Twisted Metal made its debut at last year's E3 convention, and now the game is really starting to break free from the silence. The game's developer, Eat Sleep Play, is finally unveiling some details on the reincarnation of the title on the PS3, and Creative Director David Jaffe has stated that the team has been hard at work on the project. He claims that the game, while still in its early pre-release stages, stays true to the classics and is a fast and ferocious action driving game. The game sports a brand new look with HD graphics yet still retains the chaotic and hyper-violent feel of the originals. Of course, there will be a slew of new features and improvements to the combat system and other game mechanics, but nothing too altering or extreme. Needless to say the new face of Twisted Metal is an even crazier, over-the-top action game than its predecessors.
The goal of the project was to create a “twisted fantasy” where gamers can play by their own rules and wreak havoc upon each other in 16-player online matches. Like before, the physics and driving model are “deliciously exaggerated” which should make for some truly awesome matches. Along with some new weapons and abilities, Twisted Metal will feature a few new vehicle types that will aid players on the battlefield. This includes a helicopter, big rig, motorcycle, and tow truck. Each of these new vehicles has a set purpose, so for example the helicopter can lift players up via winch and the tow truck can drop health kits. These new implementations will help to mix up the action during matches and keep things interesting. It's likely, however, that the matches in Twisted Metal will be anything but dull, so the addition of a few new support vehicles makes the experience even better.
A lot has been unearthed regarding the multiplayer component of Twisted Metal, but there hasn't been a whole lot of talk about the game's single-player tournament mode. Most of the details are under wraps, but Jaffe did spill a little bit of info during a recent interview. Solo players entering the tournament will have only one life, but will be able to store up to two or three vehicles in each level. If players take too much damage during matches, they have the luxury of returning to their garage and hopping in another vehicle—if they can make it there safely anyway. One could argue that this is basically the same thing as having multiple lives, but it adds an element of survival and encourages players to use their vehicles wisely. It also forces combatants to use smarter tactics and will reduce the amount of kamikaze attacks. One thing is for sure, there will still be plenty of carnage to go around, and it's likely that the game will feature a killer soundtrack as well.
David Jaffe has stated that he has two goals for Twisted Metal, with one being to recreate the dark violent world for new players and old fans to fall in love with. The title aims to be a great “pick-up-and-play” game but, at the same time, one that has a lot of depth and character as well. There hasn't been any solid evidence that the game will support any form of user-generated content, but the new Twisted Metal is sure to create a big following and build a community of its own for years to come. The game will be released this October and should prove to be one of the PS3's very best exclusives.