great news! too bad prototype didn't do the same.

I'm in the same boat as you, Fahey. I neglected to pick up the game when it first came out, but these multiplayer modes sound like all kinds of awesome. I may have to break my promise not to buy any new games before GTA4.

Do any of these patches include a restart race option? I'm not touching this game until they add that, until then I'll carry on enjoying Burnout 3 on Xbox Classics.

So true, I forsee a surge in the sales of Burnout Paradise. Criterion is very smart with their "Year of Paradise" constant updates for a year. I will have to buy this game before this update is released. You forgot to mention Bogart and Cagney are free.

I played this nonstop for two months and yeah it's worth it. I stopped for a while but as soon as this hits I'm sure I'll be back to finally finish off the three achievements I need. The multiplayer is nasty and is wicked fun so this should just make it that much better.

Loved this game, although getting all of everything was a huge pain and that's only the single player. One little mistake like no restarts shouldn't stop you from buying it, and these patches just sweeten the deal~

What's with the update names? I don't see any connection between racing and legendary actors...

@photoboy:

Oh, no, please don't say that. I actually feel bad for you. When I got the game, I felt exactly the same. I hated the idea. But then I played it and it's a brilliant idea. Once you get over the idea that there is no restart you realise that it makes the game far more fun! I mean, what's fun about doing the same race over and over again? The first race I did and inevitably screwed up I was a annoyed, but decided to do a race at the next junction. Never looked back.

Honestly, give it a go.

Yeah they should have the Steve McQueen and Burt Reynolds updates! The Reynolds update allows you to slap your friends silly.

Lol James Freakin Cagney! Fuck playing burnout, I'm gonna go watch "The Public Enemy" now. :D

@photoboy: Well then your a very negative and depressing person. Go play your old game while I enjoy the next-generation of racing games. I'll love these new modes

No restarts is no issue. Really, the other burnout games let you go way over the top with restarts; the new format FIXES that (except for doing burning routes). Get this game, its the only thing I play online (I have a feeling GTA4 might change that soon, however). I have been in maybe 3 online races since the game launched, the real fun online is mucking about doing the challenges. I'm hoping the updates bring more of those, because me and my friends ate those up like they were a tasty, tasty pie.

Sweet. Will start playing again now.

@photoboy: Thats why when you lose, you just go to the next intersection and try another race. This is not the same burnout we've played before, its an ongoing sandbox world, they will never put in restart race.

No restarts is a valid issue in my opinion. I played the game and got my Burnout license, but there's no way I'm going to go after my Elite license. Not being able to restart an event that I failed makes it more frustrating then it needs to be. If they patch that feature in I will be a very happy camper.

I went back and played Burnout 3, and realized how much I prefer the layout of that game. The open world can work for Burnout, but I don't think they nailed it with Paradise.

@photoboy: I know you don't want to hear this, but I've played the game and 97% of the time I didn't miss the restart option at all. Trying a different challenge is a far less frustrating alternative.

Multiplayer Road Rage is nice, one of the big omissions from the game IMO.

As to this game versus older Burnout game, for me the graphical upgrades alone are worth the trade-off of no real Crash Mode and no restarts. I got bored redoing the same race over and over when I couldn't beat it easily in the old games, this problem is completely alleviated now.

Plus, in 3/4 of all races you know whether or not you have a shot at winning in the first 30-45 seconds, so if you make a major crash/screw up you just stop and turn around. Considering the lack of load times and everything else, seems like a fair trade-off to me.

When does the McQueen update hit? I want some of that!

This sounds awesome, I held off buying this for no online road rage (by far the most fun event ever conceived). I got a pile of games to finish first though, so hopefully itll be a bit cheaper once I eventually come to buy it. Any ideas when this update will drop?

No restarts only got annoying for the last few races I had to do to get my elite license. I hated the demo they released, wasn't expecting to have fun with the full game (peer pressure is a bitch) but once I got into it I was able to see past most of the issues I had initially. By the time I was done with the game I realized I had a lot of fun with it. Still though, one of those damn new gameplay modes should have been a crash mode. Leaving that mode out was one of the issues I can't get past (and no, showtime mode isn't the same). And split screen, good thing I'm a loser and all my friends live far away so multiplayer for me is online only, else I'd be pissed :P

You are screwing yourself by not owning [as in possessing] this game as it "pwns".

60d 1 h8 that "pwns" stuff...

I'm crossing my fingers for the Keanu Reeves update. Now that man can act!

I sort of agree with the restart issue.
The thing is that it's only annoying when you're at the very end of getting your elite license, you've only got 5 or so events left to do and ofcourse it's the hardest ones that are left. So you have to drive back to the start if you mess it up, but it's far from as bad as some would have you believe.
But still, if you havn't got this game you are missing out on some awesome gameplay. The online play in itself is enough to justify the purchase.
Maybe it's just me being partial to the optionally cooperative style of doing challenges together, but I love it.

