The Twisted Metal series as a whole had mixed reviews. It is praised for its creativity and condemned for the amount of violence. A game similar to Mortal Kombat and but with automobiles and brawl style, Twisted Metal is about drivers slaughtering each other for the ultimate prize, one unlimited wish granted by Calypso (or should I say twisted by him). This popular game has come back to life for the Playstation 3 and fans can’t wait to take the wheel.
The cut scenes in this game are live action which make them look more real but also limit what each storyline can do in terms of gore and imagination. This was a major part of the charm in the older games. Fans could forgive the plot holes and campy storyline to focus on the ending when Calypso gave them exactly what they asked for in his own sick way.
There are a lot of things that remain unchanged in the new game. We see the return of Sweet Tooth, everyone’s favorite sadistic ice cream truck driving clown along with skeleton motorcycle driver Mr. Grimm. Each stage increases in difficulty significantly so players have to earn the ending of the characters they play. That was an aspect in the past that Twisted Metal had perfect from the beginning.
Unfortunately we see the return of difficult controls which have put off a lot of gamers about the series. There is also the aspect of some cars taking a long time to master. Each vehicle is unique and has different statistics in terms of speed, agility, and damage it can take. This is a fun part of the game for players who have time to practice with their favorite car, but for their friends who just want a friendly round of “smash up” it can be a friendship damaging handicap. Since there is an online multiplayer feature it is time to choose your friends carefully.
With its arrival onto current generation consoles, Twisted Metal begins its journey into the world of online multiplayer. Just like with the difficulty level, it is off to a great start with diverse gaming modes that separate the rookie drivers from the professionals.
All in all, Twisted Metal for the Playstation 3 stays true to the original in a good way for the most part. It also adapted well to the changing times and is showing promise of making a comeback.