Twisted Metal

GAME OF THE WEEK:18 cert, Sony Computer Entertainment, PS3 ****

If you thought Stephen King’s Pennywise was the scariest clown you’d ever met, you clearly haven’t come across Twisted Metal’s Sweet Tooth. The serial killer is back and on a mission to find the one victim who got away. That’s just one strand of the story; Mr Grimm and Dollface are also trying to change past events. Win the Twisted Metal tournament and Calypso will grant one wish.

The story, however, is a poor second to the real focal point of the game: carnage, chaos and gun-toting clowns. As bizarre as the name suggests, Twisted Metal is the ultimate in vehicle combat games. The aim is survival. If you’re the last one standing, you move forward to the next round.

To help make that a reality, you choose three vehicles to take into the arena. The choice is an important element: each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses. But, more importantly, should your health run low, you can swap the vehicles by driving into the garage. The ones left behind are slowly repaired over time.

And you will definitely need some tricks up your sleeve. Opponents are armed with lethal weapons to destroy everything in their path. The levels are peppered with power-ups to vary your firepower and replenish your health – and that of your opponents. If all else fails, they can always ram your vehicles from all angles.

Level environments vary, from purpose-built arenas to everyday towns. Every so often the game throws in an extra challenge, such as having to stay inside a moving electronic cage. Each brings its own unique challenges and opportunities to take out your opponents. Most buildings can be destroyed by driving through them, meaning surprise attacks are a common occurrence.

Trying to get to grips with the control system is a challenge, but once you do, you won’t want to put this game down. Go online for an even bigger challenge: real- world players can be more ruthless than the AI.

Chaotic, but brilliant.