Twisted Metal: Head-On

"Great attempt at a portable TM"

The car combat genre isn't really a big one, with the only noticeable entries being the Vigilante 8 and Twisted Metal series. The latter has had many previous incarnations on the Playstation and Playstation 2, with many regarding Twisted Metal 2 as the best in the series. The developers have taken note of this and deemed Twisted Metal: Head On for the PSP as a true sequel to Twisted Metal 2. Does it live up to its standards? Read on to find out.

The purpose of this game is to defeat your opponents (who drive vehicles) using weapons (or ramming if that's your cup of tea) found on the battlefield that you fire from your own vehicle. Each vehicle has its own strengths and weaknesses, i.e. some may be faster or more resilient than others. You choose a character and compete through various “arenas” (or levels) until you complete all of them, which doesn't take very long. The ending movies you unlock may be compensation for some while others may find the game just too short for their liking.

The visuals in this game are pretty nice for a handheld game. It's not as stunning as Ridge Racer but the environments are still well-detailed, from the tombs in Egypt to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It's a sight to see missiles fly by you and napalm colliding with a hapless opponent in the midst of a battlefield. And if you think this showcase comes at the cost of framerate, think again. This game runs very smoothly despite all the action going on in the surroundings.

Personally, I think the controls are a little hard to get used to. Often you'll find yourself chasing a car only to have it stop and change direction in an instant while you figure out how to do the same. It's something which takes practice but it can prove frustrating at times.

The sound in this game is acceptable, though nothing memorable. You'll hear a lot of the same sounds due to having to fire many of the same weapons over and over again. Each arena has its own unique song so that may boost the experience for some, though as mentioned earlier, it's nothing memorable.

The online aspect of this game counters the single-player mode's short offering. Twisted Metal: Head On is one of the few titles for the PSP so far to offer online play, allowing you to face opponents anywhere in the world. It's a great addition although some players in different parts of the world may experience lag in various servers, bringing the experience down a little.

Overall, Twisted Metal: Head On is a wonderful game if you take full advantage of its features. Buying this game for its single-player experience may not keep you interested for long but its multiplayer experience may keep you hooked. Do I think it lives up to the standards set by Twisted Metal 2? No. Do I think this is a game you should try out? Definitely.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/15/05