Ten years removed from my last experience with the Twisted Metal franchise (then only on Twisted Metal 2), I inserted Twisted Metal: Head-On with a sense of anticipation and nostalgia. However, I was thoroughly disappointed to find that the franchise has not matured as I have, and, in many ways, Head-On is almost a replica of the original Twisted Metal games, showing little progression over the span of the series. Not an avid fan of the franchise, I found this incarnation unsatisfactorily similar to the first games, and it seems to me that only a true fan could find Twisted Metal: Head-On entertaining in the least.

Gameplay

Followers of the franchise and neophytes alike will find the gameplay remarkably simple. While I was a little confused by the steering controls at first, it didn’t take long to figure out that the game uses the dual-joystick configuration of a first-person shooter (employing both joysticks, one for controlling the direction of motion and one for controlling the direction of view) rather than the uni-joystick configuration of many racing/vehicle games. Otherwise, there are standard commands for firing, changing weapons, using turbo boosts, and every other action you would expect your harbinger of death to employ in order to incinerate opponents.

The camera takes an overhead view of the user’s vehicle, allowing for a rather expansive view of the landscape, and standard gameplay advances as expected, requiring users to destroy all opponents on a given level in order to advance to the next. Weapon upgrades and other power-ups are placed throughout the combat arenas, and there are also minigames that require users to complete additional objectives distributed throughout the various levels. These minigames are often time-related and emphasize skills that might be useful in the rest of the game.

As usual, players will have a familiar selection of characters from which to choose, including regulars like Outlaw, Mr. Grimm, and Sweet Tooth. Additional characters, some familiar and some new, can also be unlocked through standard gameplay and through various minigames.

Presentation

Both the graphics and the story of Head-On are extremely underdeveloped. At a time when action-oriented shooters are expected to have top-notch graphics, this game appears to have only moderately improved upon the graphics of the original PlayStation games. (To be fair, Head-On was originally released as a PSP game, which is likely the primary reason for the poor graphics.) And while the game apparently continues the story of Twisted Metal 2, I’m not sure there has ever been much plot incorporated into the games. What plot there is, though, follows the typical premise of Calypso hosting a vehicular demolition tournament and granting the winner one wish (usually with unintended consequences).

While the graphics and story are sub-par, the PS2 version of the game (dubbed the “Extra Twisted Edition”) includes many extras that make the package more attractive than it would be without them. (Even with these extras, though, the game still isn’t any more entertaining than most other games.) Features such as an RPG-style level wherein users operate on foot as Sweet Tooth to learn more about the series, a video documenting the history of the franchise, and several ending movies made for (but not used in) the original game will appeal particularly to avid fans of the series.

In addition, the package effectively contains two games, Head-On and Twisted Metal: Lost, which is essentially a separate game composed of content created for the sequel to Twisted Metal: Black. Tentatively titled Twisted Metal: Black: Harbor City, the game’s production stopped and the project was cancelled after six members of the development team died in a plane crash. Lost, however, allows users to experience the unfinished game, although this version is understandably not as cohesive as the final product would have been.

Value

On the surface, this game does not appear to have much value. Head-On was released on PSP nearly three years prior to its appearance on PS2, rendering the primary content outdated and even obsolete before the game ever appeared. However, the game does not claim to be original and is primarily directed at fans of the series. As such, true fans will likely be interested in the package and some may even be downright overjoyed.

In addition to providing what has come to be expected of a Twisted Metal release (some comic book-esque animation, dark humor, cars with guns and, most importantly, lots of destruction), the Extra Twisted Edition offers enough additional content to keep fans excited until the next game in the series is released. Along with the aforementioned special features, the game includes multiple battle formats to supplement the traditional story mode, and two-player battle and cooperative modes are included as well

While the series doesn’t make any progressive strides with this incarnation and I can’t imagine anyone dedicating a substantial amount of time to the game, it serves as an appropriate placeholder to keep fans satisfied, especially in light of the cancelled production of the sequel to Black.

Fun Factor

This installment of the series is no more or less fun than any other game in the series, as it provides all the features associated with the franchise. Those who have played Head-On on the PSP will know exactly what to expect from the primary content. And although Lost also only provides a standard Twisted Metal experience, users may find it more fun simply because the content is new and has a back-story. While gameplay is not affected, Lost is an unfinished product, though, and, therefore, can’t deliver a completely satisfying gaming experience.

For those who haven’t followed the series over the years, the game is disappointing. Within the first few minutes of play, I got the feeling that the game is essentially the same as all other Twisted Metal games, and, moreover, that each level of this incarnation is the same as the one preceding it. I suppose that’s the way the series has always been, but this game seems particularly unoriginal compared to other contemporary games. There is simply no differentiation within the game. Each level might as well be the same, each character/vehicle might as well be the same, and each opponent might as well be the same. Yes, there are minor variations among these aspects, but the game proceeds not so much through skill or strategy as it does simply through sheer dedication of will and time. The game is just so simple that it isn’t challenging, and, as such, it doesn’t provide an entertaining or enjoyable gaming experience. Moreover, it certainly doesn’t warrant much, if any, of the average user’s time.

Overall

Another standard installment in the Twisted Metal series, Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition delivers exactly what is expected of the franchise, namely weapon-laden vehicles and ample carnage. Essentially an expanded version of a three-year-old PSP game, though, the game is outdated and unoriginal. While the additional features may interest avid fans of the series, the game is thoroughly disappointing for the average user. It is evident that the game was only released to satisfy fans until a new game can be developed. As such, Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition lacks even a semblance of creativity and certainly cannot compete among the broad selection of contemporary action games, most of which deliver a more exciting, more entertaining, and more enjoyable experience.