Twisted Metal: Head On — Extra Twisted Edition
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 2
Rated: T — Teen
Game type: Driving/Action
Rating: *** 1/2 (out of five)
What’s the premise?
The car-driving carnage is back as you take control of one of a pile of tricked-out, heavily armoured and massively gun-laden vehicles and attempt to waste anyone else you see wheeling around in the same.
This game is most similar to…?
Since Twisted Metal: Head On — Extra Twisted Edition is a port of a PSP game and a continuation of Twisted Metal: Black, we’ll go with those.
Is it suitable for younger gamers?
I still have the occasional nightmare featuring Twisted Metal’s resident evil clown-faced ice cream man, Sweet Tooth, and I’m not looking to pass those on to my kids any time soon.
One player or more?
Twisted Metal is one of the all-time greatest two-player games and this version offers much the same.
What’s missing?
Better graphics. As fun as it is to be amid all that hot wheels action, the visuals don’t look that great, even for the nearly eight-year-old PS2 — let alone compared to the PS3 or Xbox 360.
The (not-so) secret to success is…?
Choose wisely. There is a wide and varied selection of vehicles — from a cyclone causing Indy car to a lightning-bolt-wielding police car — so don’t be afraid to try them all before perfecting play with your favourite one.
And in the end?
Twisted Metal: Head On — Extra Twisted Edition is an enjoyable blast from the past and one can only hope it’s only there to whet our appetites for a PlayStation 3 version before long.
WipEout Pulse
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms: PSP
Rated: E10+ — Everyone 10 and up
Game type: Racing
Rating: **** (out of five)
What’s the premise?
If you think things are intense when you’re controlling a car whipping around an oval at 210 m.p.h., you’ll find out what it truly is to live on the edge when you tip past 500 m.p.h. in WipEout Pulse — the latest installment in this futuristic racing challenge.
This game is most similar to…?
WipEout Pure for PSP.
Is it suitable for younger gamers?
This game is tough with a capital T, so they might want to steer clear unless they’d like to be called Little Jimmy Dead-Last or Silly Suzy Crashed-And-Burned.
One player or more?
Hit the Wi-Fi and boogity, boogity, boogity.
What’s missing?
There’re only 12 tracks and eight different vehicles to choose from. A few more would’ve made this really good game legen— wait for it —dary.
The (not-so) secret to success is…?
Just assume you’re either going to finish last or explode the first few times you try a new track and you won’t be disappointed when it happens. Don’t worry though, once you get used to the course layout you’ll rise up those rankings before long.
And in the end?
If you’re ready for a real racing challenge, then WipEout Pulse delivers.
Jonathan P. Kuehlein/Metro Toronto
