Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Hard to describe"

So, I bought this game at midnight when it was available. I beat the single-player campaign within a day...which took maybe twelve hours. Keep in mind that all Twisted Metal games have short core campaigns (often 2-4 hours). What kept me coming back to the others was the fact that I was always unlocking more cars and cutscenes, especially in Black. Don't expect that here. Yes, you can replay it and unlock extras, like the Warthog vehicle and a laser pistol...but you get every video unlocked in one long bought. That being said, Sweet Tooth and Dollface are the only genuinely interesting stories. Mr. Grimm gets an intro and his mid-game scene is just Preacher rambling, then he "gets his wish."

Okay, regarding the gameplay, it's solid. Play dual-stick if you're accustomed to Black, which I am. Beware, the missions get tough. The worst of it is the racing part. While the game engine works well for a race/combat blend, the levels require much precision (there are three of them), and they'll easily take an hour each. Standard death matches and bosses are where it's at.

As a whole, the real joy comes in the online play, and I would've liked to have seen more in the single-player realm. Yes, there are enough levels, cars, and weapons to choose from (all rather well constructed), but that's over and done with too soon. I don't mind playing the same levels over, but more stories and unlockables would be more motivation than trophies.

Let's look at the key elements.

Controls - There's a learning curve, but they work well.

Variety - Choosing from different cars and using the garage to swap out mid-level is great.

Story - Some parts are sick and crazy...others fall short. I hated their version of preacher. He was obviously wearing a wig and was far from convincing.

Graphics - Nothing too high, but it all moves so fast that it doesn't make a difference.

Overall feel - Great atmosphere and tons of destructibility. However, one can feel how it was raised from a T to an M. Several snippets include strong language interspersed with mild, restrained speech in the meat of the scenes. There's a slightly inconsistent feel.

Trophies - Be prepared for some very tough ones, like beating the game without dying once.

As a whole, it's fun and the challenge modes/alternate ways to play, both online and off, allow plenty of oldschool nostalgia. I'd prefer they get rid of the racing bits and made the core mission longer by taking some of their 35 online levels, turning them into deathmatch rounds. It's quite fun, but Jaffe and the gang should return to the concept of splitting up the character missions entirely, removing chronology and focusing more on including distinctive character stories...and for new characters. If that means no live action, fine.

This was a good experimental title...let's get another in line and focus on the strong points.