Burnout Revenge by Criterion Games, published by Electronic Arts, is an arcade racer about turning traffic, rivals, boost, and crashes into forward momentum. This guide covers the 2005 PlayStation 2/Xbox original fundamentals and notes Xbox 360 differences separately. It is not a Burnout 3: Takedown guide, not a Burnout Paradise guide, and not a full event-route or vehicle-unlock checklist.
Content note: Burnout Revenge is rated E10+ with Violence. This guide keeps car combat and crash descriptions non-graphic and focused on play.
Use this as an offline-first beginner guide for World Tour habits, Traffic Check, Traffic Attack, Road Rage, Crashbreaker, broad vehicle choice, and version caveats. Historical materials describe online features, but Burnout Revenge servers are no longer available for official online play.
Essential Tips
1. Learn Traffic Check Before You Chase Speed
In Revenge, traffic can become a weapon.
Traffic checking is the mechanic that most clearly separates Burnout Revenge from Burnout 3. Same-direction and parked small traffic can be shoved forward into rivals, lanes, and scoring opportunities. Oncoming traffic, cross-traffic, big rigs, and buses are still danger, not free ammunition.
2. Use Traffic as Setup, Not Decoration
Traffic-checked cars work best when they change the next few seconds.
Do not check every vehicle just because it is in reach. Check traffic to clear a lane, build Traffic Attack value, create a rolling obstacle, or pressure a rival into a wall or chokepoint. A random checked car behind the action is usually less useful than one pushed into the pack.
3. Keep Racing While You Fight
Aggression only helps if it keeps you moving.
Burnout Revenge is more battle-heavy than a clean circuit racer, but position still matters. Shoving traffic, landing takedowns, and using shortcuts are all strongest when they support the racing line instead of pulling you into walls, cross-traffic, or dead lanes.
4. Stay With the Pack in Road Rage
More nearby rivals means more chances to score.
In Road Rage, do not chase one car deep into a bad route while the rest of the field escapes. Stay near groups, use side pressure, and push rivals into walls, poles, traffic, and narrow exits. Side hits are usually safer than charging straight through traffic to reach a target.
5. Treat Crashbreaker as a Risky Reset
A detonation is useful only if something is close enough to punish.
Some racing events and Crash events let you use Crashbreaker, but it can cost boost or waste momentum if you fire it in empty space. Use it when rivals are close behind, when wreckage can spread into traffic, or when Aftertouch can carry the car toward a better impact.
6. Drive for Ratings, Not Just Medals
World Tour progress rewards overall event performance.
Events use ratings as well as medals, so a sloppy bronze or silver can slow momentum even when the event technically clears. Read the event goal first, then drive for the mode: speed for Burning Lap, pack control for Road Rage, checked traffic for Traffic Attack, and consistency across Grand Prix races.
7. Match the Car to the Event
The fastest option is not always the best beginner option.
Use heavier or more stable choices when the event is about contact, traffic checking, or takedown pressure. Use cleaner, faster racers when the event is mostly about position, lap pace, or Eliminator survival. Exact unlock routes belong in a dedicated checklist; the beginner principle is to pick for the job.
8. Learn Chokepoints Before Exact Routes
Revenge tracks are built for battle.
Multi-level roads, hard stops, shortcut entrances, jumps, and narrow exits matter more than memorizing a perfect route on day one. Notice where traffic direction changes, where rivals bunch up, and where a checked vehicle or side hit can decide a corner.
9. Separate Crash Mode From Racing Habits
A good Crash event starts with the target and spread.
Crash mode is not a normal race. Before launching into traffic, identify the target vehicle, likely pileup area, and whether your car can carry damage into more lanes. Save exact junction routes and medal thresholds for a focused Crash guide.
10. Keep Version Claims in Their Lane
PS2/Xbox Revenge and Xbox 360 Revenge are related, not identical.
The original release was for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2005. The Xbox 360 version followed in 2006 with visual and feature additions, including Xbox 360-specific online/replay systems and extra Crash content in the Xbox 360 release. Do not assume an Xbox 360-only detail applies to the original PS2/Xbox releases.
