The controls are simple, but the gameplay is complex and delightful to play
And don't worry; the game gives you plenty of ways to drive dangerously. You can smash through construction sites, you can screech past other cars, even crashing into other cars gets you points. But then there's the granddaddy of them all: The Burnout. What the burnout does is basically make your car extremely hard to control. You'll go extremely fast and have to do much more to keep your vehicle from smashing into another car (that is, unless you want to crash). But since giving up this control makes your driving oh-so-dangerous, you'll get a whole lot of points by using them. Burnouts are not given out freely however, they must be earned. In order to earn a Burnout, you'll have to fill out your burnout gage at the bottom of the screen. You can fill up your gage by executing dangerous moves like drifting around corners and performing takedowns on other cars. Then when the flames in your gage turn blue, you're ready to trigger the burnout! Initiating the burnout does two things: first, it gains you many dangerous driving points. Second, it gives you a heightened opportunity to earn more burnouts in rapid succession.
It might sound complicated, but trust me: this game is fun. Maybe it's because I have so much pent up road rage or maybe I have too many violent tendencies, but wasting other cars and driving into oncoming traffic while weaving in and out and just barely sliding past cars makes me feel all happy inside. The controls are simple enough that you don't really need a tutorial (in fact, the game doesn't really give you one) and you can just pick it up and start the fun. The only slightly difficult part of the game to master is when and how long to do a burnout. After you master that though, you can rule the road.
The game's main mode is called "world tour," and you basically get to go to all kinds of places from Japan to the United States participating in races, performing missions (such as drifting a certain distance or taking down a certain number of cars) , and causing whatever mayhem you can. Each passed level will earn you a medal ranging from bronze to gold. The higher the medal, the more "dominator points" you get.
Another mode of gameplay is the Record Breaker mode. This mode is pretty simple and is exactly what it sounds like: a chance for you to replay missions and try to beat your original score. This one is pretty good for racking up those dominator points and improving your score on levels you may not have done so well on. It's also pretty good if you want to get some practice time in if you feel a little rusty.
Then there are the multiplayer modes. The first and most simplistic multiplayer mode is Party mode. This mode is played with one controller, and up to four players can take turns trying to get the best score on selected party challenges. However, this mode is pretty time consuming, and is only really useful if you want to do multiplayer and you only have one controller.
The game's premise is simple enough- each level will require you to complete a specific mission (whether it is wasting your opponents, drifting the farthest, or simply being the fastest). Complete the mission, and you'll clear the level. However, there is substantial incentive for you to drive dangerously. The more dangerously you drive, the more "dominator points" you get. The more points you get, the better your ranking. The better your ranking, the more levels, missions, and cars you can unlock.
The second multiplayer mode is the split-screen mode. This mode is a whole lot more customizable and features several additional missions and challenges. Split-screen multiplayer mode also has a series mode where you can play more than one track in a row. You can play a whole string of races, each with different challenges and objectives. Then you can really see who the most hardcore driver is.
However great all this sounds, (and trust me it is really great!), I have to say that the best part of this game by far is its soundtrack. The music is absolutely wonderful and features a little something for everyone. For those of you who enjoy hip-hop, you've got a N.E.R.D. track. For people who love metal, Filter. People who like pop, you have the newly remodeled Avril Lavigne. The list goes on. Suffice to say that the music fits the genre perfectly, and enhances the already great game experience ten-fold.
Burnout: Dominator, is an action-filled fast pace game that involves driving in the exact opposite way that your Driver's Ed teacher told you. But it's so fun, that you'll find yourself addicted in no time. The controls are simple, but the gameplay is complex and delightful to play. And the killer soundtrack just adds bounty to the beautiful. Burnout: Dominator is top-notch when it comes to vehicle-based gameplay.