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Future Publishing
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Author: Andrew Fletcher
Publisher: Play-It
Machine: PlayStation 2 (EU Version)
Published in Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine #35
Budget game in not-too-shabby shocker. That can't be right...
Cel Damage Overdrive
Based on a fictional TV show, the first thing you'll realise about this cel-shaded destruction derby is that roads and rules don't count for much - did someone say Wacky Races? The crash-band-wallop-style action is split into three game modes - race, deathmatch and capture the flag - and each one of these is playable across the game's twelve tracks. However, individual arenas tend to be designed with one of the three game modes in mind, so your choices are more limited than they might seem at first. There's plenty of scope for multiplayer larks, though.
At just £10, Cel Damage Overdrive is the kind of game that sells on the strength of the sleeve art alone. So it's a good thing it mirrors the look of the actual game. Admittedly, this kind of cartoony aesthetic has been done to death, but Cel Damage Overdrive still looks lovely. The tracks are set in cliched Looney Tunes-style environments, but the scenery bobs up and down jauntily and there are enough nifty graphical effects to liven up proceedings.
Up to 36 weapons can be unlocked, but some are more effective than others. Super laserbeams, mini-guns and, erm, a bat. Which one will you choose? Or rather, which one will you unavoidably crash into? You see, skill often hands the wheel over to lady luck when the action gets chaotic (which is often). As such, multiplayer games are unlikely to spark any truly hate-filled rivalries. Shame.
Cel Damage Overdrive certainly feels shallow, but for a tenner it makes for a cheap and cheerful post pub muckabout that's better than most other budget titles.
Verdict
Graphics 60%
Considering its price, this is well above average.
Sound 50%
Cartoonish thunks and quips. Does the trick.
Gameplay 50%
No real depth but mates make this game fun!
Lifespan 50%
It won't last long, but at this price you can't complain!
Overall 50%
This is no ground-breaker, but makes for some highly entertaining multiplayer deathmatch action.
Scores
PlayStation 2 VersionGraphics | 60% |
Sound | 50% |
Gameplay | 50% |
Lifespan | 50% |
Overall | 50% |