Twisted Metal: Black Online
- August 27, 2002 00:00 AM PST
Twisted Metal brings its Black mechanical melee to the online arena.
Back in Black�OnlineTwisted Metal features free-for-all car combat set in the not-too-distant future, and for the Online incarnation, up to eight road warriors can go head-to-head via broadband�but only two can compete in the analog arena. As the action�s fast and furious, cars occasionally �warp� around, which is annoying when you�re speeding in for the kill on a weaker opponent only to have them vanish away. Online play may not be perfect, but it�s preferable to the frame-rate blender of four-player split-screen competition.
After a few plays, though, the game becomes tiresome�mostly due to repetitive gameplay and lack of balance. Battles quickly degenerate into jousting games of �chicken,� where you speed head-on toward an opponent with guns blazing. The driver with most health to spare usually survives.
Keep It Dark
Metal�s visuals perfectly match the game�s sardonic tone. Combat takes place on freeways, skyscrapers, inside rotting factories�just to name a few�and always beneath gloomy skies. The audio track is loaded with an effective array of screams, screeching tires, and explosions. Sturdy controls round out the solid options package.
Despite its drawbacks, Twisted Metal: Black Online is an engaging starter for Sony�s online lineup�especially if you crave mindless mass destruction on the dark side. Kick the tires and give it a spin.
