Latest Updates

Yu-Gi has just liked Spider-Man: No Way Home Title Officially Revealed for Spider-Man 3
Yu-Gi has just liked BioWare Shuts Down Anthem Reboot, Studio to Focus on Dragon Age and Mass Effect
Yu-Gi has just liked Spider-Man: No Way Home Title Officially Revealed for Spider-Man 3
Yu-Gi has just liked Bloodborne Producer Leaves SIE Japan Studio
Yu-Gi just commented on Henry Cavill is Teasing His Next Project, Which is Likely Mass Effect
Yu-Gi has just liked Henry Cavill is Teasing His Next Project, Which is Likely Mass Effect
Yu-Gi has just liked Bloodborne Producer Leaves SIE Japan Studio
Bob the Third has just posted to What is the last TV show you watched?
DEATHGIGAS has just posted to Upcoming Movies
Llama_Duck has just liked Henry Cavill is Teasing His Next Project, Which is Likely Mass Effect

Who's Online

Guests: 49, Members: 6
Devon Lello
H1bcd
WAGGS
HaseoVII
AWXMEM122488
TOX1C_12


Please sign in to add comments
Fishtoes
25 February at 17:21
Afternoon All, Yep we are Excited About SOP @tea, Hopefully also somemore info about project athia
Tea
25 February at 12:07
yeah - i think its more them not knowing if there's enough local interest to be honest
SmellsLikeCarrots
25 February at 11:58
@Tea Thanks!

Don't know why they have to be so coy sometimes, they just need to say yes or no. So those of us who want to organise our own imports can do so.

At least I'll be able to get Atelier 2 and Judgement if they decide not to stock the game.
Tea
25 February at 11:17
That would be cool too! I have this urge to replay the trilogy every now and then, but my pile of shame prevents me
TheOneMCMK
25 February at 11:12
Want to see if there will be a new Bioshock that's been spoken about for years now
Tea
25 February at 11:10
Sheesh the illusive Elden Rings!

I would love Legend of dragoon remake in the same vein as FFVII Remake.

oh that's another thing i have seen rumored, for tonight FFVII Remake Zack's story!
Llama_Duck
25 February at 11:06
YES! HZD2 and GOW
Elder Rings would be nice!
I know some PC Ports are on the way but more new things would be nice. Wish some old IP"s could come back to life. I would pay for new Parasite Eve and Legend of Dragoon... but alas...
Tea
25 February at 11:03
@Llama - I want to see more GOW - A release date on Horizon Zero Dawn 2 and as always, new IPS - Love new game announcements
Llama_Duck
25 February at 11:01
Morning
@Tea

YES! Really looking forward to the State of Play. Thinking of getting some Bloodborne Co-Op done to help some new players while we wait for the Show....

Any wishes for the new State of Play for you?
Tea
25 February at 9:36
Morning everyone - Dont forget theres a PlayStation State of play tonight! Hoping for some exciting stuff
View all posts »

Cart Contents

Item: Price: Qty:
Total: R 0.00

View Cart
Checkout

Message Content


View All Messages


New Message
Outbox

User Content

Login / Register

Latest Poll

Which social media platforms do you primarily use? [Multiple choices allowed]

This poll is restricted to members only

  • Home (current)
  • Retail
  • Brands
  • Forum
  • Events
  • Contact us
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Tech
  • About Us

Review

Review: Destruction AllStars

The fast and the forgettable.

by Sam Aberdeen on 11 February, 2021

    3  

     

Destruction AllStars acts as a reminder that vehicular-based combat titles are in incredibly short supply in the gaming world. While developer Lucid Games' latest colourful title fills that void for a few hours of pure mayhem and carnage, it leaves a lot to be desired for the classic days of Twisted Metal, Destruction Derby and bolder entries in the sub-genre. Destruction AllStars is fun while it lasts, with colourful characters and engaging combat, but it's impact is diluted by a severe lack of content and bizarre paid DLC add-ons.



