by Jay "THE FLEA" Wade
In one of the biggest come backs ever seen in video game history, Twisted Metal has returned as the best vehicle combat game. After Twisted Metal three and four, gamers believed the series was dead.
But Sony did the right thing and got the creators of the first two Twisted Metals to make Twisted Metal Black.
TMB has a dark gothic feel about it. With insane and demented characters that make the last TM’s look like kids games.
The story is Cylipso finds his new contestants for his contest in a mental asylum. Each one of them want a prize that heal their insanity, some to correct a wrong they’ve done and others want revenge on the ones who made them insane.
The Vehicles include; Junkyard Dog, Brimstone, Outlaw, Mr. Grimm, Roadkill, Crazy 8, Spectre, Darkside, Shadow, and or course Sweet Tooth. There’s also bonus characters including Yellow Jacket, Axel, Warthog, Manslaughter and Minion.
While most of these names may sound familiar, they are all new characters. (There is one returning character, but I won’t give that away)
New characters who drive some of the names of past cars.
The movies that play before, in the middle and at the end of the tournament are spectacular and gory.
With endings that end with a strange twist. They earned that mature rating for sure.
The gameplay is back to basics, if you ever played TM2 you should be able to pick up TMB and have no trouble.
Most of the levels are huge. Some you play in stages they are so big. Most all have secret areas and have tons of hiding places.
The graphics are the best I’ve ever seen in a vehicle combat game. So much detail, almost everything can be damaged or destroyed, even the other drivers will fly out their car in flames and and scream in pain as you run them down. (How’s that for rubbing it in)
If you remember playing the multiplayer in TM2 to death, well now you can play up to four players.
Levels include; the suburbans, freeways, a prison ship, a drive-in movie theater, City streets, and of course the Rooftops just to name a few.
This is the true sequel to TM. If you gave up on the Twisted Metal Series after three and four, you’ll have to give the series a second chance and play TMB.
You’ll never want to play another vehicle combat game again because it won’t match up to TMB.
PUBLISHER: SONY
ESRB RATING: M (mature)
GRAPHICS: 10 MUSIC & SOUND: 10 CONTROL: 9
SECRETS: 9 ORIGINALITY: 9.5 FUN & REPLAY: 10
OVERALL: 9.5