Recently, Criterion Games announced an exciting offer: Burnout Paradise and all of it’s downloadable content would become available for a limited time for the low price of $29.99. That’s an excellent deal, considering the whole shebang is otherwise worth more than $100. Luckily, I hadn’t yet expanded my game, so I was thrilled to hear about this deal. I could add all of the downloadable content for under $20. What a steal! Until I learned of the upsetting flipside to this offer: this would likely be the last offer or the sort for Burnout Paradise, because Criterion will no longer be creating new DLC for the game.
I was saddened by the news, but only for a few minutes, because once the DLC installed, I realized just how much new stuff I had to play with. All kinds of new vehicles, new terrain to explore, and with it, new events. I couldn’t wait to get started.
One of my favorite aspects of Burnout Paradise, and why it will remain a timeless game, is that there is no real end to it. Sure, eventually I’ll complete all the races, all the road rages, all the stunt runs, smash all the billboards, and land every super jump. Maybe someday I’ll finish all the bike challenges and conquer Big Surf Island. But I’ll still love my game because of how I feel when I play it. Burnout Paradise doesn’t expect anything from me. I don’t have to advance through levels to be able to enjoy my game. I can speed through the streets of Burnout Paradise, feel the virtual wind in my hair, and just have fun. So that’s what I’ll do.
