Stab it and steer and get ready to shoot down the competition, because Twisted Metal is back ... kind of. Two full years after giving car-combat fans something to cheer about with the re-release of the first two Twisted Metal games on PlayStation Plus, Sony is doing the exact same thing with the two far less popular sequels – Twisted Metal III and Twisted Metal 4. That's cool news, but are either of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Fan, Game Informer and more classic magazines that reviewed these games back when they came out. I sure hope your car insurance is up to date, because you're going to need it in this episode of PlayStation Plus Review Crew!


After glowing reviews and strong sales, you would think that everybody would be excited for the follow-up to Twisted Metal 2. However, the fanbase was, shall we say, cautiously optimistic. Or, to put it another way – they were worried. After SingleTrac had turned the PlayStation launch title into one of the console's earliest hits, a new developer was brought in for Twisted Metal III. This time around, 989 Studios would take over as both the developer and the publisher. That's right, the same 989 that was best-known for sports franchises like NFL GameDay and NBA Shootout. With a spotty track record, many fans braced themselves for the worst. And perhaps that concern was justified, as Twisted Metal III is often regarded as one of the series' low points. But does that line up with what critics were saying at the time?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is a resounding “YES!” However, the game does have its defenders, which we'll get to in a minute, but let's first check in with Electronic Gaming Monthly, which is once again right in the middle of the pack. They gave Twisted Metal III an average score of 5.4 out of 10, down substantially from the 8.25 they gave the second game. Dan explains the discrepancy: “While I'm happy to see the Twisted Metal series finally get an upgrade in graphics, I'm not too happy with the new physics engine. The cars don't handle anywhere near as nice as they did before. I especially hate the way the cars flip around so much – it's an opening for mucho cheapness. The lackluster arenas don't help this score. Decent, but extremely disappointing.” Shawn agreed: “Twisted Metal 3 isn't a bad game, but it's not very good either – certainly not as good as Rogue Trip or Vigilante 8. 989 is using this ‘true physics' thing that ends up causing the game to lose some of its fast, arcade feel. Also, the levels could've been more interesting and larger as well. I wouldn't buy Twisted Metal 3.”

Now, to be fair, this much-maligned sequel did have a number of high-profile defenders in the media. Game Informer, for example, gave the game an 8.25 out of 10 in their 69th issue, while GamePro actually registered the highest score, giving Twisted Metal III a 4.5 out of 5. However, the magazine I want to check in with is Game Fan, who gave the sequel an average of 85%. With a score that high, you might expect praise from the editors, but, well, that's not what happened. Here's how Super Teeter sums up the game: “Ok, enough is enough! Even though I'd pick Rogue Trip over this pap any day of the week, there comes a time when you've played as much car carnage type games as you can possibly stand. Twisted Metal 3, although decent for the genre, is riddled with horrible control, lame characters and tremendously stale locales. Take out the humor that made the first two such a hit and you're left with an empty, smoldering hole. Check please!” He said all that and STILL gave the game an 82%. Game Fan makes no sense.

What makes that Game Fan review even funnier is when you compare it to the magazines that, based on their scores, liked the game significantly less. For example, the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gave Twisted Metal III a score of 2.5, and they didn't even come close to being as harsh as Super Teeter. Same with the 2 out of 5 we saw from PSM. But what about Next Generation, who gave the game their lowest possible score – 1 out of 5? “Twisted Metal made a huge impact when the PlayStation first hit the market, but times (and tastes) have changed. Twisted Metal III offers nothing new. Describing the game reads a lot like shampoo directions: Drive, shoot. Repeat. And playing the game is just as much a chore. At least in the previous versions you could use the structures for a strategic surprise. In Twisted Metal III, there really isn't a place to hide, and no strategy means monotonous gameplay. Rogue Trip and Vigilante 8 obviously saw the glaring problems with the genre and added mission-style elements for variety. There's nothing to Twisted Metal III but the same drive-and-shoot action from level to level, with no payoff to keep your interest.”

