Metacritic Games

Burnout 2: Point of Impact (GameCube)

Features Offensive Driving 101, where you can "Learn to Burn" from the Burnout Driving School. All-new Pursuit races allow players to race a police car and ram opponents off the road. Crashes are bigger, badder, and more heart-stopping than any seen before: Vehicles deform and car parts fly across the highway. Gamecube version includes 15 more crash junctions than PlayStation 2 version. This mode is now twice the size as the PS2 game mode. Advanced lighting effects such as Bloom Lighting: highlights reflect off of windshields and metal exactly as in real-life. Six new United States locations, including Miami, Los Angeles, The Rocky Mountains, New Mexico and a busy international airport. Seven secret vehicles to unlock including police cars, 1950's hotrods and stock cars. [Acclaim]

Acclaim
Racing, Driving
Players: 4
E (Everyone)
Developer: Criterion Games
Released April 8, 2003

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

89 / 100

Critic Reviews

100 GameShark
The way a sequel should be: stuffed full of new features, better graphics, improved game play, and be so damn addicting that you can not put it down, even to go to the bathroom.
100 GameNow
Everything about it is totally right: The A.I. is brilliant, the graphics are hot, and the game modes are fresh and original. [June 2003, p.40]
100 Entertainment Weekly
There's no story line, but Burnout 2 is one of those games that's actually better for the lack of it. [28 July 2003, p.82]
96 Gamezilla!
Combines tight control and frantic game play with stunning audio/visuals that scream next-generation from start to finish.
95 Nintendojo
I had and am still having a lot of fun with the first Burnout, and Burnout 2 is better in every way.
95 TotalGames.net
Full of options and it plays like a dream, but even if you're not playing you'll be impressed.
94 Gamers' Temple
A blast to play, even for those who are not big fans of racing games. It's easy to pick up and play, and the variety of modes and tracks keeps things interesting for a long time.
91 Armchair Empire
In terms of flat out fun and speed, not much can touch Burnout 2: Point of Impact.
91 GamingTrend
This game came out of left field, but it smacked a grand slam right out of the ballpark!
90 Nintendo Power
Perfectly calibrated controls, realistic graphics and an incredible sense of speed and danger make Burnout 2: Point of Impact the most satisfying driving experience on the GCN. [June 2003, p.137]
90 NintendoWorldReport
About as perfect as an arcade racing game can be.
90 Nintendophiles
The best arcade racing experience available on the GameCube. If your a fan of the first than this is a must buy.
90 GameZone
One of those rare arcade racers that comes along every now and then and will tear you away from “real racing” games that you said you would never stop playing.
90 GamePro
Visually, the game’s a stunner—cars look great thanks to a high polygon count, and when they crash, parts fly absolutely everywhere.
90 Cheat Code Central
The framerate is as smooth as it gets as 60 fps. It gets cut in half for the split screen mode but still looks great.
88 GameSpy
The fastest, tightest racer on the GameCube to date.
88 GameCube Europe
No shabby port from the PS2, this version actually contains more than the PS2 version.
86 Inside Gamer Online
If you don’t like Burnout 2 there is seriously something wrong with you.
85 Game Informer
Hardcore sim fans won't be too impressed, but I would argue that this game's balls-out mayhem is just what you stodgy, gear-ratio-calculatin', downforce-tweakin' fools need. [May 2003, p.85]
85 GameSpot
Isn't terribly different from the original Burnout--it just makes significantly better use of all the elements that the game does well, from its blistering sense of speed to its hilariously destructive crashes.
85 IGN
I can only highly recommend it to any arcade racing fan. It's definitely worth a buy, even if the single-player content can be experienced in five hours of less.
80 G4 TV
Burnout 2 makes other arcade racing games seem like "Driving Miss Daisy." You won't find a faster, more visceral racing game on the GameCube or any other platform.
80 GMR Magazine
Few racers match the sheer excitement of unleashing the boost on a straightaway to the accompaniment of wailing guitars. [June 2003, p.68]
80 Electronic Gaming Monthly
Easy to get into, intensely fun, and horribly addictive - the best racer on the Cube by a long shot. [June 2003, p.80]