Destruction AllStars follows a pretty simple premise: several players are thrown into a brightly lit arena and must find vehicles scattered around the environment in order to ram other opponents for points or objectives. There's some variety in the way each mode is presented, but for the most part, your priority will be to ram into others at high speeds in elaborate games of chicken. On paper, the concept is cool and could potentially make for a great breakaway from its battle royale contemporaries flooding the market, but Destruction AllStars undermines some of its more novel ideas way too often.

The arenas themselves, though in short supply, are grandiose and eye-catching...


The best thing about Destruction AllStars is its presentation. Like Overwatch, it's a supremely colourful and vibrant feast for the eyes brimming with creatively designed levels and characters. The latter in particular boasts some endearing oddballs clearly taking a few pages out of Overwatch's design book, complete with various personality quirks exemplified by their striking and memorable designs. The arenas themselves, though in short supply, are grandiose and eye-catching - as one might expect from a title oozing with neon lights and slippery slopes. In that regard, it's not too different to Rocket League's own wonderfully designed stages, but Destruction AllStars does add some great verticality to its mayhem.



There's currently four multiplayer modes at the time of writing: Mayhem, which pits 16 players against each other in a free-for-all skirmish; Carnado, where two teams of eight must acquire gears by ramming opponents and transporting the items into a tornado for points; Gridfall, which is pretty similar to the Hex-A-Gone minigame from Fall Guys in which players have to navigate a gradually collapsing floor; and finally, Stockpile, which tasks players with getting out of their vehicle frequently to stash points at various bank locations.

Unfortunately, the modes aren't nearly as interesting as they sound. Mayhem is obviously the most popular mode as its simply a free-for-all vehicular royal rumble, and this is where Destruction AllStars actually shines the brightest. It brings all the game's best mechanics to the forefront of the experience: find cars, wreck opponents, rinse and repeat. In all modes, you have to think carefully about how you engage in combat, as your car has a "health" meter that, when depleted, forces you to run and find another. Thankfully there's always another vehicle in reach, so you don't spend too much time on foot apart from Stockpile.



You're given a handful of cars and types to choose from, but their strengths and weaknesses aren't really given that much attention. Burly SUVs can tank damage, but it comes at the risk of being quite slow, while sports cars can dash around the arena at high speeds, but are as strong as toilet paper. You have to be selective of the car you choose, but even amidst the chaos of opponents attempting to ram you constantly, there's little time to contemplate your choices. Whichever vehicle is the closest is what you typically have as an option. Some characters may actually run faster or jump higher, but you really just want to be in a car as soon as possible and for as long as possible.

This brings me to one of the most disappointing aspects of Destruction AllStars: its microtransactions.


Mayhem is easily my favourite mode, but Carnado does have an interesting and wholly original take on hording, though you're always at the mercy of your teammates who, with the roll of a dice, may or may not act according to your expectations. Playing by yourself in Mayhem is where you'll squeeze the most fun out of Destruction AllStars, but unfortunately, it's short-lived fun. At present, the game is terribly dry on content. Apart from the aforementioned multiplayer modes, you have single-player content where you can practice against AI bots, or Challenge Series, mini-games centered around specific characters.



This brings me to one of the most disappointing aspects of Destruction AllStars: its microtransactions. There's one Challenge Series pack currently available in the base game, with the rest planned to roll out as paid DLC. Even though this is a "free" game for the time being under PlayStation Plus, the game will eventually be sold again at a premium price. If you're still required to purchase Challenge Series packs even after paying full price for the game, it's a tragic misstep that undercuts the game's good intentions. It also has a fairly limited lifespan with its lack of multiplayer modes, maps, characters, and vehicles, so charging for DLC rollouts may not work in favour of prolonging its lifespan.

Since the focus will primarily be on the multiplayer/online aspect of the title, its single-player content feels like an afterthought that, unfortunately, reminds me of 2015's Star Wars: Battlefront and its notorious PR nightmare. It's a shame because Destruction AllStars does have the potential to leave a lasting legacy in the gaming industry and stand next to Fall Guys, Fortnite and the likes. Quite simply, it's too undercooked with an egregious focus on microtransactions hampering its impact.