I bought this game, it's the least played game amongst all my games. NO Restart is such a pain in the ass to me. I also wish the creators of burnout an unending case of assfunk for getting rid of Crash Mode and putting in that STUPID showtime mode in it's palce. Seriously, has ANYONE not gotten bored of that crap after the second time you did it?

I agree with no restarts and showtime mode sucking. Even if you don't, it's clear there are enough people upset by it that it was probably a big mistake not making restart an option.

It doesn't stop me from playing though. I went into it knowing full well what they changed, and I had a blast - the game looks beautiful and I really do like the physics and crash/takedown logic over the others. Then I "burned out" on it about 2 weeks later - shortest time ever for a Burnout game. Free roam killed it for me. It's just such a pain in the ass navigating while racing it kills the fun - sometimes less is more.

Every few weeks I'll fire it up and do 2-3 events and power it off again, but the older Burnouts are still fun. Criterion doesn't owe it to anyone to go back and revert their game - on the other hand, if they don't, I know I'm done with it, and I think plenty of others will be too. :/

Obviously the no restart is a big issue for a lot of people(including me). So I don't understand why there isn't an OPTION. Don't like restart, don't use it. Like restart, then use it. The burnout devs have so much ego in thinking "we know what makes a game fun and you don't." They hate loading screen but many wouldn't mind it for a restart. So what harm would come from an OPTION to do so? I see no reason to alienate a lot of players/buyers because they don't want to add an option.

They did a lot of things to annoy players that could be done away with OPTIONS. Restart for races may not seem needed as there are so many around but for road rage events or Marked Man, they are really spread out and rarely is there another near where you end up. So you have to drive around till you get to another. Don't like your vehicle, another long trip to the junkyard which is often quicker to reboot than to drive it. An OPTION to restart or an OPTION to warp to the junkyard would be nice and make so many more people happy. More happy people means more buyers of dlc down the road. Makes sense to add the option doesn't it since it makes everybody happy?

Honestly, I really just miss the ability to just pick a car, pick a track and go.

That actually looks like so cool additions. This is probably the most entertaining racing game I have seen in quite some time.

@GPman:
Options are last-gen.

Really, even if they left crash mode out, if they reintroduced arrow walls (even just visual) and restarts as options IMO it would be the ultimate Burnout game. Even as anti-DLC as I am, and the fact it should have been an option from the start, I'd probably pay $10 for a pack that just fixes that much - it would be so simple as patches go...

You're right about the ego thing though - their response has basically amounted to "well, if you're not having fun with our game then you're just not getting it. Tough luck!" We can't all be Miyamoto, but I think we just found his opposite.

I hadn't thought about rebooting to pick another car - I usually pick one I like, and just ignore all the events that require a different one because it would be ridiculous to waste that much time and effort to go and get the car and go back to that event. They used to just put you in the car you need and say go. It makes for some annoying marked man events racing a fast delicate car and missing the repair shop due to wonky map orientation though.

It's a sad oversight, but when you remove more minute options from a game, there are always SOME options left. Ultimately it becomes "You will play this game like this, and you will LIKE it!" and the gamer's choices boil down to "Ok!" or "No I won't. *ejects game*"

Online ... Marked Man or Road Rage.

It's about time, these features should have been in the game at release.

/now all they need is a real crash mode.

/and a restart race option

/and an option to get rid of the crash cam on single player mode.

/and a better way to indicate turns in races

Kyle81: @photoboy: Thats why when you lose, you just go to the next intersection and try another race.

That might work for you, but not everyone wants to play the game the same way.

Me, I'm a slightly OC completionist. I won't move on to a next race until I beat it, or become totally fustrated.

/Driving back to a race just increases that fustration.

/The thing about 'options' is that if you don't want to use them. DON'T USE THEM. But at least leave the damn thing in the game for those of us who want to use them.

/plus, I only have a few races left to do. So I can't "drive to the next intersection" anyway, because the next intersection is done. This is especially true for any race that takes me out into the mountains (I finished everything that starts in the mountains first, so if I finish out there, I gotta drive back to the city to get to any events I haven't done yet).

I rented it on gamefly, and when I played online, I realized I was the only dumbass using a Playstation Eye. That and the "no race restart" thing was totally depressing. And what's up with not having offline multiplayer?

GPman: They hate loading screen but many wouldn't mind it for a restart.

They hate loading screens because it breaks immersion.

BUT, whenever you win a race, they throw up a big ass splash screen.

Whenever you get a takedown, they jerk the camera away and when it turns back, your car is not in the same position/orientation as it was before.

etc

@lordargent: Even with the splash screens and such, the action generally is still going on.

@lordargent: Same way... as in the way the game was designed?

The game was designed the way they wanted, you don't like it, then tough.

SCHWEET!!!

If you guys want a restart race option then you should save all challenges around the garages till the end. Then if you fail a race just load the previous save and you can start at a garage near the challenge. That is how I got my elite without frustration.

