Scrap Metal review

Remember back in the late 90's when top down racers where all the rage? Micro Machines perfected the art of multiplayer carnage on the PlayStation and Mashed delievered it in spades on the PS2.

Today we're focussing on the second week of 'House Party' month, where 'Scrap Metal' from developers Slick entertainment could possibly see the next spiritual home to our classic friends.

Gameplay

Firstly, this is a top down zoomed out perspective of racer where the goal is to beat your competitors in a variety of match types. Whether these be standard races (first person past the finish wins), Elimination races (lap knock out, last place gets blown up), destruction derby, 1 v 1 cage match (destroy the competitor and claim their car as a reward) etc. they all roughly feature the same game play style.

There are 2 control methods, one standard right trigger accelerate, left for brake and the direction is altered by the left analogue stick, or the default control scheme where everything is mapped to the left stick and as the track bends, a slow precise scroll of the left thumb is all that is necessary to control your car.

Sounds great in theory this default control scheme, and for the start of the game it is indeed the preferred method of taming and reining in your beast of a machine, however as the levels progress and the difficulty gets turned up to 11 very brutally, you're left spinning in the wake of the oppostition crashing and banging into every piece of scrap metal, dust bin, low wall and fence posts and venting your frustration by hurling your pad in the rough direction of your television.

The difficulty curve for me, was far too steep. As a seasoned pro and racing veteran, I was left raging at the fact the 3rd (sometimes even the second) level of a track would rob me of a winning position allowing me to progress to the next level every single time. I personally feel an option to set AI difficulty down a notch would've been very beneficial. This isn't Trials HD we're talking about here, afterall this is/was supposed to be easy accessible online multiplayer fun.

As you progress through the game, racing on a certain track for a specific amount of time opens up your next venue. Each venue compromises a host of different race types including the above I listed earlier and end the track listing with a boss battle. Finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd (which you have to do anyway to progress to the next level and is a lot harder than it sounds) unlocks modifying points which you can use to upgrade your vehicle in the garage section.

In your garage, you have the ability to boost up your defences, attack (by means of a fixed weapon specific to each different vehicle ranging from machine guns, flame throwers to circular saws) speed boosts and improved handling but these modifications really don't feel all that beneficial once in the game. Especially when it appears everytime you fill your nitro bar (either on track via a pick up or via the garage prior to racing) and use it, all the cars around you appear to boost along with you defeating the purpose.

All in all, it's a fairly decent game to play with, but they seriously need to tone down the difficulty as it errodes the fun of the game and leaves me absolutely furious once I've finished playing it for the day.

Graphics

The look of the game is pretty darn sweet. Colours, map designs are nothing special but are pin sharp and detailed so that doesn't matter. Track designs and layouts differ sufficiently to stop them feeling completely samey and car models are decent too.

Presentation in the garage segment is nicely done as well, as are the comprehensive menu's prior to loading the game. But the whole character appearing on the bottom of the screen with a subtitled message and that done to death 'radio interference' sound thing where it normally says something on the lines of "you'll regret that" if you hit someone is a bit too cheesy when comparing it to the presentation of the rest of the game.

Sound

That bloody menu music sounds pretty good first time, but on a 30 minute playthrough where you're constantly crashing on the last lap, being blown up in a 1 v 1 when they're on a miniscule bit of health and your bar is almost full and to then hear the same tune on loop drives you absolutely nuts.

Car engines sound like car engines should, and in general the rest of the sound score is pretty much okay (except for the forementioned cheesy line thing in game accompanying sound), nothing special or stunning to report really.

Multiplayer

In the single player game, there can be as many as 8 cars out on the track which makes those moments when you flame thrower a car then t-bone another at an intersection to then watch your competitors plough into them great fun and truly entertaining, which is why when I found out the multiplayer online was limited to just 4 people I felt an opportunity was missed.

Multiplayer is decent with a mixture of modes from the single player games and whilst the game doesn't live up to the Mashed/Micro Machines link I made in the opening lines, it's still a fair game to play and burn a few minutes on prior to a gaming session or the like. It won't hold your attention like other more casual multiplayer games on the Arcade (such as Worms 2 or Battlefield 1943) but it's a fun time waster while you're waiting for friends to come online.

Summary

This is a tough one as this was by far and a way my most anticipated launch of the House Party month. Sadly, I'm left disappointed and disheartened due to many things as mentioned like the AI being punishingly difficult, the upgrades and the multiplayer being the biggest selling point also having been compromised by limiting the number of players.

There's some sweet moments in there though, and don't let the niggles put you off. I have to admit the 1200 points price tag seems a little over the top when comparing titles such as Trials HD which are pretty darn cool and also faultless. There's also an option for 3D play with the game, this wasn't tested by myself however due to not having the correct equipment to test it with. But it's a nice touch and a notable one, as is the inclusion of avatar rewards including an awesome RC car for completing the single player.

So all in all, should you get it? I don't want to have to tell you that, test the trial out on Live and see for yourself what you make of it. It's a good game bit it could and should have been a great one.