Destruction AllStars boasts vibrant characters, an eye-catching presentation, and fairly entertaining gameplay, but the game's lack of content and underutilized ideas are sadly detrimental to its appeal. It may serve as good fun for a weekend with friends, but - despite having most of the right ingredients - doesn't have nearly the staying power it needs to succeed like its mainstream competitors on the market. You're left with a fine but ultimately shallow and short-lived gaming experience that's beautiful to look at and fun to play for a few hours, but ultimately forgettable and hollow under the hood.

5
Colourful, vibrant presentation
Fun characters
Good gameplay
Severely lacking content and variety
Microtransactions
Single-player is an afterthought
Undercooked ideas
5
See our scoring policy here

Sam Aberdeen

Writer. Enthusiast of all things geek. Legend has it he completed Final Fantasy VII without a memory card.

Follow Sam on See more articles by Sam

Please login to post comments.


More Reviews

Review

9

Review: Asus Zephyrus Duo

Asus has jumped to the head of the pack when it comes to innovating in the notebook space. While Razer...

18-02-21 Read more

Review

5

Review: Destruction AllStars

Destruction AllStars acts as a reminder that vehicular-based combat titles are in incredibly short supply...

11-02-21 Read more

Review

9.5

Review: Little Nightmares 2

Little Nightmares 2 aims to deliver more than its predecessor, with challenging puzzles, excellent platforming...

09-02-21 Read more

Review

6.5

Review: Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood

My biggest gripe with Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is just how little the World of Darkness...

08-02-21 Read more

Review

9

Review: The Nioh Collection (PS5)

The Nioh Collection is a bizarre new package that remasters not just the original 2017 title, but also...

08-02-21 Read more

Review

8

Review: The Medium

As the first true “next-gen console-exclusive” for Xbox, The Medium is a much-needed boost for Series...

01-02-21 Read more

Review

9

Review: Hitman 3

IO Interactive have been through a lot since they rebooted the Hitman games in 2016. When they released...

19-01-21 Read more

Review

7.5

Review: Corsair K60 RGB PRO

Corsair’s K60 RGB Pro mechanical keyboard is an interesting proposition for those looking to experience...

13-01-21 Read more

Review

8.5

Review: Corsair Katar Pro Wireless

Mouse reviews are difficult. In general, they are simple devices, meant to enable you to point and click...

07-01-21 Read more

Review

8

Review: DOOM Eternal (Switch)

The highly anticipated sequel to the rebooted DOOM, DOOM Eternal has made its way to the Nintendo Switch...

06-01-21 Read more

Load More

Overview


Add to cart

Developer

Lucid Games

Publisher

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Platform

PS5

Release date

2 February 2021

Latest Reviews

9

Review: Asus Zephyrus Duo

5

Review: Destruction AllStars

9.5

Review: Little Nightmares 2

6.5

Review: Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood

9

Review: The Nioh Collection (PS5)

8

Review: The Medium

Browse All Reviews

What's Next

23
Feb

Persona 5 Strikers [MULTI]

26
Feb

Bravely Default II [SWITCH]

05
Mar

Harvest Moon: One World [SWITCH]

26
Mar

Balan Wonderworld [MULTI]

26
Mar

Monster Hunter Rise

23
Apr

Nier Replicant Remake [MULTI]

Latest Podcasts

Checkpoint Chat: To The Moon

EPISODE 131

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.

Esports Central: Interview with @HashtagChess

EPISODE 99

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.

Dum Dum Die: You can't have him!

EPISODE 173

Oops! Your browser does not support this audio.
Browse All Podcasts
Tweets by NexusHubZA
  • Digital
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Opinion Pieces
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • About Us
  • The Team
  • Our Scoring Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Retail
  • Game
  • Watch
  • Read
  • Collect
  • Wear
© Copyright AWX 2016 | Privacy | Terms & Conditions