Great additions, but I don't quite understand why these are coming out now. Since the game missed the holiday season, why not delay a few more weeks and release something with a more complete online multiplayer experience? Unless they really wanted to showcase the modes they did ship with, considering that was just race, freeburn and challenges, that seems unlikely.

They're gonna also add a Custom Music feature for the PS3...

@photoboy: My friend was the same way. I have the PS3 version and he has the Xbox version. He complained about the Game not haveing a restart. He traded it in 2 days later, and i continued to play it for 2 months after he did. Now he wishes he would have kept it. I still play the game and can't wait for the DLC. Jut waitng for the DLC to get even more play out of it.

Strange that so many people complain about the lack of a restart option, considering the races are nigh on impossible to lose.. Use the GT Concept car, and you can like drive backwards and left handed and still win...

So this is a different update to the Bogart update? Little bit confusing they are already talking about another update when the Bogart one isn't even out yet.

Whoever enjoys playing Paradise is a sadist. This game is torture considering how the early series distinguished Burnout as a fun arcade racer. Then along came Paradise and completely ruins the original winning formula. Seriously, who wants to look at a map while they're trying to make split second decisions or move on to the next event knowing that they failed previously. Where's the reward in that logic?

@lc204: More whining, please.

I resisted buying this all winter and finally gave in last week. LOVED the Burnouts up until now, but was put off by the demo's lack of restart, the open world randomness of races, the difficulty seeing the shortcuts because of limited color palette and the lack of crash mode.





Everyone kept saying, "Buy it. It's awesome. You won't regret it."




Well guess what? I was right. I regret buying it, and I don't know that the DLC/patch/whatever is really going to change that.





I just feel no sense of progression or accomplishment. I got the first 5 or 6 achievements without really trying to do anything except drive around.



If I had 5 or 6 or 7 friends online to screw around with, it might make a difference, but trying to find rooms to do challenges with is nigh impossible. The Showtime mode is just stupid. I want Crash mode back SOOOOO badly it hurts.



It stills has that great sense of speed, and it's fun to just tool around, but I very much prefer Burnout Revenge and Burnout Takedown.



My instincts are usually right about what I will or won't like, and I gave into second thoughts this time and I feel like I may have wasted $60 and had to have bad taste in my mouth from a franchise I loved. And that pisses me off.

Sorry about the spacing in previous comment. Dunno what I did! Where's the edit button?!?!?

This will definitely get me back into the game. I played the hell out of it for like a month, but I moved on. The online options were fun, but limiting at times.

Well I'm hyped for these patches. I love Burnout Paradise and am about 20 events from finishing it completely (unfortunatly they are all my least favorite events: Marked Man and Road Rage), I also need to polish off the last of the online stuff.

I love the single player stuff in the game, the races are my absolute favourite as they don't seem to have rubbber band AI and if I'm half the map ahead of the pack I stay there. I also laugh at anyone who whines about having to look at the map, it was awkward at first but after driving around for awhile I have it memorized so races are still a simple split second decision.

I don't really understand all the people that I've heard say they regret trading in the game now. This is just adding online features. Online was always fun. This is like going to a Dairy Queen and going "Ice cream? Yeah, no thanks." then seeing someone else getting it and going "Aw I could have had sprinkles? Fuck I should have gotten some ice cream."

Is it just be, or do Road Rage and Marked Man seem backward in thier descriptions? Someone who's played the events might see what I'm talking about, but it works this way too, I suppose.

Anyway, I love the game to death. I liked the old Burnout games, I like this one. I restart race option would be nice, sure, but all the stuff I gained in exchange was worth losing that, and then some.
I can't wait for both of these updates, as Jackal888 pointed out, Criterion promised they'd be free. Don't know how they figured out how to do it with all these other studios pointing at Microsoft exclaiming "They made us charge! We wanted it to be free! Like Tibet, or Willy!".

@Muffin_Man: Well we've been promised paid DLC as well, right? So its not like they won't be getting more money from people at that point, these updates are to keep us interested while they finish that up ;)

Specifically this article discussed the existence of both paid and free DLC.

lionkitten : If I had 5 or 6 or 7 friends online to screw around with, it might make a difference, but trying to find rooms to do challenges with is nigh impossible. The Showtime mode is just stupid. I want Crash mode back SOOOOO badly it hurts.

Half of my xbox live friends list consists of people I met playing burnout revenge (first on the xbox version, then on the xbox 360 version, yes, I bought burnout revenge TWICE, and perfected every event in the game TWICE).

When paradise first came out, it was easy to get a room full of eight friends.

Three weeks later, it was difficult, if not impossible.

Now, I see more of my friends in burnout revenge than in paradise (and a lot more in halo 3, COD 4 or rock band).

I'm hoping that online road rage and marked man might draw some people back to the game as I think those two events will work much better in an open world environment.