 XL running Android Oreo, we're here to see if this classic still has what it takes to impress a new generation of gamers.

Visually Speaking

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Upon first glance (literally), one thing becomes crystal clear: Criterion Studios poured most of their visual efforts into making Burnout Paradise look simply stunning. The cars are lovingly detailed with intricate textures and reflections that make them almost too pretty to wreck. And boy, do you want to! The game's vibrant color palette combined with its crisp HD graphics makes for a truly jaw-dropping experience.

But as we dive deeper (literally this time), minor imperfections begin to rear their head. While the main areas of focus - like the cars and lighting - are nothing short of phenomenal, certain aspects don't quite live up to modern standards. The trees look straight out of an old-school game engine; think Unreal Engine 2 at its absolute worst.

However, as any seasoned racing fan will tell you: realism wasn't exactly Burnout's bread-and-utter anyway. This isn’t meant to be a hyper-realistic driving simulator where every tiny detail matters. No sir! It’s all about fast-paced action and adrenaline-fueled fun - something this remastered edition delivers in spades.

Graphical Quibbles Aside...

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Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: age. Burnout Paradise was released back in 2008 on consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Ten whole years have passed since then; that’s a lifetime ago when it comes to gaming technology.

So how does Criterion handle this massive leap into next-gen territory? The short answer is... decently well, all things considered. While there are some minor frame rate stutters here and there - especially during intense high-speed sequences where the action gets truly chaotic - overall performance remains solid enough not to detract from your overall gaming experience.

But what really matters most isn't how pretty it looks; it's whether or not this remastered edition still delivers on its core promise of fast-paced, action-packed racing thrills. And here lies both good news and bad...

The Good News: The Full Burnout Experience

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When you fire up the game for your first playthrough (or tenthousandth re-playthrough - we won't judge), one thing becomes crystal clear: Criterion hasn’t skimped on any of the original's features. Every single piece of DLC, every additional car pack and expansion is included right out of the box.

In short, this isn’t some bare-bones port designed to milk your wallet dry with microtransactions; nope! This is the full-fat Burnout experience - warts and all.

The Bad News: Some Old Habits Die Hard

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And speaking of old habits... while Criterion has done an admirable job in modernizing certain aspects of the game's presentation (like updating its dated menus and UI), there are still some areas where Burnout Paradise feels like it’s stuck firmly back in 2008.

For example, trying to navigate through the game's cluttered menu system can be a veritable exercise in frustration. It’s clunky, convoluted and often downright infuriatingly difficult to figure out how to access certain features or options without spending an eternity rummaging around like a lost puppy searching for its favorite toy.

But despite these minor quibbles - which are more nitpicky than anything else - Burnout Paradise Remastered remains essentially unchanged from its original release. And you know what? That's actually rather refreshing in today’s era of soulless remasters designed to milk old IP dry without putting any real effort into preserving the essence and charm that made them so beloved in the first place.

Verdict

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In conclusion, Burnout Paradise Remastered on Android is a mixed bag. On one hand, Criterion has done an admirable job in modernizing certain aspects of this classic racing game to make it feel more at home alongside its contemporaries like Need for Speed: Most Wanted and NFS Undercover. The graphics may not be mind-blowingly stunning by today's standards - but when you're hurtling through the streets of Paradise City at breakneck speeds, who cares?!

However, there are still some areas where Burnout Paradise Remastered feels decidedly old-school; like its clunky menu system or occasional frame rate stutters during intense sequences.

So is this remaster worth your hard-earned cash? The answer depends entirely on whether you're a die-hard fan of the original game who just can't resist reliving those glorious high-octane racing memories all over again. If so, then yes - Burnout Paradise Remastered for Android is an absolute must-buy.

But if you’re new to this series and looking for something more modern in terms of presentation and gameplay mechanics... maybe consider giving something else a try instead?

Burnout paradise remastered android