Destruction AllStars review on PS5

Originally planned as a PS5 launch title, Destruction AllStars is now available. Developed by Lucid Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, this intense vehicular combat game is full of damage, destruction and devastation. Available as a PlayStation Plus game until April 5, 2021 let’s find out if the 3 month delay was worth it.

Destruction AllStars Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 5
Developer(s): Lucid Games
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Vehicular combat
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Choose from 16 unique and fearless characters

Destruction AllStars features a cast of 16 colourfully unique characters, each with their own abilities and playstyles. You use each character’s agility, speed and strength to evade and wreck your opponent’s vehicles—all while vying for the Global Destruction Federation Championship. Each character has two unique abilities known as Breakers that are earned when you cause enough mayhem and destruction.

One can be used on foot and the other while driving. My personal favourite character in Destruction AllStars is none other than BlueFang. He wears a tiger’s head for a helmet and the car he drives is called Shredder. It’s tricked out with saw blades that can tear apart his opponent’s vehicles.

His Hero Breaker, which is used on foot, will knock down any opponent trying to charge him. On the other hand, BlueFang’s Car Breaker allows the sawblades on his car to rip and tear through anything, including the arena floor.

Cause destruction from both behind the wheel and on foot

The mayhem and destruction takes placed in various arenas across the globe that are both colourful and intriguing. What sets Destruction AllStars apart from other games in the genre is its gameplay. It is unique in that the action takes place both on foot and behind the wheel.

In addition to bashing and smashing your opponent’s vehicles, dodging vehicles and using parkour tricks is equally as important. There are various items spread around each of the arenas that can only be obtained on foot and if your car blows up, you’ll be tossed out of it and set out on foot to find a replacement.

Currently, Destruction AllStars features 4 game modes: Mayhem, Carnado, Stockpile and Gridfall.

Mayhem

By definition, Mayhem is what Destruction AllStars is all about. Points are earned by inflicting damage on other vehicles, dodging incoming attacks, and wrecking opponents.

Carnado

Next, Carnado is an 8v8 team-based mode where you must earn gears by
smashing, wrecking, or stealing your opponents’ vehicles. However, you can only bank gears by driving your vehicle into the Carnado and wrecking your ride.

Stockpile

Third, Stockpile is a team-based game where the objective is to collect gears and control as many of the three banks as you can. To do this, you must wreck your opponent, then jump out of your vehicle and collect their gears. Then, quickly deposit them into a bank to take control.

Gridfall

Finally, there is Gridfall. In this mode the last AllStar standing wins the match. Sections of the floor fall away during the match, which makes things even more dangerous than they already are. Your goal is to knock off your opponents or wreck them. To top things off, you have a limited number of lives. However, you can earn more as you play.

Out of the 4 modes available to play, I found that Mayhem is the one mode that I kept coming back to and had the most fun with. Though, overall, the content in each of these gameplay modes feels lacking. While they do offer enjoyment in their own ways, I often didn’t play for more than 30 minutes total at a time before moving on to another game. Come check out my Let’s Play video of Destruction AllStars on my YouTube channel to see each mode in action.

Bright, flashy, colourful graphics

Presentation wise, Destruction AllStars on PS5 looks great! The game is full of bright colours and the characters themselves look outstanding. However, with only 3 arenas to battle in, the excitement quickly wears off. Though, I was really impressed with the character animation and victory poses. They give a distinctive likeness to each and everyone of the 16 playable characters in the game.

Lucid Games makes great use of PS5’s DualSense controller with the use of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. For example you can feel your footsteps as you are running outside of your car around the arena and tension on the triggers when trying to start your car. Additionally, the mic on the DualSense controller can be used to communicate with teammates or opponents.

Destruction AllStars is not exactly what I hoped it to be

Destruction AllStars is a bright, flashy, in your face full of action game whose appeal quickly wears off. I had really high hopes for this game, though I feel that the final product even after a 3 month delay didn’t live up to most people’s expectations including my own. While the amount of playable characters is impressive and varied, there are only 3 arenas to play in over 4 game modes.

Seeing as Destruction AllStars is a live service game, I’m hoping that new arenas and more game modes are added in the future. In the end, Destruction AllStars looks great, includes a wide variety of unique characters to choose from and has enjoyable gameplay. On the other hand, the fun factor of smashing vehicles quickly wears off, there are a limited amount of arenas and the gameplay modes lacking in content.

Don’t forget to come and check out my Let’s Play video of Destruction AllStars on my YouTube channel and see the game in action.

+ Beautiful visuals and character animations
+ Good use of DualSense controller’s features
+ Wide variety of characters to choose from
+ Smashing into your opponents and seeing the destruction caused is satisfying
+ Live service game means that more features and content will be added down the road

– Fun factor quickly fades
– Only 3 playable arenas
– Gameplay modes lack content

OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF DESTRUCTION ALLSTARS

Gameplay: 3/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 3/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability: 3.5/5

Overall Rating 3.4/5 (68%)

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