Twisted Metal

Though there's plenty of blind machine-gun fire in this latest iteration, Twisted Metal operates in close-up, pairing its gleefully senseless violence with some that seems sensible.

The sum effect of all of Metal's play options, depth and unrelenting challenge is a game brimming with replay value - a seemingly endangered species these days. [Apr 2012, p.72]

Sure, there are some odd choices such as only including three characters, but the actual game more than makes up for these quirks. If you have ever loved the series, this is a must have.

Like its predecessor from more than 15 years ago, Twisted Metal celebrates an eccentric kind of action that shoves fun down the collective throat of the gaming masses. It includes an enjoyable, challenging single-player campaign and incredible multiplayer support for both on and offline. Twisted Metal only falters when it comes to its storytelling and an occasionally stubborn lock-on system.

Whether it's Diesel City's impromptu rooftop scrambles, Metro Square's ice rink, or Sunspring's movie theater, every single level, even with paired down to smaller maps, is loaded with detail.

The story's a bit unnecessary, but who cares? This is one hell of a game, chaotic and nostalgic fun for the whole family… well, now that you mention it, you might keep your kids out of reach.

Split screen multiplayer is an absolute blast with four friends and contains more explosions than a toilet at a Mexican 'All you can eat' restaurant. Once you get used to the frantic gameplay, Twisted Metal offers an incredibly accessible multiplayer. [April 2012, p.82]

The best vehicle combat game available today, pure fun and extreme vandalism. It is a bit tough to get engaged by the game, but soon you will become addicted to its excellent and anarchic mechanics.

Twisted Metal is the latest entry in the brutal car combat series of David Jaffe and Eat Sleep Play. It is a fun game that aims to make his fans happy, but due to some problems especially in online service, the game cannot earn a higher score.

It's a solid recommendation to anyone looking for a brutal and exhilarating car combat game that does the unthinkable – successfully transitions to a newer generation console without alienating its fanbase or dumbing itself down like some other franchises have seemingly failed to do. I'm looking at you, Max Payne 3.

The new Twisted Metal is a successful blend of old-school driving action and current gen multiplayer experiences.

The story itself may not make you shriek in excitement (remember that grandma from Twisted Metal II that only wanted to watch her soap operas?), but the multiplayer certainly will.

The button-mapping can take some getting used to, the story isn't particularly thrilling (although it is gross and oddly engaging), and the online issues are real. But the level design is awesome, the music is great (love Rob Zombie!), the action is ceaseless and well implemented, and the potential for addictive online multiplayer is there. Heck, it's darn close as is.

Despite my gripes, I have to admit that I f***ing loved this game. I really wished they would've skipped the bulk of the major changes to the game's narrative, but from a pure gameplay standpoint, it's arguably my favorite Twisted Metal title to date. The controls are on point, the level design's at or above anything else the series has produced, and (when it works) the multiplayer's nonstop gameporn that'll offer dozens of hours of replay value for anyone who gives it the time.

When Twisted Metal embraces the series traditions, it delivers the best action ever seen in the franchise. When it departs from convention, however, it becomes a hit or miss affair.

It loses points for having a dull singleplayer mode, but if it is viewed as your training ground for the multiplayer it starts to make more sense. The multiplayer is so fast paced and convincingly pulled off it is a blast to play, even with the controls being a tad hard to get used to.

While the initial training section leaves a lot to be desired, with early maps throwing you in the deep end, once you get the hang of the controls it's one hell of a wild ride with multiplayer sure to keep you coming back for more time and time again.

In addition to a great multiplayer experience, Twisted Metal shows that no glossy graphics are needed to make a high-octane game.

The perfect party game. There is enough odd shit going on to keep the people waiting to play entertained and vehicle combat has never felt so good. The main reason Twisted Metal pulled this off is because it didn't try to reinvent itself for the next-gen consoles. The game knows what it did well in the past and brings all of that into the modern gaming world.

Fast, entertaining deathmatches with added powerslides. [May 2012, p.82]

Great cars, large arenas, inventive game modes, a rewarding upgrade path, and blindingly destructive gameplay ultimately win out over finicky controls. The more you play the game the better you get and Twisted Metal is one game you'll want to keep playing for a long time to come. Plus, if you act now, you can grab a copy of the Limited Edition, which comes with a Sweet Tooth multiplayer skin for the upcoming Starhawk game and a free download code for the 2001 classic, Twisted Metal: Black; a great blast from the past, now upgraded to work on your PS3.

