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Burnout 2: Director's Cut
For Xbox

When you're driving along the highway, do you secretly yearn to careen into oncoming traffic? Hopefully not, but if you do, this game will give you almost as much satisfaction as the real thing -- and without the pain.

While the main objective in this racing game is the same as in any other game of its type -- that is, to be the first across the finish line -- that's not all it has in store. Sure, the racing modes are fast-paced, arcade-style, and plenty of fun, but that's not the point.

Burnout 2 features something other racing games don't: crashes. BIG crashes. You see, in Burnout you aren't the only car on the track; you're instead racing along city streets, and there are plenty of other cars just going about their business. That certainly complicates things a bit, especially when you're cruising along at 100+ miles per hour.

Sure, in other games when you bump into other cars you might get a bump or a scratch or even spin out, but generally you can keep going. In Burnout, one you crash you really crash. Your car might go flying through the air, completely out of your control, or you might flip end-over-end. It doesn't stop there. Other cars will get caught up in the crash, and before you know it you might have a couple of busses lying on top of you.

In the race modes, you're not supposed to crash -- duh. Crashing slows you down, and it takes a second for your car to re-spawn. However, that's not the best part. Burnout 2 actually has a "Crash Mode," where the objective is to rack up as much damage as possible. Now that is fun -- especially when you're careening towards an intersection at blistering speeds, or perhaps when the only thing between you and a giant cliff is a couple 18-wheelers.

While Burnout does offer offline multiplayer for 1-4 people, it does not offer online play over Xbox LIVE. Still, it does include support for online scoreboards, which means you can see how you stack up against the greatest in the world.

All in all, it's a pretty superb game with the best crashes around. Well... not anymore, actually. I'd highly recommend getting the more recent sequel instead.