I like Destruction AllStars. I really like it a lot. The anarchy of the gameplay reminds me of my endless PS1 evenings with Destruction Derby or Demolition Racer. Something happens all the time, there is always a crash somewhere - I never get bored.
What is there, entertains only briefly - and the banishment of the other episodes behind a payment barrier is crap. The scope could also be more generous in general: If you deduct Stockpile, which is currently too haphazardly for me, only three modes remain in very similar arenas; The character skills and special attacks of the hero cars are too interchangeable for me. Ultimately, however, I'm curious to see where the journey with Destruction AllStars is going - both in terms of new content and the question of whether it might become a full-price title at the beginning of April.
Destruction AllStars has many strong points to offer. Mainstream and approachable, the directing is quite good and the gameplay quick to learn — although it takes time to be truly mastered. We had a lot of fun throwing out violent bumper blows and jumping on platforms to change vehicles, as well as unleashing the powers of the many heroes available. However, it's hard to predict whether it will be successful in the long run, and the PS5's exclusivity and high purchase price may prevent it from reaching a large audience.
Destruction AllStars is a clunky mess of a multiplayer experience, committing a few cardinal sins when it comes to its online experience and offering uninteresting and dull gameplay most of the time. Each character feels unique and their abilities and vehicles are fun to use, but when meshed with the rest of the experience, it doesn't work. Predatory microtransactions, a lack of lore and backstory into the AllStars, and poor single-player offerings make this the weakest PlayStation Studios title in a long time.
Out of the 4 modes available at launch, 2 of them feel redundant and unbalanced. The single-player content is slim and if you want even a crumb more, you’ll have to pay, which leaves Destruction Allstars feeling like a clumsy, hollow product whose fun moments go by in a blur.