An early preview of Wreckreation 2, developed by When Tides Turn, indicates a strong potential to revive the spirit of the classic arcade racer Burnout Paradise. Studio head Fiona Sperry, a veteran of Criterion Games' Burnout era, emphasized that the current build is in its nascent stages, yet the preview build has already made a positive impression.
The game proudly aims to emulate Burnout Paradise 2 in all but name, featuring a similar visual style, a pop-punk soundtrack, and even an identical flaming turbo meter. The fictional Heartbreak City setting also evokes the atmosphere of Paradise City. Crucially, the core gameplay mechanics appear to be on the right track.
Capturing Burnout's Mayhem
During testing on a PC, the preview build was notably free of the performance issues and bugs that affected the first Wreckreation. Players are encouraged to play on the default 'Hard' difficulty, which pits them against aggressive AI drivers capable of effective shunts and takedowns. The car handling is described as instantly familiar and well-implemented, with a nuanced use of the handbrake for quick turns and a satisfying weight to collisions. A signature Burnout feature, aftertouch, allows players to steer their wrecked car in slow motion to take out opponents, further enhancing the vehicular combat.
The preview included several event types familiar to Burnout fans, most notably the Road Rage events. In these modes, players must achieve a set number of takedowns within a time limit, with each successful takedown adding crucial seconds back to the clock. Other events encompassed traditional races, including lap-based circuits, single-lap sprints, and one-on-one car-win matchups.
Two distinct cars were available in the preview: the supercar-like Dearborn & Schaeffer Nightranger and the classic '57 Chevy-esque Huntsville Nebraska. Superior versions of both are unlockable, offering different handling characteristics. The Nightranger is presented as faster and lighter, while the Nebraska is heavier and more robust, impacting their performance and vulnerability to takedowns.
While the open-world exploration in the early build was limited after completing all available events, this is attributed to the game's early stage of development. When Tides Turn plans to develop Wreckreation 2 "out in the open," sharing progress with fans via their Discord server. A PC release is slated to launch first, with console versions to follow. The developers are optimistic about recapturing the magic of Burnout, aiming to learn from the mistakes of the first Wreckreation and deliver a modern successor, albeit with the acknowledgment that it likely won't have the same extensive resources as EA's original Burnout titles.