Wheels of Destruction: World Tour

All in all, Wheels of Destruction is a mostly fine game that doesn't really stand out in the car combat genre. It's also greatly hurt by its controls, which work well for most things, but when simply driving in a particular direction is tough to do in a game where driving is the focus, it's nearly impossible to recommend it right now. If the developers fix the control issues down the line, then it's a maybe; right now, your $10 is better spent downloading Twisted Metal 2 on PSN.

The several power-ups and the five unique classes in World Tour make up for the somewhat repetitive gameplay. But we want dynamic gameplay and awesome features that will keep our adrenaline high. Also, the lack of split-screen is an absolute dealbreaker because Wheels of Destruction could be a great game if a local co-op feature was included. That is not the case however. A cool concept, but a poor execution. Disappointing.

We've seen worse, but we've also seen a lot better. It might be worth the try when you've got too much money on your hands. You won't find anything spectacular here, though.

All-in-all, the game can be a lot of fun, but basic gameplay controls and mechanics stifle its ability to really make a lasting impact on you other than one of untimely-rage quitting and frustration.

I'll give credit to Gelid Games for their first attempt, but I feel with the experience they claim to have under their belt they may have played it too safe. A game of this type needs a dash of originality, a dollop of risk and plenty of online players in its servers. For someone fresh out of the gates I can see getting player numbers up will prove to be very tough for the developer. Releasing after the marketed juggernaut Twisted Metal and a few other online vehicular titles on PSN hasn't helped this game's progress either.

It is nearly impossible not to compare Wheels of Destruction with Twisted Metal. Visually it all looks great, but once you get playing, you're immediately confronted with frustrating controls that will make you want to drive your car into a wall. [May 2012, p.87]

A surefire way to induce nausea. [May 2012, p.107]

I was really looking forward to Wheels of Destruction: World Tour, but with no real story or campaign mode for offline play, and not enough competition to fuel the laggy and limited online modes, this game is in dire need of a complete overhaul. In a world where Twisted Metal exists; this game doesn't stand a chance.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with Wheels of Destruction, it's just distinctly average in almost every way. The controls lack precision and the weapons are limited and unbalanced, but, by contrast, the graphics are fantastic and the net code is the best in its class.

There is nothing that's really bad about Wheels of Destruction. The problem is that nothing is really good, either. It's not a horrible game by any means, just an average and uninspired vehicle combat game.

Varied track design isn't enough to save Wheels of Destruction from a trip to the junkyard.

If you own a PS3, and are looking for the definitive car combat experience, you know where to look. This attempt feels exactly like what it is; a cheap knock-off that defines the phrase, 'you get what you pay for'. I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend this game to anyone looking for a good experience in the genre. It simply isn't fun.

If you are really dying to taste some carnage on wheels, don't be shy and buy Twisted Metal. Wheels of Destruction is so low budget it hurts. [July 2012, p.85]

While on paper that might sound like a good idea, in practice not so much. Cars are sluggish and painful to manage while the core gameplay feels unbalanced and oversimplified.