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Is Black Rock Studios' Split/Second really a 'Burnout Killer'? photo

So I've been hearing things for awhile about the upcoming game that Black Rock Studios, the folks behind the excellent off-road racer Pure, was working on. The first part of the rumor had it being a racing game, which wasn't surprising. The other half of the rumor said it would packed with destruction -- both environmental and vehicle -- that would blow minds. The "Burnout Killer" people said.

Last night, GameTrailers TV had an exclusive first-look at the game in question, called Split/Second and coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. To say it looks "incredible" is an understatement. While I'm not sure how much of what we're seeing is in-game and not pre-rendered, the ideas are there, and they've got my attention. A collapsing bridge; the entire front end of cars being torn to shreds; an exploding gas station; fast cars. Throw in a free bag of Skittles with every purchase and you've got my sale, for sure.

How closely the game will play to Criterion's Burnout series (from the trailer it looks like the environmental stuff may be player-triggerer) remains to be seen. But whether or not Black Rock is gunning to snatch Criterion's "King of Arcade-style Racing" title, one thing is for certain: Split/Second definitely looks kick ass.

You can check out the full trailer in HD over at GameTrailers, and you definitely want to do that.








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23 comments | showing # 1 to 23
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casualweaponry's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:04
casualweaponry
Beautiful or not, this game still has a looooooong way to go until it can beat what Criterion has done with Burnout Paradise. But I will keep an eye out for it.
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:10
linuxguy
Good luck to the developers
in the meantime I'll still be rocking burnout paradise
AKK's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:18
AKK
Holy fucking balls Batman, I want that.

That's wicked fucking awesome.
grafkhun's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:21
grafkhun
TV aired driving-arena sport that basically replaces spiney shells with bridge collapsing abilities. So why do the drivers have these remote switchs that activate these scenery mishaps? Kind of weird to have this placed on TV, no?

Besides the intriguing premise, it does look fun, and if that's not pre-rednered graphics, then holy hell...
spiffae's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:21
spiffae
Just a heads up, NONE of that is in-game. That's not to say it's not a great trailer... but we'll just wait and see how it looks in reality.
Edarios's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:22
Edarios
Burnout Paradise's next content pack: bridge demolition
ashtar's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:28
ashtar
All I'm seeing is a target video for a game that is taking the destruction triggers from NFS and trying to put them into a Burnout-like environment...*yawn*

I'll wait for a new Burnout or GT5, thank you.
Snaileb 's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:31
Snaileb
Burnout?

After driving the Ecto 1 and the Delorean, it's hard to imagine something better. Still waiting on the next island...
coffeesash's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:33
coffeesash
That alllll looks like CG and that looks like a terrible gimmick setting off traps, like Stuntman or something.
Red TheHaze Veron's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:53
Red TheHaze Veron
But will they commit to the same level as Criterion with the content? I doesn't look very Burnout-y but looks more like a new form of Racing Combat.
Emrah's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 16:54
Emrah
I doubt they can make this run at 60 fps. Burnout runs like smooth cream.

BTW, I love the ps2 days, devs tried to get things to run at full frame. Here, we have next gen consoles, and only a few titles are up to the task.
Daxelman's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 17:12
Daxelman
Oh god, this brings slingshot A.I. to a new high.

Still, it's got to beat out Fuel and it's Flaming Tornadoes, before it can take out the Janson 88 Special and Paradise.
Mushman's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 17:24
Mushman
As soon as people put a 'insert game name' killer tag on any new game, it automactically puts unreachable expectations on the devs.

The trailer, IMHO, is all prerendered. Not only that, the devs will have comabt the most popular, best and quite frankly, most fun racer on the market.

Good luck to them beating a ENTIRE franchise with one game, a franchise that has churned out consistenly brillant games, re-defined a sub genre, is loved by millions, sold millons of copies, and has THE best DLC a game has had so far, ever.

So in short, I do seriously doubt this will ever be a 'Burnout-killer'.
Jon2309's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 17:25
Jon2309
Death Race anyone?
Josh Tolentino's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 17:44
Josh Tolentino
I Black Rock can't maintain the level of commitment, both to game and community as Criterion has with Burnout Paradise, then Split/Second is a flash in the pan, a bright spark to flare up, only disappear in...well, a split-second.
Satsumomo's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 18:00
Satsumomo
@ Emrah

GRID looks amazing, and it runs at 60fps. I don't how this game can't look like that and run at 60fps. Technology is fast.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 18:07
Chronic Logic
So let me get this straight,...it's just a realistic driving game?
RonBurgandy2010's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 18:10
RonBurgandy2010
I don't think this can work the way they are hoping. I think I'll end up irritated rather than entertained.
pascuz46's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 19:49
pascuz46
Burnout kicks ass, nothing will every beat it because it has its own unique flavour. Now black rock did a great job with Pure, so I'm sure they will find a way to differentiate themselves from Criterions smash hit, this game should be good in its own right, will it be a burnout killer? Probable not.
Maurice Tan's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/07/2009 21:30
Maurice Tan
Looks interesting enough though?
Takeshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/08/2009 08:36
Takeshi
I've got to admit it looks good. But nowadays every video does. To be honest that player-triggered environmental stuff doesn't look fun to me. It takes away the essence of racing for me. Burnout is an arcade racer but it really is about racing. Not blowing up stuff by pushing a button in a Split Second.

And Mushman is absolutely right.
konrad hazen's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/08/2009 13:13
konrad hazen
I won't judge this until I see real gameplay. This trailer is nicely done but doesn't tell jack sh*t about how this is supposed to work as an interactive game.
jerrt's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/09/2009 08:35
jerrt
i will believe when i play it for myself, but that does paint a pretty picture. [:
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