Twisted Metal 4

Twisted Metal 4 brings another round of vehicle combat for a wish granted by Calypso, this time with an emphasis on a faster pace and clearer arenas. Besides the classic cars, unusual vehicles such as a tank or a hydraulics-equipped truck also return, and a new playable villain joins the roster: Twister, a tornado on wheels, who changes the rules of victory in the story mode and forces players to rethink their usual ranged-combat tactics.

Development was again led by 989 Studios, and compared to the third game it tried to speed up the controls and rein in the worst physics quirks, although the series still carried a reputation for being technically uneven compared to what the departed SingleTrac team had previously offered. Split-screen two-player multiplayer remains the main selling point for home entertainment; the arenas are smaller and more enclosed than before, which gives the fights a more intense pace and less room to flee from enraged opponents. The story mode this time offers several different endings depending on the chosen vehicle, a new element for the series, and the vehicle roster was again partly refreshed compared to the previous entry, with newcomers as well as returning favorites from the first two games. Besides the classic tournament, the game also offers free-for-all battles without story context, where players can set their own rules, number of lives, and arena selection, extending the game's lifespan even after finishing the main campaign. The visual style remains technically close to the previous entry, but the arena environments are somewhat more varied, and several of them contain interactive elements such as falling building debris or moving platforms that can unexpectedly turn a match in favor of the more attentive player at any moment. The music and weapon sound effects remain noticeably the same as in previous entries, so longtime series players will find their bearings in the controls and atmosphere almost instantly.

Why play it: For players looking for faster and clearer Twisted Metal matches than in the third game, who appreciate a more varied vehicle roster, and who want to try out the multiple character-dependent story endings.