Sometimes it makes sense to run toward the nearest replacement car, and other times it’s more advantageous to pick up some of the collectable gems that are scattered on various platforms. On foot, you’re a potential target for anyone, but you’re fairly speedy and have access to some basic parkour techniques like wall running. You can also leap out at the last second to avoid a potential wreck, or if you just feel like it. There’s just the right amount of suction that makes it easy to leap from one car into the seat of another and continue on your destructive way. When my car was clearly on its last legs – a sensation that’s wonderfully reinforced with the DualSense’s adaptive triggers tugging away at the gas and brakes – I beelined toward one of the myriad driverless cars hovering on platforms above the arena floor. The important thing is how great it feels, and the amount of flexibility it provides once you get the hang of it. Don’t ask how characters are able to so easily bound into the air. Rather than be stuck in the corner somewhere in a smoldering soon-to-be wreck, you can fling yourself from your car whenever you want. That’s where Destruction AllStars is at its best. It feels crunchy and satisfying.Ĭars accrue a lot of damage over the course of the matches that’s kind of the point, after all.
![destruction allstars destruction allstars](https://media.vandal.net/i/1200x630/86509/destruction-allstars-202010212101688_1.jpg)
Even though my overall enthusiasm dimmed somewhat over time, I never stopped tensing up in anticipation of a big crash against an unaware enemy vehicle.
![destruction allstars destruction allstars](https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/destruction-allstars-lupita.jpg)
Similarly, a quick left or right will enable you to either juke away from opponents or sideswipe them, depending on what’s happening at the moment. Flicking up on the analog stick engages a speed boost, which lets you escape from harm’s way – or smash into another car or hapless on-foot character. Fortunately, they’re at least conceptually easy to deal with. Of course, other players aren’t keen on indulging this Sunday-drive mentality. I found the simple act of cruising around genuinely satisfying, building up enough speed to ease onto the banked walls that enclose arenas or performing powerslides to drift dangerously close to pillars, walls, and other obstacles. It makes the first moments a weird kind of mind game, as players either try to grab an unclaimed car or – troublemakers unite – they veer toward one that is in the process of getting claimed for the risky opportunity to score a quick K.O.ĭriving feels fantastic, with the precision handling that you’d find in a top-tier kart racer. It’s a small moment in the game, but I really like this way of getting into the action. A successful takeover gives the victor two options: slide into the driver’s seat, or cause a wreck and find another car.
DESTRUCTION ALLSTARS DRIVER
The second player can leap onto the roof and attempt to yank the other driver out with a button-pressing microgame. Think of it like a high-stakes game of musical chairs if two players go for the same car, it’s first come, first served. There’s a lot of pro-wrestling-style posturing, and the introductions by UFC announcer Bruce Buffer are a perfect fit for the game’s vibe.Įvents start with a mass scramble, as each character sprints to claim one of several available cars on the arena floor. Each of the 16 characters has a bold presence that’s largely conveyed by their wardrobe and cheeky pre-match animations.
![destruction allstars destruction allstars](https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/9LveX/s1/destruction-allstars.jpg)
DESTRUCTION ALLSTARS DRIVERS
Lucid Games wanted to try something unconventional by making the individual drivers the stars of the auto show. The whiplash-inducing crashes and unique character abilities are initially satisfying, but only the most dedicated rubberneckers will find a reason to stick around. It’s a neat twist that emphasizes the disposable nature of everything that’s happening – including the over-the-top drivers themselves. The PlayStation 5 exclusive feels like a throwback to games like Destruction Derby, but it breaks ranks from its other car-combat cousins by letting players run around on foot after their car is destroyed. Destruction AllStars targets the dumbest part of our human brains with a simple proposition: Do you want to drive a car around and smash stuff? As a matter of fact, I do.