Electronic Arts has announced that they will be releasing one last Burnout title on the PlayStation 2 in the form of Burnout Dominator. As Burnout 5 will be taking the series in a new direction with a more open road, "sandbox" style of Gameplay, the company decided they wanted to close the series out on the PlayStation 2 with one final "closed track" experience that harkens back to the series' roots. As such, Burnout Dominator will also be taking a step back in the direction of Burnout 3 by removing traffic checking from the mix.
"Burnout Dominator is an all-new installment of the legendary and multi-award winning Burnout™ series, loaded with intense racing action and dozens of retina-searing World Tour events. Burnout Dominator challenges gamers to face off against a series of hot-blooded rivals in brutal tests of aggressive driving techniques where performing burnouts gives you the advantage and multiplies your score potential. For the ultimate nerve-wracking experience, Burnout Dominator takes you to the very edge of control, punishing the smallest mistakes and rewarding drivers for taking outrageous risks.
"The series was born on the PlayStation 2, and Burnout Dominator is about celebrating the essence of Burnout," said Nick Channon, senior producer of Burnout Dominator. "Burnout Dominator focuses on the reckless skill-based racing and fear of crashing that fuelled the first games." - Electronic Arts press release
That little bit alone is more than enough to make me burst into a chorus of cheers, as I felt traffic checking really took something away from the series when it was introduced in Burnout Revenge - it just took away some of the insanity generated by weaving frantically in and out of traffic.
While I've only mentioned the PlayStation 2 version so far, EA has confirmed that Burnout Dominator will be coming to both the PlayStation 2 and PSP. Those of you looking for a little more on the game should check out the full EA press release here and this article over at Gamespot, as they've posted some nice screenshots of the game.