Twisted Metal: Black

"Once you have gone BLACK you can't go back"

If you told me two months ago that I actually bought this game and like it I would of told you you were crazy. After Twisted Metal 4 the Twisted Metal series looked like it just was no longer fun to take a car and raise hell. 989 had seemed to suck all the life out of the Twisted Metal series. So the Playstation 2 comes out the next generation system. Sony moves the series on to the Playstation 2 with a little help from Incog Inc. They said they were going to act like Twisted Metal 3&4 never exhisted.(I wish they didn't would've saved myself some money) Incog was just going to continue off of the proclaimed best of the series Twisted Metal 2. Incog promised hardcore gamers that the series was going to be restored and returned to it's roots. They said the game was going to be dark. So dark it would recieve a M for Mature rating. So dark you may even have to turn up the brightness on the game to see. So dark it may be even be called black. That's just what they did. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Storyline

The story takes place in the Blackfield Insane Assylum. Where just about all the games characters are from. Each with some disorder. Basically they are all nut cases. Anywhere from killers to even cannibals. All the characters seek revenge or a second chance and a veriey of other things. One day a man named Calyspo comes in and tells these nut cases he will grant them one wish if they participate and win his tournament. He says anything they want will be theres. So they participate in the car combat tournament. Thats where all the fun begins!

Graphics 10/10

FRICKEN SWEET!!!!!!! They are not the best on the Playstation 2 but they are really the nicest graphics a car combat game has ever and i mean ever seen. The graphics are very smooth. The cars are some of the most detailed I have seen in any game. It has everything down from guns to the tail lights are perfectly detailed. OOO THE SPECIAL EFFECTS SO REAL. The blasts and bombs look so cool. The levels are so nicely done. Lot's of different houses and other types of buildings done to perfection and even better MADE TO DESTROY! The snow and the rain is really great looking makes you feel like your out there driving in the rain. Then they have the movies they are great and extremely eerie. They give the whole black name to the game. The movie seens can compare to those in The Bouncer.

Audio 10/10

SPOOKY! That's all I can say about the sound. All the sound tracks have a very eerie feel to them. Sounds like you are hearing Nine Inch Nails. Very cool. The sound effects are done great all the missles shooting and explosion sounds sound great. The voice acting is done very well and the voices sound perfect. Don't forget the Rolling Stones. What more fitting than the song Paint it Black for Twisted Metal Black. The song fits totally into the games whole feel and makes it even more cooler.

GAMEPLAY!!!! 10/10

Now let us get into what is important gameplay. The game is addictively fun. It does offer quite a challenge for those who are up for it. The game has a great blend in the characters. None are too weak. Every character is blended in it's own way. Some have a really nasty special attack and killer armor. Some have a lot of speed and control. It depends on the car. Oh yeah and you know are little ice cream truck driver Sweet Tooth. The man is a killer. Just thought I'd throw that in. All the levels are brilliant. Some are absolutely massive. With things to unlcock in just about each level. Secret passages with health and power ups. Twisted Metal Black definately has the best gameplay out of any of the Playstation 2 games out there. The multiplayer is just plane fun. Why not destroy your friends?

FUNFACTOR!!! 11/10

This game is just plane fun and that's it. What more do you want. You get to pick from a bunch of pyscho's and destroy people in a sick car combat tournament.

Replay Value 9/10

No game is perfect. No matter how good it is. There is a butt load of time you can put into the game. It all feels rewarding when you can say you have beaten it and unlocked everything. A 9/10 seems bad after all this but it isn't. It is still exceptionally good. You will spend hours apon hours playing this game.

Lasting Appeal

Twisted Metal Black will go down being one of the best Playstation 2 games ever. It totally changed the way I looked at the whole Twisted Metal Series and I'm sure it will for you. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE BUY THE GAME YOU WON'T REGRET IT. Once you have gone Black you can't go back.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/25/01, Updated 06/25/01