Even though it’s released side by side with Twisted Metal Black, Motor Mayhem still holds its own pretty well.
With the mighty Twisted Metal Black available to consumers, is it a wise move to release a similar game so close together? I would say the obvious in a big NO, but Motor Mayhem surprised me with it’s slick graphical engine, solid game play, and involving depth and appeal. One thing that makes Motor Mayhem stand out is the fact it’s more of a futuristic sport, than a plain old kill and destroy storyline. Truly, if you even already own TMB, you shouldn’t let this gem pass you by. While it’s not perfect by any means, it provides a great time to be had by all.
Graphically Motor Mayhem has a very nice engine, especially for a game that was built from the ground up by an unknown company. Set in various locations, the tracks are very detailed with plenty of animated features in the background. Each vehicle is very different, and remarkably detailed as well. The game is not only fast, but supports a very smooth frame rate than only dips on rare occasions. The weapon effects and damage is also a site to behold, giving even more sharper looking effects than TMB. This is mostly due to the game’s dynamic lighting, which impressed me more than it’s popular cousin. Overall the game looks sweet and is only one of the games impressive highlights.
Audio is also extremely well done, giving a TV like atmosphere with crowds cheering, etc. When the game first booted up, I was reminded of the classic arcade game Smash TV. Sound effects are also a big plus, with solid weapon sounds including, machine guns, whining missiles, and exploding mines. The only thing missing here is play by play or color commentary. Very high quality audio indeed.
The games controls are so similar to TBM’s it’s scary. While the controls are easy to use and tight, the turn radius seems a bit wide. This is the game’s biggest issue, which leads to this reviewer giving the game a B instead of anything higher. This is also where most gamers will find the most faults, which is a shame, as we all know how important game play is. Not that the controls are bad by any means, the turning aspect should have gone through a bit more tweaking.
Motor Mayhem is filled with plenty to do. The events include Championship, Endurance mode, Last Man Standing, Quick Start, and the obvious and addicting 2-player affair. With all there is to do, the game will remain fresh with and without a friend along for the ride.
It looks like with better planning and tighter controls, the TM series may have a fight on their hands. With games like Motor Mayhem, there will always be room for two games of this nature competing. Just think of one being Madden and one being the NFL 2K series, some will like one over the other, but most will play both. You be the real judge. If you’ve smoked your way past Minion and his buddies, by all means try Motor Mayhem. It’s a very good title that deserves your attention.
