Back in Black: Latest 'Twisted Metal' Revives Car Combat

By AARON CURTISS

Aug. 2, 2001 12 AM PT

aaron.curtiss@latimes.com

The original “Twisted Metal” was one of the games that established Sony PlayStation as the coolest thing around. Its frenetic vehicle-based combat and dark sensibility represented a significant departure from video games of the past and helped earn PlayStation its reputation as something more than a kid’s toy.

But a string of sequels watered down the franchise. Each new year seemed to usher in yet another incarnation of the maniacal Sweet Tooth and his heavily armored ice cream truck. The once-daring concept of madmen dueling it out “Road Warrior”-style became almost quaint.

Now, the fifth “Twisted Metal”--this one for Sony PlayStation 2--revives the series and the entire tired genre of car combat games. “Twisted Metal: Black” delivers nerve-racking play in masterfully designed environments and sets it all against a backdrop of insanity, loss and revenge.

At its most basic level, “Twisted Metal: Black” allows players to act out all the rage and frustration that piles up on the commute to and from work. The game begins with players behind the wheel of a souped-up killing machine. The goal is simple: destroy other vehicles before they destroy you.

This being a video game, the designers have concocted all sorts of ghastly ways to knock out other vehicles, including homing rockets, explosive scythes and death-from-above-style missile attacks from orbiting satellites.

Using weaponry effectively is a true challenge, particularly since it must be deployed on the fly. Stopping, even for a second, is a sure way to end up in a flaming vehicle. Even on the easiest levels, “Twisted Metal: Black” sets up a frantic pace that never slows down.

Simple speed, though, does not account for the game’s appeal. Despite its silly premise of lunatics shooting it out at 60 mph, “Twisted Metal: Black” creates an ambience that makes the game seem somehow deeper and more substantial than it really is.

For instance, each of the game’s drivers has a story that unfolds over various contests. The animated sequences that tell the tale are beautifully drawn and truly creepy. Characters range from a cop with issues to a mass-murdering clown to a gal who never grew out of her brooding phase.

The combatants meet in arenas that sprawl for what feels like forever. The graphics and memory capabilities of PS2 allow environments that would have been impossible on the original PlayStation.

The scenery is meticulously detailed. Most of the obstacles and buildings are interactive. Players can drive into or through almost anything they see. The terrain undulates, offering competitive advantages to those who seek and hold the high ground.

Pervading everything is a gloomy darkness. Homes look dilapidated. Downtown seems dismal. Even the drive-in feels sad. Thunderstorms break out here and there with lightning and rain, giving the game an even more dreary appearance.

Once again, “Twisted Metal” shows that a PlayStation is something more than a toy. Future generations of the game--of course, there will be more--will use “Twisted Metal: Black” as the new standard.

It will be tough to beat.

‘Rayman Advance’

Like a sparkly treat, “Rayman Advance” for Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance offers perhaps the nicest-looking side-scrolling adventure ever to grace a hand-held game machine. Taking advantage of Game Boy Advance’s more sophisticated processor and ability to handle graphics, the game takes players on a colorful trip through some imaginative landscapes.

Rayman is software maker Ubi Soft’s mascot in the same way Mario and Sonic serve Nintendo and Sega, respectively. He’s a hero with floating appendages. Feet, but no legs. Hands, but no arms. Head, but no neck. You get the idea.

In any case, “Rayman Advance” is a fanciful adventure in make-believe chemistry and physics. Mr. Dark has stolen the Great Protoon and scattered all the Electoons who used to swirl around the Great Protoon. Rayman’s job is to find all the Electoons, free the imprisoned Great Protoon and restore order to the world.

As a side-scroller, “Rayman Advance” delivers standard jump-and-duck play. But as the game progresses, Rayman gets new powers that considerably liven up the action. For instance, when Rayman learns to throw his fist, players can use it to move objects or knock out enemies from across the screen. Both are useful skills.

Visually, “Rayman Advance” takes advantage of Game Boy Advance’s processor and screen better than any game for the system so far. It looks like a cartoon, or a miniaturized Sony PlayStation game.

That’s no small feat.

Aaron Curtiss is editor of Tech Times.

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The Skinny

“Twisted Metal: Black”

Genre: Vehicle combat

Platform: Sony PlayStation 2

Price: $50 Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

ESRB* rating: Mature

The good: Freaky, creepy game play

The bad: Insanely frantic

Bottom line: Welcome back, Sweet Tooth