The king of car combat has returned to its throne. This time around, the developer from the original Twisted Metal 1 and 2 are back to take over the series from the developer of Twisted Metal 3 and 4. Sounds complicated, but it really isn't. Anyway, the game has been given the good old fashioned touch of Twisted Metal, only with much more to offer this time around. The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is fast and furious, the puzzles are fun, and so much more that adds to the game.

As I said above, the graphics are amazing. Each vehicle has details like no other game, and each car's exterior changes depending on the amount of damage taken in combat. Also, the most amazing graphical effect found in Twisted Metal: Black is the lighting effects. The fire missiles launch from your vehicle and leave a trail of smoke so real you can smell it - then they speed toward the target that they are locked on to and collide with a deadly explosion that leaves you thinking it was so real, that your TV must have blownup.

Another thing that sells the game would be the gameplay. As fast as you can handle, it runs at 60 frames per second and it keeps going with no slowdown. The overall speed of the game is amazing because it keeps you moving and you can't stop for anything or that will lead to your doom.

The controls in Twisted Metal: Black help make it fun because they are easy to learn. At first, you must adjust to the controls of the game, which are well planned out. There is also an option to configure the controls to your own liking. The left analog stick controls direction and the right controls your speed, while the shoulder buttons are used for the weapons. You can also use the d-pad if the analog sticks are too sensitive for you. I personally find it easier to use the d-pad since it is similar to the previous Twisted Metal games.

The puzzles are not required to complete the game, they are just needed to be solved to get more characters and levels. These puzzles are fun to solve, like shooting down a plane and then exploring the inside of it. Another puzzle has you shooting a hole in the side of a ship and exploring the lower decks.

The storyline is another strong point in Twisted Metal: Black. The gruesome plots of some characters leave you wondering at the beginning and then satisfied once their ending is revealed. While not a long story, it is enough to keep you interested. They can get pretty nasty though.

At first, I was skeptical because I thought it was just like Twisted Metal 2, just with better graphics. But when I picked it up, I realized it was so much more. If you are a fan of the series get it. If you have never played the games, get it. If you hate the genre, get it and learn to love it.

Overall Score: 10 out of 10