Mmkay, how to start... First off, don't hate the messenger! o_o This review is purely opinionated and should be taken as such. I'm the kind of gamer that's in it for the story and single player experience, thus I'm most likely not going to touch upon Online play. Sorry peeps. :( Plus, I'm doing this for the casual gamers out there, the ones who play for mindless fun, want a new game, and aren't hardcore 50+ hour gamers. If you're on the fence, I'm writing this for you! :) With that said, lets roll!
I really liked the game as a whole. Why? I'm glad you asked! :3 The graphics are were very nice! Very few levels to play, but they were huge! The cars are well made. The graphics don't go as far as KZ 2 or 3, but there is vast improvement since the release of TM: Black!
My moment of disappointment... Yes, it is true as other reviewers mentioned. There are only 3 characters who have a story in the campaign. The way it works is the cars that have different abilities, not the driver. So much for character individuality :(
I could go on about what other reviewers mentioned, but what I really want to put emphasis on is gameplay! I'm surprised people mention so little of it. If you wanna hear about characters and story, many others have written such. >_>
Ok, let me say that I'm am an avid gamer and I enjoy various genres and challenges! I can comfortably say I'm not the best gamer ever, but I'm pretty good (I'm not boasting, I swear!). o_o So now let me place the warning here:
CASUAL GAMERS BEWARE!!! lol
Having played the campaign mode on Normal difficulty, I'll admit, it was tough! O_O There are 3 difficulty levels, (Normal, Hard, Twisted). That's 3 difficulties of kicking player butt! D:
On top of a tricky button configuration, there is a LOT going on... When you play this game, you'll be dodging bullets and missiles, trying to aim a chargeable weapon, AND trying to maneuver important obstacles! This isn't a simple game, by no means! This game WILL in fact test your dexterity!
Something else to consider is your patience as a gamer! Personally, I can put up with a lot, but there were times where I became VERY frustrated! In the campaign, it will feel as if you (the player) are public enemy #1 at all times. The AI rarely fights each other, keep this in mind! ._. This is especially apparent when you fight a mini boss called the Juggernaut. It's a semi that has increased armor, has potent firepower, and spits out a new opponent to fight every so often if you don't beat him fast enough. When this mini boss gets a twin to help, and other enemy drivers are trying to kill you, it becomes one Hell of a fight... Then they make you fight 2 of them with badass upgrades further into the campaign... I nearly cried when I got to that stage... T-T
The races (yes, TM has races, crazy, I know :P...) can be tricky to maneuver when people are tossing your vehicle around with various explosions and ramming. They were fun, don't get me wrong, but in those moments of cheap shots, I was ready to use words that would stupefy an entire nunnery for generations to come! o_O
Oh I must absolutely mention the Electric Cage matches -.-
In a level, there will be a barrier that changes positions. Think of "capture the zone" type of gameplay. You have to fight in this barrier. If you stay outside the barrier for too long, health depletes. Now the challenge is trying to race to the next location, and often the AI would cheap shot me by freezing my vehicle (a special move that can be done) in place.
At the end of it all, I will say that this game made me work for that victory, lol! I personally appreciate that, but I also understand some gamers out there don't want an uphill battle, but in contrast seek mindless, casual fun. Just know that playing the campaign will be a challenge! :3
To conclude, my recommendation on buying this game, especially if you're the casual type, is to wait. I don't confidently think it's worth a $60 experience. BUT I will say I'm so happy I pre-ordered this, because Amazon had an offer to upgrade to the Limited Edition version, which came with a Redeem code that gives you a downloadable version of the PS2's Twisted Metal Black for free! I loved Black, so that was quite a bonus! The more skillful gamers out there will have a lot of fun with this game, but everyone else should know that there will be a struggle. I'd almost say you'll want to have the attitude of, "This is meant to be more challenge than entertainment". Definitely rent or borrow from a friend first, because the only way to know for sure how you'll like it is to play it personally! Other than that, I wish all of you happy gaming, good luck, and thank you so much for taking the time to read my review! :D
P.S. I'm so freaking sorry it's a long review, I was caught up in being informative! D: