Jaffe Suggests Rental for Those Interested in Single Player Only

By Travis Redding, Staff Writer

For those of us old enough to remember the car combat genre in its heyday, there are likely few of us who have any reservations about what we will be getting into when David Jaffe’s new Twisted Metal game releases this Valentine’s Day.

That being said, it’s been quite some time since Axel, Mr. Grimm, and Sweet Tooth ruled grimy futuristic landscapes laying waste to friends and foes alike. Other than an Incognito Entertainment-developed PSP entry in 2005 and an online update to Twisted Metal Black in 2002, car combat has been all but forgotten.

For those of you young enough to not have played any of the original titles, there is a possibility that you may not be aware of the type of experience you will be getting.


Now Jaffe has always been very outgoing in communicating with his fanbase, both on his blog and his Twitter account. Recently it was noticed that he made a tweet in which he appears to be clarifying what kind of experience gamers can expect for those who may not have the full impression of what kind of game Twisted Metal is going to be, possibly putting off a certain segment of gamers in the process.

Twisted Metal does indeed have a 1-player and split screen co-op campaign! BUT to keep expectations in check, know this: the bosses are super cool, I think the stories/cutscenes/game fiction is really very cool, and the campaign is more varied than any other TM we’ve ever made BUT if you go in expecting a campaign the likes of BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, SKYRIM, GEARS OF WAR, KILLZONE 3, etc...you will be sorely disappointed.

Jaffe

On first read, the implication is that players should not expect an epic single player campaign. He goes on to say, “The game...is well worth the asking price BUT that’s for folks who love the MP...If you are buying the new TM ONLY or MOSTLY for the campaign, might I suggest a rental?”

I don’t know how many gamers out there are expecting a single-player experience approaching the depth of Skyrim; the car combat genre has always been at its strongest when playing with friends as opposed to AI bots. However, the game designer states pretty clearly that he wants to “set expectations and be super clear” that while the single-player component is the biggest they’ve ever done, the “heart and soul” of the game is in the multi-player experience.

Naturally, this caused a bit of fervor as various news sites picked up on this attempted clarification, surmising that downplaying a large section of your new blockbuster may not be the best marketing strategy.

Certain bits of his original tweet were posted around the net and, as he is oft to do when he feels that his comments to the press or public may be getting misconstrued or taken out of context, Jaffe made another extensive tweet. This time, basically a retweet of his earlier comment with the added emphasis that those interested in his thoughts on the topic should read his comments in their entirety.

Indeed, he is quick to heap praise on his team members and what they have done with the single-player portion of the game, “...this is the best Twisted Metal game- bar none- we’ve ever done and I am insanely proud of the game and the Utah and Sony Santa Monica teams!”

With the car combat style of game being a bit rusty, everyone is a little unclear on how successful a new Twisted Metal will be in this day and age. Given that uncertainty, it is understandable that the title’s game director would want to be as clear as possible with fans about what they can expect.

As someone who played the heck out of Twisted Metal back in the day, Jaffe’s comments sound pretty accurate given the series’ history.

Without having played the new game it’s impossible to tell of course, but playing with a bunch of friends and enjoying the trash talking and chaos associated with that was the biggest appeal for many gamers who enjoyed this genre. If you don’t plan to play with friends and have no interest in taking the game online, you might want to take his words to heart, as a free copy of Twisted Metal Black may not even be incentive enough for a purchase in that case.

Speak up in the comments. Do you have any idea what car combat is? Are there any of you out there that never played Twisted Metal, Vigilante 8, or Carmegeddon but are anxious to give it a try? How about those of you who have fond memories, are you revving your engine in excitement at the thought of reliving those vehicular antics?

Via PlayStationLifeStyle