Twisted Metal might have a few matchmaking bugs to iron out, but once that's fixed there's more than enough content packed in to make this worth your hard-earned dollar. Twisted Metal doesn't reinvent the genre, but it's definitely a long-awaited return of a kickass series that we really need to see more of.

Like an old muscle car, Twisted Metal can be a bit rough around the edges, but once you get the engine warmed up, you can get a lot out of it. The more you invest, the more it gives, providing a fulfilling sense of mayhem whether you're playing online or with friends at home.

An old school and tough "demolition" game with obsolete graphics and few choices yet enjoyable – mostly thanks to the dynamic multiplayer mode. [Apr 2012]

Although the game has some obvious issues, mainly the controls and the over-the-top difficulty level, the game sure has some character. Fast paced shooter/racer is a great way to get rid of stress. The network game is pure adrenaline packed fun. [Apr 2012]

This is old school gaming down to the core, and we welcome its return. [May 2012, p.76]

Fast, refreshing and full of tactical nuance; these are the ingredients in the Twisted Metal cocktail, but it isn't without an odd aftertaste. Disappointingly, the single-player covers three fiends, rather than a bunch of dedicated mini-campaigns for the full menagerie of maniacs. It's live-action mixed with CGI stuff that gets a bit cheeseball in spots, but is quite engaging. The solo is decent aside from a few checkpointing oddities, but if you're a soloist we'd suggest the budget buy. [April 2012, p67]

Arm your vehicle with guns, rockets and bombs and set out to destroy your opponents! An intense and, most of all, twisted experience.

A great return for David Jaffe's legendary combat racing franchise. If it weren't for those network problems, this would truly be a memorable addition to PS3's library.

An addictive and funny multiplayer is the core of the new Twisted Metal, which delivers a dark story-driven single player as well.

Twisted Metal offers tonnes of action, both online and offline. The story mode is lacking, but the co-op mode makes it an enjoyable experience for those who have enough patience to overcome the somewhat complicated controls.

Eat Sleep Play might not be upfront about all of the game's mechanics, but the joy is in discovery - it's a game that encourages you to experiment and rewards you for doing so.

Good old-fashioned fun that never takes itself too seriously, but packs a surprising level of depth and complexity.

Twisted Metal is back with its chaotic and amazing multiplayer. Unfortunately, the single-player campaign is pretty boring and from a technical standpoint the game feels a bit "old". Still, if you want a brutally fun online experience, this is the game for you.

Believe me, blowing the hell out of your friends online hasn't been this much fun in years.

Twisted Metal is the kind of sequel that delivers what it promises: solid and fun thrilling-combat-action. It just needs to fix some annoying online issues.

Even though this Twisted Metal might be a decade newer, it doesn't stray far from its series' heritage. It makes driving a vehicle equipped with weapons of every kind as fun as it sounds. It's a title aimed directly at bringing heart-racing competition to the living room and the unique vehicles, powerful weapons, and complexity make it the perfect title to enjoy with friends. It isn't every day that you play a game that rewards you for driving fast and blowing enemies up, but that's exactly what Twisted Metal is an expert at.

No, it isn't as iconic as Twisted Metal 2, but it still serves up a healthy dose of visceral fun that is only slightly diminished by dubious design decisions. It's certainly the benchmark for vehicular combat this generation.

If you're looking for a game that will suck you in with a compelling narrative and deep, strategic gameplay, look elsewhere. But if you're a fan of dumb, loud, addictive fun, you could do a lot worse than Twisted Metal.

Twisted Metal's lightning-fast vehicular combat and large-scale destruction are gleeful, pulse-pounding fun.

While its character roster is smaller than previous games, and its multiplayer seems disappointingly basic next to its single-player campaign, Twisted Metal is nevertheless a compellingly badass game filled with fun things to discover and unlock. This isn't a perfect Twisted Metal, but as comebacks go, it's pretty strong.

At the end of the day, vehicular combat is fun. Unlike all the kart racing games we have played over the years, Twisted Metal is just about blowing your opponents up, and that's simply an enjoyable pastime.

Not much new here, and by no means consistently good, but it still remains the pinnacle of vehicular combat. [May 2012, p.111]

This is worth a look for those who are looking for a nostalgic experience, and perhaps those looking for something a little different as car combat like Twisted Metal is unfortunately a rarity in modern gaming.

From a technical standpoint Twisted Metal isn't all that, and you'll be waiting more online than actually playing the game. You'll mostly remember Twisted Metal as a entertaining kart racer. The presentation is quite sinister and the way you dispatch opponents brutal. In short, this is a spring-game that contradicts everything that blossoms, grows and oozes happiness.

