April 25, 2012
exDream

Fireburst

Fireburst is rough. There’s no point in sugar-coating it. Xbox Live Arcade currently plays host to Trials Evolution, Crazy Taxi, Hydro Thunder, Daytona USA, Joy Ride Turbo, TNT Racers, SEGA Rally Arcade, GripShift, and another 20 or 30 arcade racers, all of which make a better fist of things than this. Given that the game was released on PC back in April 2012, you’d have thought that the developers would have had some time to apply a bit of polish. Apparently not.

37%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

story, replayability

50% User Score Based on 108 reviews

Critic Score 20%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.46

Buy NowGet on Steam$7.99

About

"Fireburst" is an arcade-style racing game with fast-paced gameplay and phenomenal graphics. Race against opponents on 12 different tracks, using fire-based abilities to set them ablaze and gain an advantage. Choose from 16 distinct vehicles and characters, each with unique styles and taunts, and compete in single-player, local four-player, or online eight-player mode. Unlock additional artwork and rewards as you turn opponents into piles of road ash.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

50%

Audience ScoreBased on 109 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Fun to play in short bursts with interesting mechanics like the Fireboost system that adds a tactical element to racing.
The game features good graphics and sound, with varied environments and a decent selection of vehicles.
The challenge mode offers some unique gameplay experiences, such as inverted controls, which can be enjoyable and refreshing.

Gameplay is often criticized for being messy, with broken mechanics and wonky vehicle physics that detract from the experience.
The game lacks content, with no career mode and limited replay value, making it feel short and less engaging over time.
Multiplayer functionality is poor or non-existent, and many players report bugs and issues that hinder gameplay.

gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The gameplay of Fireburst is a mixed bag, featuring an intriguing heat mechanic that allows players to boost and explode enemies, but it suffers from flawed execution and poor physics. While the cooling mechanic adds depth and the challenge mode offers fun variations, many players find the core mechanics frustrating and unbalanced, leading to a gameplay experience that is both challenging and occasionally unsatisfying. Despite its polished visuals and interesting concepts, the game struggles with memorability and player engagement.
- “This is a great-looking, polished and working arcade racer with gorgeous maps and interesting mechanics, and it's a shame that nobody is playing or at least remembering this game, apparently.”
- “Fireburst has an interesting boost mechanic that really has a lot of depth.”
- “Your car can be cooled down by driving through water, which makes for great gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is totally messed up.”
- “Fireburst is basically just MotorStorm with boost takedown mechanics, but with terrible physics and really cheesy, stereotypical (also unmemorable) characters.”
- “However, the bottom line is that the core mechanic of 'fireburst' is fatally flawed as more often than not, employing it harms the player to the point that it is more advantageous to not use it at all.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
28%
11%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the sharp visuals and bold colors, while others criticize them as lacking for an Unreal Engine 3 title. Players note that while the aesthetics can be appealing, the character designs are often unattractive, and the overall graphical performance can feel inconsistent, particularly during gameplay. Additionally, the absence of a dedicated controls and graphical settings menu has been a point of frustration for users.
- “There is so much good here in terms of aesthetics, sound, and graphics.”
- “The graphics are sharp with the use of bold colors.”
- “I love how graphic everything is and the water and scenery are very realistic.”
- “Graphics are okay, but as soon as you drive, you feel that something isn't right.”
- “Vehicles feel floaty, physics can be wonky at times, the music is generic (although not bad), graphics are lacking for an Unreal Engine 3 game, and they made no effort to have a controls/graphical settings page, as in the launcher, they literally open the base engine.”
- “Graphically, it looks okay.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
46%
11%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its emotional and heart-pounding tracks that are deemed worthy of accolades, while others criticize it as generic and repetitive, often feeling annoying or uninspired. Despite a few standout licensed songs, many players express disappointment over the limited variety and inability to customize or disable the music. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for some, but a significant drawback for others.
- “The game comes with soul-touching and heart-pounding songs; I am certainly going to download this soundtrack album for my long drives or even short drives, but trust me, the songs played in the game deserve a Pulitzer Prize.”
- “Music: rock 'n' roll ♥ great tracks!”
- “Pretty decent soundtrack.”
- “Review: AI is annoying, the car combat through overheating is unsatisfying and clunky, the musical tracks are annoying, the tournament mode likes to get you stuck in silly objectives it wants you to accomplish, and the tournament combat is the worst because of all the different overheating types and the indirect method of fighting is very unsatisfying.”
- “Good track design, poor controls, uninspired challenges, and horrific music that can't be reconfigured or disabled (unless you disable all sound).”
- “The music was the biggest thing that put me off.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The game's story aspect is criticized for its lack of depth, primarily consisting of cutscenes, dialogue, and audio logs without a cohesive narrative or engaging championship elements. Players feel that the storytelling is minimal and does not enhance the overall gaming experience.
- “No story or championship or anything like that.”
- “Storytelling is lacking.”
- “The game feels more like a series of cutscenes and audio logs rather than a cohesive story.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that it does not offer sufficient incentives or content to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “105 minutes later: lack of replay value...”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as unlimited boost causing unintended advantages. Players have noted that these problems detract from the overall experience, likening it to a poorly executed clone of MotorStorm.
- “Buggy as all hell.”
- “It's pretty much a poor clone of MotorStorm, with the boost causing the other racers to start dying around you, which makes things easy because half the time the boost glitches and becomes unlimited, causing you to auto win.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's soundtrack is described as soul-touching and heart-pounding, with users expressing a strong emotional connection to the music, suggesting it deserves prestigious recognition like a Pulitzer Prize. Many players plan to download the soundtrack for personal enjoyment during drives, highlighting its impactful emotional resonance.
- “The game features soul-touching and heart-pounding songs. I am definitely going to download this soundtrack album for my long drives or even short trips. Trust me, the songs played in the game deserve a Pulitzer Prize.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is widely criticized, with multiple users stating that it lacks any engaging or immersive qualities.
- “This game is void of any atmosphere.”