Totaled!
Posted November 7, 2002
The Plot:
"Totaled!" initially grabbed my interest with its price tag. A new game priced to move ($29.99 instead of the usual $49), "Totaled!" also sounded like fun - a demolition derby powered by the XBOX. However, after playing the game for a while, the old saying, "you get what you paid for" was the first thing that came to mind. Although certainly not a terrible game, I think I would have gladly paid the extra money for a more complete experience.
The plot? Well, the description of the game is certainly simple: you are a character driving a car. You must smash into the other cars to earn points (there are also levels where the last car standing wins, stunts have to be pulled off, one car is the target or other variables). Depending on what area of the other car you hit, severe dents form and occasionally, some parts of the other cars fall off and remain scattered throughout the track. The score is based upon the intensity of the hits and some other elements (if you get the other car to flip, etc.)
"Totaled!" didn't interest me at first, as there's certainly little depth to the game.Yet, as I explored some of the options, I began to get a moderate amount of amusement out of the experience. However - and this is one of the game's worst faults - "Totaled!" suffers from unexpectedly high load times. Whether I was starting a new game, going back to the menu or restarting an event, I could practically get a snack and return as the game was about to begin. It was a little frustrating to be getting into the game and trying to restart a track, only to have to wait for a noticable amount of time.
Although I eventually did start to dig "Totaled!", it's one of those games that provides a quick hit of entertainment before it quickly turns repetitive. Multi-player (2-4) is also available, so friends can run their virtual cars into each other.
Gameplay:
As with the graphics, the gameplay/controls have their good/bad points. The car controls are tight and smooth, as cars seemed responsive to turns. However, some of the cars also felt rather lackluster in the speed department. As the game counted down to the opening, I'd often hit the gas - as the tires spun up, I felt as if the car would take off. However, they often just seem to sputter into play. Some of the more advanced cars had a bit more power, but I never felt as if the speed was there, leading to a somewhat less intense game.
Graphics:
Graphics: In terms of graphics, "Totaled!" has its positives and its negatives. Clearly, most of the work was spent on car details. The cars are slick and stylish looking, making it even more tempting to smash them into each other. But, while the cars are detailed and well-rendered, the stadiums/arenas are usually fairly sparse. I would have liked to have seen at least a couple of jumps and other obstacles to put to use in each of the arenas, not just a few.
Audio:
The game's soundtrack is certainly an enjoyable aspect of the title. While some of the sound effects are okay and the announcer sounds half-asleep, the music provided (punk, which certainly fits - the bands are: Big in Japan, The Dickies, Chixdiggit, Diesel Boy) is excellent and those who don't like it can use the XBOX's music ripping feature to provide their own.
Conclusion:
"Totaled!" eventually started to grow on me with its particular blend of action, but the game still does suffer from some arenas that are dull and load times that are noticably longer than most. A good rental.
"Totaled!" initially grabbed my interest with its price tag. A new game priced to move ($29.99 instead of the usual $49), "Totaled!" also sounded like fun - a demolition derby powered by the XBOX. However, after playing the game for a while, the old saying, "you get what you paid for" was the first thing that came to mind. Although certainly not a terrible game, I think I would have gladly paid the extra money for a more complete experience.
The plot? Well, the description of the game is certainly simple: you are a character driving a car. You must smash into the other cars to earn points (there are also levels where the last car standing wins, stunts have to be pulled off, one car is the target or other variables). Depending on what area of the other car you hit, severe dents form and occasionally, some parts of the other cars fall off and remain scattered throughout the track. The score is based upon the intensity of the hits and some other elements (if you get the other car to flip, etc.)
"Totaled!" didn't interest me at first, as there's certainly little depth to the game.Yet, as I explored some of the options, I began to get a moderate amount of amusement out of the experience. However - and this is one of the game's worst faults - "Totaled!" suffers from unexpectedly high load times. Whether I was starting a new game, going back to the menu or restarting an event, I could practically get a snack and return as the game was about to begin. It was a little frustrating to be getting into the game and trying to restart a track, only to have to wait for a noticable amount of time.
Although I eventually did start to dig "Totaled!", it's one of those games that provides a quick hit of entertainment before it quickly turns repetitive. Multi-player (2-4) is also available, so friends can run their virtual cars into each other.
Gameplay:
As with the graphics, the gameplay/controls have their good/bad points. The car controls are tight and smooth, as cars seemed responsive to turns. However, some of the cars also felt rather lackluster in the speed department. As the game counted down to the opening, I'd often hit the gas - as the tires spun up, I felt as if the car would take off. However, they often just seem to sputter into play. Some of the more advanced cars had a bit more power, but I never felt as if the speed was there, leading to a somewhat less intense game.
Graphics:
Graphics: In terms of graphics, "Totaled!" has its positives and its negatives. Clearly, most of the work was spent on car details. The cars are slick and stylish looking, making it even more tempting to smash them into each other. But, while the cars are detailed and well-rendered, the stadiums/arenas are usually fairly sparse. I would have liked to have seen at least a couple of jumps and other obstacles to put to use in each of the arenas, not just a few.
Audio:
The game's soundtrack is certainly an enjoyable aspect of the title. While some of the sound effects are okay and the announcer sounds half-asleep, the music provided (punk, which certainly fits - the bands are: Big in Japan, The Dickies, Chixdiggit, Diesel Boy) is excellent and those who don't like it can use the XBOX's music ripping feature to provide their own.
Conclusion:
"Totaled!" eventually started to grow on me with its particular blend of action, but the game still does suffer from some arenas that are dull and load times that are noticably longer than most. A good rental.