Event Priorities
| Event Type | Beginner Priority | What to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Race | Mix clean lines, traffic checks, and takedown chances | Fighting so much that first place disappears |
| Traffic Attack | Check safe same-direction traffic and keep the clock alive | Hitting buses, big rigs, oncoming traffic, or cross-traffic |
| Burning Lap | Drive clean and preserve speed | Taking combat habits into a time trial |
| Road Rage | Stay near groups and use side pressure | Chasing one rival into a low-value crash |
| Eliminator | Stay out of last when the timer matters | Waiting until the final seconds to recover |
| Preview | Learn the temporary vehicle quickly | Assuming it handles like your current favorite |
| Grand Prix | Protect points across multiple races | Treating one bad corner like the series is over |
| Crashbreaker Event | Detonate only when it can punish rivals or recover tempo | Spending boost in empty space |
| Crash | Plan target, pileup spread, and Aftertouch movement | Launching without reading traffic flow |
Traffic Check Rules
| Situation | Beginner Read | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Same-direction small traffic | Usually checkable | This is the safest traffic weapon |
| Parked small traffic | Often usable as a projectile | It can start a chain or block a lane |
| Oncoming traffic | Treat as a crash threat | Revenge does not make wrong-way traffic harmless |
| Cross-traffic | Treat as a crash threat | Intersections punish blind checking |
| Buses and big rigs | Avoid direct checks | Large vehicles are not beginner-safe targets |
| Traffic Attack | Check consistently and keep moving | Time and score depend on sustained traffic hits |
| Normal races | Check with purpose | A useful checked car affects rivals, lanes, or your exit |
Version Notes
| Version Scope | What To Know | Player Caution |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 / Xbox original | 2005 original releases with the shared core Revenge mechanics | Confirm split-screen, system-link, and platform-specific behavior on your copy |
| Xbox 360 version | Later 2006 version with visual and feature additions | Confirm DLC, achievement, Crash-event, and add-on behavior on your copy |
| Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S listing | Backward-compatible Xbox play may depend on ownership and region | Confirm purchase, download, ownership, disc, Series S, and launch behavior before planning around it |
| Online features | Official online features are retired | Do not promise online play, matchmaking, clip sharing, or Live Revenge availability |
| Other Burnout games | Traffic Check first appears in Revenge and differs from Paradise behavior | Do not import Burnout 3, Dominator, or Paradise rules without sourcing |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Do not check oncoming or cross-traffic - Treat those vehicles as crash threats, not Revenge projectiles.
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Do not aim at buses or big rigs in Traffic Attack - Large vehicles can end the run instead of feeding it.
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Do not chase one Road Rage target away from the pack - Stay where multiple takedown chances can appear.
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Do not fire Crashbreaker when no one is nearby - Save it for rivals, traffic spread, or a clear Aftertouch follow-up.
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Do not drive Burning Lap like Road Rage - Time trials reward clean speed more than combat.
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Do not choose a car only for top speed - Event type, stability, weight, and control matter.
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Do not ignore ratings after earning a medal - Stronger event performance helps World Tour momentum.
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Do not assume Xbox 360-only features are in the PS2/Xbox versions - Keep Live Revenge, Save & Share, DLC, achievements, and extra Crash content separate.
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Do not use Crash mode as a normal race - Read the target and traffic spread before committing.
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Do not copy rules from Burnout Paradise or Burnout 3 without checking them - Revenge has its own traffic checking, events, and Crashbreaker behavior.
Summary
| Category | Top Tip |
|---|---|
| Traffic Check | Use same-direction small traffic as a weapon and avoid oncoming/cross-traffic |
| Traffic Attack | Keep checking safe traffic to sustain time, score, and control |
| Road Rage | Stay near the pack and use walls, traffic, and chokepoints |
| Crashbreaker | Detonate only when it can hit rivals or spread damage |
| Ratings | Drive for the event objective, medal, and overall rating |
| Vehicles | Match stability, impact, and speed to the mode |
| Versions | Keep PS2/Xbox, Xbox 360, and current Xbox Store claims separate |
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8 checked for this guideEvery factual claim in this guide was checked against at least two independent sources before publication. These are the references used for Burnout Revenge.
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