Carmageddon – Max Damage Review

There have been some wonderful examples of how a Kickstarter project can work really well on today’s consoles, and reinventing a once loved game “ back in the day “ on the PS2 for current gen all seems like a great idea.

Sadly, the new reboot of Carmageddon is not one of those examples. I say sadly, though, but to be honest I’m happy it isn’t great as it shows how times and gaming have moved on from the 90’s, and how the way forward isn’t to look back.

The basic premise of the game is you have an event, which is supposed to be a race of sorts, but you can win in a couple of ways by either being first round the track of being the last car standing, or having the most points when the timer runs out. The local’s for the races are set around public areas which means mowing pedestrians down, blowing up barrels, or just generally smashing into things to rack up points and get upgrades. These upgrades are used much the same way as Mario Kart or something similar do things to the other cars to destroy or slow them down. Wreck a collectable car and then it’s added to your garage.

There is a very basic customization option for your garage to upgrade speed, power, weapons and such like which is all standard fare for these days.

The single player game introduces you to the types of games, which as well as circuit racing has point to point capture races and just general destruction and exploration, but encourages you to focus on running people down. You even get more points for mowing down a pedestrian “pleading for mercy”. This then extends to the multiplayer side of the game, however, I couldn’t find a multiplayer game to play on, most probably because like me, anyone else who’s had the misfortune to buy this game won’t bother.

The reasons are many. To start with Carmageddon’s graphics are so poor they felt like they were actually hurting my eyes. Please remind me we have moved on nearly twenty years, but if my eyes don’t deceive me it still looks like a 90’s game? Bland Bland bland detail, environments, lighting, textures, just everything! It’s pathetic.  

The controls are hideous. Cars don’t feel like they have any speed, brakes, or turning capability, as the tyre grips as well as cheese, the suspension seems to enhance every bump, not absorb it.

When you do crash into another car there is very little detail or feeling of bone crushing, metal smashing satisfaction. Effects on other cars are limited to just a bit of smoke coming out then an awful fireball explosion.  

The audio was forgettable to nonexistent. They do have a half-decent soundtrack, but the in-game effects of car engines, car wrecking, big hits, or anything else were of the most incredibly basic almost 8 bit sounding as possible. Nothing had any heart of depth to it at all. It could have been such a plus to have humongous explosions or deep throated muscle car sounds, but sadly it was not to be.

The gameplay is tedious, boring and utterly devoid of fun. AI borders on frustrating. The only positive I can squeeze from this is at least it works, which is the only positive I can garner from this dung heap of a game.

Carmageddon Max Damage was played on the PS4 it is also availible on Xbox One

Review Code Supplied by Stainless Games