Full Auto

"Burnout" meets "Twisted Metal" in the very first Xbox 360 game worth owning.

Xbox Live is where Full Auto really comes into its own. Without access to Microsoft’s online world this title becomes more like Half or even Quarter Auto, such is the rather uneventful single player mode or the glaringly overlooked multiplayer.

As for the on-screen display, it's top notch - everything you need to know is on the screen - boost and unwreck bar, speed, a handy map showing the road layout and locations of competitors, your weapon availability (complete with an overheat display, which if filled up causes the weapon to jam for a few seconds before you can use it again) and your armour display.

It is fun to blow stuff up for a while, but with a bit longer, this game could’ve been much much better.

The framerate drops, the maps aren’t varied enough, and the Xbox Live interface is a little clunky, but the core gameplay of Full Auto is truly fun.

A chaotic, testosterone-filled mess of car wrecks and bulet holes. I love it. [Mar 2006, p.96]

Full Auto may not push the boundaries of in-depth, innovative gameplay, but for all intents and purposes it is a blast of a game to play nonetheless and delivers non-stop explosive thrills from start to finish.

This is pure, unadulterated four-wheeled destruction on an epic scale, and I haven't had this much fun playing a racing game in ages.

A variety of wheels and weaponry ensures there'll be loads of destruction, while the online option gives this gas-guzzler some extra mileage.

Full Auto may be viscerally stimulating and strangely soothing, but the real reason to buy this game is the overwhelming amount of content presented in the game's different modes.

Graphically, the level of detail in the tracks is simply stunning compared with the scenery on "Burnout," a reflection of the superiority of the new Xbox over the old.

This title is incredibly fun in short bursts, but it’s hard to play for hours at a time.

Serious sim racers may want to rent this first, if you’re in it for the fun and excitement of total destruction, give Full Auto a shot.

The game could use a bit more variety, but the included race types, different cars and weapons, and decent replay value somewhat balance it out.

If you are of the old school class that enjoys the simple things in life you will undoubtedly find a lot to like about this game.

If you can get past the wonky physics and the occasional slow down you’re looking at a fun time that ultimately should probably be limited to a rental.

Full Auto is a lot of fun, but it's more style than substance especially if you have no plans of taking it online.

With different organization and a free-roam mode, this would've been amazing offline. With luck, the sequel will make some online adjustments, too.

If you don't approach it expecting any clever gameplay angles on the combat or the mass destruction, you can squeeze a respectable amount of enjoyable racing out of Full Auto.

Fun while it lasts but probably best played in short doses.

Full Auto features one of the coolest game mechanics on the Xbox 360 to date and that is the “Un-Wreck” or rewind time.

There are a lot of cool ideas at play in Full Auto, and the races can be giddily enjoyable, especially online, but overall it doesn't quite reach the heights that a weapons-based racer could. [Mar 2006, p.110]

There's nothing that boldly stands out about the progression, presentation or general set up in Full Auto; it's just a kick to get in the car and plow to the finish line for the next event. [Mar 2006, p.42]