I have always liked racing games, although I have a very special predilection for those that allow us wreck cars. I can’t help it. Whether it’s shooting in Vigilante 8, ramming in Destruction Derby or hurling like hell in Carmageddon, even with passers-by … I guess the biggest reason for that attraction is the forbidden that results in the real world.
Hence the simple act of mixing up the recent Wreckfest, my destruction derby favorite today, with the iconic and controversial Carmageddon, be a most explosive cocktail for those of us who love combat cars in its many variants. And of course I couldn’t miss this event from season 13.
Carmageddon sneaks into Wreckfest (with censorship)
From the outset, what is most striking is that Bugbear has fully respected the aesthetics of the 1997 classic, which contrasts with the current appearance of Wreckfest. While racing cars do opt for the look from now on, the simple idea of getting back on track Bleak City is a great shot of nostalgia impossible to resist.
There are all its streets and of course the stadium, although certain aspects have had to be slightly modified for the route of the main circuit. The good thing is that this event does not focus solely on the races (far from the typical ones of arriving before anyone else), by offering variants such as free roam (with total freedom of exploration) or demolition stage. And it is a hoot.
It does not remain on the surface, in short, changing the aesthetics to take advantage of the pull of nostalgia, but rather offers what a Carmageddon event should have in a more current game, with a superior physics and damage game.
And it is that no matter how much affection we can profess to the 1997 classic, it was a bit tough as far as control is concerned. A good part of its grace lay in the destruction of the rest of the vehicles and especially the fact of being able to run over people (or cows) without any scruples. Now, Bugbear has opted for one of the types of censorship that was once seen, replacing the humans for zombies and red blood for one of green color. Very Nintendo 64, wow.
In relation to the control, now the cars will not look like paper, so they won’t fly away at the slightest chance. Preserves the consistency of Wreckfest, having in our hands (of course) regulate the level of damage to vehicles.
Being essentially like a modThere are other details that have not been replicated, such as the absence of the dynamic Max Damage avatar in the upper left corner, but it is understandable that it does not minimize the overall positive impact of the event.
Two mythical circuits with destructive potential
I don’t know how many games I’ve played, but I’ve had a great time in all of them. Even in the longest of all, almost half an hour long, being the last one standing. With each lap I made, the one in the queue was automatically eliminated, until only I was left alive of the 24 participants.
It is very appreciated that this event has a variety of modes for these only two tracks that any Carmageddon fan will recognize perfectly. In free mode we are required to contact the rival every so often “inactivity” to avoid declassification, working better in the rest of the modes by not having that type of pressure: crazy racing with destruction.
It is true that the zombies could have more prominence and not be a mere decorative element for practical purposes, as they do not receive any kind of extra for running them over, but on a visual level there will be a good cast of characters to run over, from old women-zombie to cows and rugby players, of course.
I loved remembering all those falls into the Devil’s Canyon moat, where the biggest brawls of the entire saga are formed, as well as trying your luck in the destruction stadium of Bleak City by teaming up with the AI. I just wish there are more free events of this caliber and that the legacy of Carmageddon or any game of the style, such as Twisted metal… I wish.