Burnout Dominator

Burnout Dominator was created as a transitional title within the series, developed primarily for PlayStation 2 and PSP at a time when the main development team at Criterion Games was already focused on the next-gen sequel Burnout Paradise, yet the game tried to return to the series' core values after the more experimental Revenge. Instead of ramming civilian traffic as an offensive weapon, Dominator returned to an emphasis on clean, smooth track handling and the so-called Burnout system, a special nitro ability charged by risky driving against oncoming traffic, drifting, and safe near-misses around opponents.

The game introduced a new Maniac system, allowing the player, once the meter was filled, to perform spectacular stunts without direct risk of crashing, rewarding stylish, smooth driving instead of pure destruction. The career structure was built around a series of so-called Burnout Driving Challenges, short challenges tied to specific vehicle classes, which made the game work excellently in short bursts and suited the handheld PSP version well. Anyone able to hold an unbroken nitro chain across an entire track was rewarded with the hypnotic feeling of speed the series had always been built on.

Track design drew on locations from previous series installments, adapted and expanded for the new game modes, including the return of the popular Crash mode focused on causing the most effective possible traffic pileup at intersections. The visuals, though limited by PS2 hardware at a time when next-gen consoles were already on the market, remained solid and smooth, accompanied by an energetic licensed soundtrack in the series' spirit. Burnout Dominator, though less innovative than Revenge, remains an honest and craftsmanlike farewell for the series to the PlayStation 2 generation. Many reviewers praised the return to a purer take on the series, even though the game itself brought no major gameplay innovations.