Twisted Metal: Black

"Don't bother reading this review. GO BUY THIS NOW!"

''What? That series is still around?'' That's what I thought when I first heard of Twisted Metal Black. ''More useless crap to collect dust at a local Blockbuster.'' Well, I am partly right about this. It will collect dust, and plenty of it. Twisted Metal Black is just plain out a game to shell out $50 for. I would even spend $60, but I know it's $50 elsewhere. This game is simply Twisted Metal 2 with a high dose of steroids and morphine. This game *will* grab you by the throat and not let go until it's all over, but buy then you need more of this ''Miracle Drug.'' Don't be surprised if you see a Twisted Metal Black Rehab Center pop up near you. Great voice-overs, videos, everything else. Now since you are still here, I'll break it down even more for you.

Story: 10/10
It's the year ''Probably Not Today or Tomorrow, but maybe Next Week''(So what if it's cheesy, you're supposed to have left to buy this already) and your driver is stuck in Solitary Confinement. You delve into their past a little bit when Calypso walks in. Any Twisted Metal Fan/Junkie will all ask the same thing I did. ''Who's that guy?'' Gone is the long black hair and goatee and in with a bald head, clean shave and busted up eye. You leave on/in your vehicle and start shooting stuff up. Could be better, so it would get an 8. But then again, you don't necessarily need one, so it gets a 10

Game-Play: 10/10
Twisted Metal 2, need I say more. Bigger levels, more hazards, and more difficult. I don't care if you were God or God's creator at Twisted Metal 1 & 2, this game will challenge you beyond your most freakish nightmares. Good thing those passwords are gone, and the memory card saves more than just controls and settings. Gets a 10 all the way.

Control: 10/10
Very easy to learn and use. Look at the book/journal or in the options menu and you have just learned the controls. They are simple and pain-free to learn and work very well, unlike Oni which is highly painful to learn but effective. The magic number is 10

Sound: 10/10
I knew the sound was good once all the production ads were done with. On a blank screen you simply hear the Rolling Stones ''Paint it Black'' intro. I knew ''It's going to be okay'' as any doctor will tell you. The bangs and booms of this game are better than the first two. (No Twisted Metal 3 & Twisted Metal 4 do not qualify as a Twisted Metal product, since they suck, and a Twisted Metal *must* be good). 10 is a great number

Difficulty: 10/10
Yes, like everything else, theres more of it. Twisted Metal 2 is training grounds for this game. If you own Twisted Metal 2, start brushing up till you can own the bosses rear and have him kiss you bum when you wish. Then your ready for level one. Overly difficult, and that's what we need, a Play Station 2 game that takes brains and thought to beat, and not to mention some blood, sweat, and possibly tears. 10!

Menus:15/10
This is what drew me in after my brother loaded the Golden DvD up. A Matrix style menu with all the drivers and cars rendered in 3-D and then stare in awe as the camera slowly pans just after flipping to it or after moving to the next car. They didn't need to add this eye candy, but they made the graphics the best they can be and the movies pretty slick, and your using a DvD, so why not. The series failed us for the last 2-3 years. 15 out of 10 since they went the extra Boston Marathon for us gamers as a great apology.

Replay:
Plenty of cars, plenty of secrets and 4-5 secret vehicles. You'll need a therapy session as bad as you driver to pull you away from this bad-boy.

Overall: 10/10
Buy this now. If you made it this far you must already have this game and wanted my opinion, or it'll late and all the stores that sell games, even Wal-Mart, are closed. In the morning, I command you to go and buy this from Wal-Mart, since they are conveniently located and have fairly good prices for games. Just be quick before someone else buys that last one, because they usually don't order a second shipment, but they might re-order this game so they can have one too. 10/10 all the way.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/28/01, Updated 06/28/01