Direct sequel to Takedown, introducing oncoming traffic mechanics and enriched competitive modes. As fun and technical as its predecessor with superior content. One of the two undisputed peaks of the series alongside Burnout 3.
Your verdict
Category
Racing4 players7+
Split screen
Description
Released in 2005, this direct sequel to Takedown introduces "traffic checking": the ability to use same-direction civilian vehicles as projectiles against rivals. The polarizing tweak pushes the series even further into pure arcade excess.
Burnout Revenge review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Dizzying speed, motion blur and spectacular pile-ups filmed in slow motion: everything celebrates the crash as a genuine firework. The brilliance of the settings torn through at full tilt heightens the heady sensation. This visual extravagance, snappy and readable, makes every crash a peak of staging.
Supercharged, the licensed selection piles up punk, rock and electro to accompany the extreme speed and spectacular pile-ups of the races. The nervy tracks spike the adrenaline and match the frenzy of the crashes. This raging sonic energy, perfectly in tune with the game's pure arcade, electrifies every second of play.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Plowing through slower vehicles travelling your way unleashes a perfectly controlled riot of speed and chaos. Permanent boost, shortcuts and amplified crashes push the adrenaline even further than its predecessors. Spectacular and astonishingly readable despite the frenzy, it remains a fiercely satisfying outlet to drive with a controller in hand.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Slamming into same-way traffic to use it as a projectile: this trick multiplies the chaos and the sense of pure speed. Devastating takedowns, suicidal shortcuts and uninterrupted boost turn every race into a tidal wave of adrenaline. Frantic, brutal and spectacular, an arcade blow-off that doesn't give you a second's respite.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Slamming into oncoming traffic and setting off spectacular pile-ups pushes the series' delicious risk-taking even further. Chaining takedowns and shortcuts to swell your score keeps reviving the urge for a better run. The formula wears thin a bit fast, but this torrent of speed and crumpled metal keeps an immediate, stubborn intensity.
A sequel to Criterion's arcade racing that pushes aggression and rammable traffic to a paroxysm, extending the series' destructive spirit. Still common in the West, its interest lies in this continuity of a well-liked line rather than scarcity. An accessible piece for fans of speed and road carnage wanting to complete the Burnout series on the console.
Better with friends
A race where traffic becomes a weapon: you ram innocent cars to hurl them at your rivals, in a calculated chaos of rare glee. The competition blends driving, aggression and opportunism, every well-felt takedown setting off shouts around the screen. Brutal and readable, it turns the slightest race into a hilarious score-settling you replay at once for the rematch.
Is Burnout Revenge still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2005 on PS2, Criterion's sequel extends the Takedown formula by letting most same direction traffic become a weapon rather than a hazard, a choice that still polarises long time fans. Speed, the expanded Crash modes and the staging of collisions remain top tier, and the urban tracks bring welcome variety. Road readability sometimes buckles under the chaos and the difficulty curve rises sharply once events series in. Today it is an excellent entry point for anyone who wants to discover Burnout without the harsh edges of the previous game.
