I know there are a few Burnout Paradise fans here and was wondering if you're considering Need For Speed: Most Wanted since it's being developed by Criterion and is considered a successor to Burnout Paradise.
The gameplay graphics in this video look pretty good:
Need for Speed™ Most Wanted Gameplay Video -- E3 2012 Official (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m24BQwYLcng#ws)
The demo was finally released yesterday and I'm glad I held off from buying this game. The open city is nice to look at, but the it's lifeless and there's not enough "regular" racing for my tastes. Forza Horizon was a much better choice for me.