Twisted Metal used to be a game of brutal simplicity. The producers wanted to add depth to the mechanicsbut eventually over complicated the global experience.

You will have seen everything the single player has to offer in just a few hours. The multiplayer however is hectic and fun and is truly the highlight of the game.

Disappointing after such a long wait then, even if Twisted Metal is still immensely good fun at its core.

Twisted Metal is stuck in second gear, trying to evolve beyond the simplistic (but enjoyable) nature of its mechanics. It introduces new ideas while attempting to please hardcore fans of the series at the same time, and this middle-of-the-road approach doesn't really work.

Despite feeling the need to shower regularly during much of Twisted Metal, though, this should still be considered a successful return. A super violent serving of chunkily satisfying motor carnage, it offers a unique P53 joyride. Just tone down the Ronald McDonald homicide next time, eh?

Between the single-player being an obvious afterthought, limited multiplayer modes, shoddy graphics and some online kinks to work out, Twisted Metal can't hide its roots as the multiplayer-only PlayStation Store title it was originally developed to be. With all its flaws, it would be easy to write off this full-priced retail release as a polished turd - but that's not fair...It's more of a diamond in the rough. Take the time to get to grips with its minutiae and the combat is extraordinarily complex and balanced.

It was a probably a good idea to update Twisted Metal for the PS3, and the combat and ambience is intact, but there's nothing here to push the medium beyond the 1990s era that spawned the original.

The constant struggle of trying to take out enemies and keep your own rig in check is as entertaining today as it was when it was first introduced back in the mid '90s. I just wish there wasn't so much muck to wade through before I got to Twisted Metal's gooey, rocket-blasted center.

It saddens me that the campaign is so miserable, as its live-action story cutscenes and stylish, twist-in-the-tale storytelling are both fantastic.

There's a fun multiplayer game in there but it's buried underneath a disappointing single-player campaign, awkward controls and a steep learning curve. [Issue#216, p.77]

A brutal, frantic action game built on a solid technology. Driven by nostalgia, Eat Sleep Play created a game that they wanted to create. I just doubt that modern gamers will want to play it. [May 2012, p.68]

An unstable product. It tries to be complete and original, but ends up being too simple.

What Twisted Metal needed was more development-time. More ways to interact with what the maps have to offer, better net code and more intuitive controls could have put this in a very different light.

There's no denying the core concept remains fun, frantic and often enjoyable, but it feels slight and the game's long ingrained mean streak and occasionally sneering tone only serves to highlight how far the industry has come in the last decade. Peek closely enough under that shiny new coat of paint and you'll soon find evidence of rust.

You'll find a number of technical issues plaguing the game, from scenery clipping to inconsistent collision and some hideously low resolution textures. But the game's relentless dedication to giving you violent bangs for your bucks goes some way to compensating for them. Because Twisted Metal at its best delivers exactly what it sets out to: a messy, manic and tasteless treat.

I'm surprised to see Sony celebrate the return of one of its few exclusive franchises with outdated visuals, watered-down content, obsolete gameplay, and a buffet of technical issues, yet that's exactly what this $60 retail package consists of, albeit with a smattering of fun to be had when things go right.

Twisted Metal is a mixed experience; while playing alone gives more frustration than enjoyment, it is a totally different take when joining up with friends or strangers online. The gameplay is tight and quite fun, but the general unpolished feeling of the game hold it back from being anything but an average vehicular combat game.

It's now the only game keeping vehicular combat alive, but even fans will be disappointed at the lack of change and ambition - in what is more a remake than a reboot.

It's a bit like a fighting game that offers distinct player characters, but no information about what the characters can do, or how you should play them, or their relative strengths and weaknesses. That's all for you to figure out because, apparently, the developers were too busy making the game to teach you anything. You have to take the initiative and set up solo games against the AI bots.

The game play and physics feel almost as if they were ripped from the original PSOne game, and the genre has come a long way since then. While the single-player game is weak, the multiplayer is mostly fun and creative. It's disappointing that after such a long wait, the game didn't evolve more, but fans of the original are certain to enjoy this blast from the past.

The reboot of Twisted Metal is disappointing. The creative ideas give you a glimpse of what could have been, but in the end the driving action is too chaotic, too unfair and shows too many problems with the online stability.

Twisted Metal never escapes the fact that it feels completely old and archaic. The premise is timeless, and there should always be room for a game of mindless destruction, but the execution is poor here.