Reviewed by Joe Rino
Hero shooters have had quite a trend going in the recent years. Running around a wide multiplayer arena and selecting a character with an ability suited to your play style makes the genre more gimmicky and albeit, more fun! But what if we took away the guns and put the heroes on wheels?
That’s what Lucid Games, the developers behind Destruction AllStars, which is exclusively on PS5, decided to do. Does it work? Or is it kind of just Twisted Metal but reskinned with some flashy new characters? Crash on down, and read through my review.
Destruction AllStars Details
- Platform(s): PlayStation 5
- Developer(s): Lucid Games
- Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Genre: Vehicular combat
- Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
- ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Made for Mayhem
Destruction AllStars is an online vehicular hero combat game. Your goal is to crash into other cars and collect the most destruction points by the end of the match. There are no long range attacks or guns here. In this game, you get up close and personal with your fellow scrap metal drivers.
There are 4 different modes to deal destruction within. Mayhem; which pits you against 15 other players in the arena, Gridfall; which pits you against the players and the crumbling arena itself, Stockpile in which you are tasked to collect gears that other players drop, and last but not least, Carnado; where your points are stored after each hit and wreck and you need to drive your vehicle into a massive tornado in the middle of the arena.
These modes are very versatile and offer a different way to cause destruction at every sharp turn. The game's magic though truly lies in Mayhem mode. The battle royale game is not a new genre to any gamer, but the race to the podium is very exhilarating and each hero was clearly made for this mode primarily. The other 3 game modes are well made and all, but lulls in matchmaking occasionally plagues a good time. Mayhem almost always has players in its playlist. After a recent update experimenting with a new competitive mode called Blitz, adding in bot players, and now a Quick Play playlist the game seems to be matchmaking a bit better.
Heroics and Air-robics
Each hero has a unique skill set that players must master. The game is not all played within the vehicle either. Characters are free to run around the arena. Some heroes are more built for arena hopping while others operate best staying within their cars. At the time of this review, character balancing is a little off the mark. Some characters like Blue Fang for instance are far too easy to win with while others like Ultimo are way more difficult to achieve success with.
After spending over 50 hours with the game it’s pretty clear that in most matches of Mayhem mode the same characters seem to win consistently. The balancing has gotten better since launch and can only continue to do so as developers buff and nerf characters with updates. There’s also a new hero coming to the game in the next big update. Multiplayer games like this rely on balancing and that’s clearly a priority to Lucid Games.
Movement in the game is very fluid and each character starts the battle in a unique way. Collecting shards on foot levels up your breaker which is your character's special abilities. The on foot breaker depends on what class your hero is. While it’s not specifically stated in the game, the usual suspects are here. Tank characters, offensive, defensive, etc. The on foot breakers are rarely useful but the in vehicle ones are the key to the game.
Breaking It Down
Each hero comes with a unique car and unique breaker ability, which recharge after each use. Cars are temporary though as getting wrecked is the main game mechanic. Traversing in the arena on foot can be dangerous, so it’s best to collect shards and find a new car as quickly as possible. The game never loses a sense of its pace in Mayhem mode. This isn’t a breakdown article, so I won’t go into detail on every car, but I will say that every character is very unique. Depending on your play style, I can confidently say that there is probably a hero here for you.
A Story Worth Paying Attention To?
While the game was free with PlayStation Plus, the story mode wasn’t. If you want to play story mode and unlock more skins and cosmetics for each character, you’ll have to get your wallet out or slowly earn the destruction points to unlock them. The recently added AllStar Pass does accelerate this process, but again it costs real money.
This is sad as the characters do have some great stories behind them, but being locked behind a paywall could seem disappointing to some players at first glance. The missions inside story mode are great fun, including a Crazi Taxi like mode where you need to pick up NPC’s and drop them off quickly around the arena.
It makes sense for this to be optional because if you are playing the game for multiplayer, you may not care about the story. Why pay for everything if you’re only looking for one mode. The game’s entry price is very reasonable after the recent price drop.
Skinning the Surface
Thankfully, the game is no longer a full price title! It runs a reasonable $29.99 CAD price point. But the cash spending doesn't have to stop there. Each hero can be customized with podium emotes, catch phrases, skins, and more. These cost destruction points. You can buy these but you can also earn them in game... that being said, purely earning them takes a very long time.
The problem with this though is that the skins aren’t really all that worth it. Most of the skins at launch were mainly a colour-switch change. The last update released a few very unique skins though and if the most recent skins are a showcase of what’s to come, then there will be more highly sought after skins in the future!
DualSensing and Dodging
Some people have asked why this has to be a PlayStation 5 exclusive. I’ll tell you why. The controller. One of the things that makes playing on PlayStation 5 feel truly next generation is the DualSense controller. When used appropriately, it amplifies immersion in the game to level eleven. It’s very clear that Lucid Games wanted to give players a magical experience while thrashing and crashing about the London Thunderground. As you get into the car, the controller rumbles around like your character is getting comfortable in the driver's seat.
During ignition, R2 becomes more stiff to the press, creating a jolting feeling for the player. Finally, with each crash the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback respond, depending on what is damaged. Missing a wheel? It’s gonna be a bumpy ride. Car door smashed in, you’ll feel a little squished during your button presses. This is the best way I can describe it. It’s supreme work by the developers, and this game cannot be played without the DualSense controller. I tried it on PS Remote play with a different controller and it really wasn’t the same at all. The game felt a little hollow which made me wonder if the game will ever make it to other platforms.
Destruction AllStars final thoughts
It’s no secret that I love this game a lot. I play it every Monday on stream and I am looking forward to the competitive mode launching soon. That being said, it’s impossible to ignore the game's flaws. Matchmaking can be frustrating for some playlists, and one other frustrating point is the inability to play the regular Mayhem mode with friends.
It makes sense that a free for all would be a free for all... but it’s tough to see who each player is with the fast pace, that if my friend and I wanted to form an allegiance it would be impossible to do so! The main Mayhem mode is extremely enjoyable, and the new skins recently added give the game some added flare. The gameplay is very smooth and unique. If you’re a fan of vehicular combat games and want a really good showcase of the DualSense controller, this game is for you. I hope to see you in the arena soon! I’ll be targeting you with Angelo’s Number One breaker ability.
Pros
- Fast Paced Vehicular Combat
- DualSense Adaptive triggers are magical
- Unique gameplay and characters
Cons
- Currency warning can be a bit of a grind
- Matchmaking challenges in some playlists
- Playing with friends is currently only available in Team based modes
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