Burnout Paradise is an open-world racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. An Ultimate Box version came out in 2009 that had all the free DLC as well as the game changing DLC. On release, the game featured a controversial feature, it has in-game unbreakable billboards that featured real-world advertisements, which drew criticism for a game that cost $60. The game had general support for racing wheels as well.
Along with a number of other DLCs in the game, the game features a Legendary Cars pack, that included cars that had nods to the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, and the Delorean from Back to the Future. In 2014 when Harold Ramis passed away, Criterion gave away the Ecto-1 to all players of the game in honor of him.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Burnout Paradise Remastered was developed by Stellar Entertainment. Xbox One and PlayStation got the remaster on March 16, 2018. A PC version of the game came out later that year on August 21. Nintendo Switch finally got the remaster on June 19, 2020. The controversial billboards were replaced with stand-in Burnout Paradise logos and had no real-world advertisements. Unlike the original version of the game, console versions of Burnout Paradise Remastered did not offer racing wheel support, which was disappointing since the only reason I bought the remaster was to use my racing wheel. The PC version does have support, but tweaks to configuration files and button mapping might be required, depending on the wheel.
Burnout Paradise always reminded me of Fast and Furious since you could wreck cars, there was no rules really and it was Dominic Toretto's dream city.
Burnout Paradise Gameplay
Burnout Paradise builds its entire gameplay around speed and freedom. The game drops you into Paradise City with no loading screens and no rigid mission structure. Trigger events simply by pulling up to intersections. You are always moving, and always seconds away from a new race, stunt run, or road rage challenge. The city is designed to be read at high speed, with branching shortcuts and destructible elements that reward aggressive driving rather than punishing it.
Exploration is a major part of the gameplay. Paradise City is filled with jumps, billboards, and hidden routes that turn simple travel into a constant hunt for new stunts. Marked shortcuts and destructible gates push you to learn the city's layout, creating a sense of mastery as you discover faster lines through familiar streets. Events scale with your progress, this means unlocking faster cars and more demanding challenges as you complete licenses. The game's day and night cycle and dynamic traffic keep the world feeling active and not just like you're driving through a dead city until you start an event.
Burnout Paradise Achievements
- Lookin' Good: Repair your first wrecked car.
- Watt?: Set a Time Road Rule on Watt St.
- It's Showtime: Set a Showtime Road Rule on East Crawford Drive.
- Great Start: Win a Race.
- Misdemeanor: Collect 5 Billboards.
- Off the Beaten Path: Collect 25 Smashes.
- Bottom of the Class: Get your D Class License.
- Perfect Rage: Get 10 Takedowns in Road Rage without Wrecking.
- Rising From the Ashes: Repair your car at critical damage in a Road Rage event.
- Spinnin' Around: Perform a 360 Flatspin in any car.
- Underachiever: Get your C Class License.
- Learning to Fly: Successfully land 5 SUPERJUMPS.
- Duckin' and Weavin': Win a Marked man without being taken down.
- The Show Must Go On: Get a 10x multiplier in Showtime.
- Rampage!: Get a Takedown Rampage.
- Must Try Harder: Get your B Class License.
- Parallel Park: Power Park with a 100% rating.
- Daredevil: Landed a 2 barrel roll jump.
- Boosting Around the World: Get a 20x Boost Chain.
- Flying Colors: Get your A Class License.
- Millionaire's Club: Score over a 1,000,000 in Stunt Run.
- Supercharged: Win 25 Burning Routes.
- Car in a China Shop: Get 500 Takedowns (online and offline).
- Paradise Won: Win your Burnout Driving License.
- All Pimped Out: Win all Burning Routes.
- Explorer: Find all Events.
- Paid and Displayed: Visit www.burnout.ea.com to find out more.
- Bustin' Out: Collect all Billboards.
- Totally Smashed: Collect all Smashes.
- Flying High: Successfully landed all SUPERJUMPS.
- Speed King: Set a Time Road Rule on every road.
- Crashin' All Over The World: Set a Showtime Road Rule on every road.
- Shopaholic: Find all Drive Thrus and Car Parks.
- Elite: Win your Burnout Elite License.
- Criterion Elite: Get your Elite License, win every event, find all discoverables and beat every Road Rule.
- Online Racer: Complete an online Race.
- First Win: Win Your First 8 Player Online Race.
- Online Champion: Win 10 online Races.
- Online and Kicking: Complete 20 online Events.
- Firestarter: Make 50 online Rivals.
- Just for Pics: Make Your First online Rivals.
- Join the Party: Complete 1 online Challenge.
- Party Crasher: Complete 25 online Challenges.
- Party Animal: Complete 250 online Challenges.
- Block Party: Complete 2 whole sections of online Challenges (excluding PDLC).
- Burnout Skills: In 8 Player online Freeburn lead 6 of the Today's Best Scores.
- Perfect Party Game: Complete a Party game where every player scores in every round.
- Massive Party Game: Complete a Party game of 8 rounds with 8 players.
- The Right Side of the Law: Awarded for being on the winning Cops team in a Cops and Robbers game online.
- The Gang Is Back In Town: Awarded for being on the winning Robbers team in a Cops and Robbers game online.
Burnout Paradise FAQs
Are Burnout Paradise cars real?
No, every car in Burnout Paradise is a fictional model with an invented name. Criterion designed each one as an original creation instead of licensing real manufacturers, which is a Burnout series tradition going back to the original games. The Legendary Cars pack is the exception in spirit, since those vehicles are clearly designed as homages to real pop culture cars like the Ecto-1, the General Lee, and the DeLorean, even though they still use in-game names rather than official licensing.
Where is Burnout Paradise set?
Paradise City is a fictional American city, not based on one real location. Criterion built it as a blend of different regional styles, so you get downtown avenues, coastal roads, mountain passes, and industrial docks all stitched into one seamless open world map.
Is Burnout Paradise Remastered on Xbox Game Pass?
It is included through EA Play rather than the standard Game Pass catalog. Since EA Play is bundled into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, Ultimate subscribers get access to Burnout Paradise Remastered that way, but Game Pass Core subscribers do not get it included on its own.
Does Burnout Paradise Remastered support crossplay?
No, Burnout Paradise Remastered does not support crossplay. PS4, Xbox, PC, and Switch players are kept in separate online lobbies, and console online play still requires the platform's own subscription, PS Plus on PlayStation and Game Pass Core or Ultimate on Xbox.
How many cars are in Burnout Paradise Remastered?
Burnout Paradise Remastered includes over 130 vehicles once every DLC pack is factored in, spanning the base game roster plus everything added through the Year of Paradise content and Big Surf Island.
Is Burnout Paradise open world?
Yes, Burnout Paradise was built as a fully open world racer with no loading screens and no mission select menu. Every event triggers by driving up to an intersection in Paradise City, which was a notable departure from the more linear structure of earlier Burnout games.