You know something is wrong when even the good reviews are negative. With an overall average of 60%, Twisted Metal III is a huge step down from the previous game, which scored an 82%. That said, there were a few magazines that (sort of) recommended it. But even with GamePro's 4.5 out of 5, it's clear that the concerns about 989 taking over were justified.

After both critics and fans were letdown by 989 Studios' first stab at the Twisted Metal series, the hype for the fourth installment was at an all-time low. After all, it came out late in the PlayStation's lifespan, at a time when franchises like Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy were taking up most of the oxygen. The once-novel launch game felt like an ancient memory in 1999, and any momentum the series might have had was blunted by the release of Twisted Metal III. But wouldn't it be cool if 989 listened to the feedback and was able to really knock it out of the park the second time around, like they did time and time again with their popular sports franchises? Everybody loves a comeback story, right? Let's see if the critics can make that happen.

The good news is that Electronic Gaming Monthly actually preferred Twisted Metal 4 to the previous game. Unfortunately, the bad news is that they still didn't like it very much, giving the sequel a 5.9 out of 10, up half-a-point over the 5.4 they gave the third installment. Che was, once again, not impressed: “Yes, Twisted Metal 4 has all the tweaks that we screamed about last year, but for me, it's still the same old game. This series, which goes on its fourth anniversary this year, is becoming seriously stale. Please, introduce something new!” Dean liked it a bit more, even arguing that “Twisted Metal 4 is better than last year's game. They fixed the roll-over problem, as well as other control issues. The environments are bigger and more interactive, as well. You can blow up objects to reveal secret passages and special weapons. Even so, it's no Rogue Trip. Things that hurt it: Create-a-car is too limited, it takes too much to kill enemies and vehicles occasionally get hung up in walls. On top of that, multiplayer is a bit boring at times.”

For what it's worth, Electronic Gaming Monthly's score puts them at the bottom of the scale, with only PSM giving it a lower score – a 2.5 out of 5. Incite liked it a little bit more, giving it a 3 out of 5, while Game Fan went with a 66%. That's nearly twenty points lower than Twisted Metal III, making them one of the only magazines to prefer the third installment. Cerberus sums it up this way: “Will someone give this dead series a rest? I know it sells truckloads, and for some strange reason, people dig it. There's more to this genre than what Twisted Metal offers, though. If you want a real car-battler, grab some Vigilante 8 or go for the real deal with Rogue Trip. 989 really dropped the ball when it picked up where SingleTrac left off. Sub-par graphics, no gameplay enhancements, boring level designs. Hey, everyone, it's Twisted Metal 3.1.” Fury also disliked the game, though makes a comparison you probably won't see coming: “These series never change ... EVER! While the control is tight and some of the weapons are nice at first glance, it's old. All of it. If I wanna torture myself, I'll play Tomb Raider 4.”

While magazines like EGM and Game Fan were down on Twisted Metal, this fourth installment had a number of defenders. For example, the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gave the game a 4 out of 5, the same score we saw GamePro give it in their very first issue of 2000. PSExtreme went a bit higher, going up to 83%, but the magazine we absolutely need to talk about is Game Informer, which gave it a score that's probably going to shock you – 9 out of 10. Here's Reiner, the Raging Gamer, justifying that high score: “Ever the vigilantes, Twisted minions were quick to voice their dissatisfaction towards 989 Studios for the facelift it gave to the Twisted Metal series. If you despise the last game, bury those memories and approach this new title with an open mind. 989 has completely reinvented its formula to closely mimic the play in Twisted 2. Fans of SingleTrac's work will go hog wild over what has been incorporated into this sequel. From its incredible effects to its outrageous explosions, Twisted Metal has never looked so good either. If Twisted 2 is your cup of tea, Twisted 4 is the follow-up you've been waiting for.”

From 50% all the way to 90%, the reviews for Twisted Metal 4 are all over the place. Thanks to magazines like Game Informer and PSExtreme, the average has been pulled up to a solid 71%. That's eleven points higher than the third game and eleven points below Twisted Metal II. I think the critics and fans agree on this one – Twisted Metal 4 is neither the best nor the worst game in the series. It's comfortably in the middle. I guess that's sort of a win for 989 Studios. Maybe?