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Interplay, $49. Requirements: PowerPC 603e/180MHz or higher, 36MB RAM, System 7.6+, 2x CD, 300 MB HD.. For more information, visit Interplay at http://www.interplay.com.
Review by Rich Pizor
Carmageddon is a difficult game to categorize. Though it is built around the theme of a race, it isn't exactly a racing game; though it as a brutal game, it isn't exactly about destruction; and though there is a new "mission" structure to it, there isn't exactly a plot.
The game is fairly straightforward: do what you want. There are no rules. The framework of a race is provided to give the more goal-oriented something to do, but you are racing against the clock, not your opponents. And if you don't find some way to increase the amount of time on said clock, I guarantee that you will not be able to complete the race.
That's where your opponents come into play. Carmageddon 2 also plays as a demolition derby; by smashing your opponents, running over pedestrians and assorted fauna, flipping your car end over end as you plunge into a river, and basically doing anything that gives the viewing audience what they want to see, you earn money and time. Money can be used to upgrade your vehicle or to purchase those you destroy by the end of the race.
The nonviolent, if they so choose, can ignore all of this, and concentrate on seeking out the powerups that will improve their engine and give them more money and more time, allowing them to complete the race "legitmately". Your opponents, however, are out for blood, so be warned — if you're not into gore, you probably aren't going to get much out of this one. Parents are strongly cautioned to take a close look at this one before letting impressionable children give it a whirl.
There isn't much in the way of premise here. The race exists only to give some kind of framework to the mayhem; the reasons behind it are never explored, nor is there any attempt to justify the challenging missions that must be completed to advance through the game's levels. The designers simply hope that the gameplay will stand up on it's own.
Usually when designers make that assumption, it's a spurious one at best (Hellcab springs immediately to mind). Thankfully, this is one case where they got it right.
Carmageddon was one of the most popular games of 1997 for the simple reason that it was fun to play. There is a certain freedom that comes from simply ignoring the track and trying to obliterate the things on it. Running over pedestrians and smashing the hell out of your opponents is also a surprisingly great stress reliever.
Carmageddon improves almost all of the weaknesses of it's predecessor:
Pedestrians are now polygonal. While this slows the game down somewhat, it allows for far more variation in what can be done to them and how they can react — and it's exploited to the fullest
Cars are much more complex, allowing for very impressive damage effects. It is even possible to literally smash cars into pieces that are scattered across the course.
The backdrops are much more compelling and believable than they used to be, and there are more environments to race through.
And my personal favorite improvement: now you can drive into buildings. There is something that is so satisfying about driving through a mall and squishing shoppers that it is almost primal.
Of course, all these improvements do not come without cost. The original Carmageddon ran slick as oil on the 604e/200 with 4-meg VooDoo 1 which was used for testing; and although Carmageddon 2 did well enough, and was enjoyable and playable, there were more than a few moments when slowdowns were very visible. Creating a minimal extension set is a must for this one if you are not one of the G3 endowed. Carmageddon 2 does support both 3dFX and RAVE, so iMac owners should have no problems. However, gamers without some sort of 3D card need not apply. Where Carmageddon was playable (if only on high-end machines) with only software rendering, an unaccelerated Mac plays Carmageddon 2 at a very badly pixel-doubled 320x240. There is too much detail here for that to be an even remotely acceptable option.
There are other, more serious issues to contend with as well. The most obvious is network play, or rather the lack thereof — Carmageddon has no ability to play over the Internet. Head-to-head play requires a LAN, and an IPX one at that, making it difficult for Macs on an Apple-only network. Then there's the almost paradoxical lack of InputSprocket support. Going into the preferences windows reveals an interface for Joystick control that looks like it would take InputSprockets just fine; for some odd reason the panel is grayed out. This forces joystick owners to rely on programming the sticks themselves, which produces mixed results; the Gravis GamePad is the best device I've found for it so far, but alas it just doesn't have enough buttons to be useful here.
I also have a bone to pick with Interplay about their platform bias. They chose to essentially discontinue their MacPlay label, and that is certainly their prerogative. However, they cannot expect Mac people to take kindly to a game that has no Mac-specific instructions for installation or play (barring one little blowin card that only tells you what should be obvious), a manual that makes reference to Alt keys and Direct 3D drivers, and a registration card that allows for literally every video game playing device manufactured in this decade except the Mac itself. I am dubiously happy to welcome Interplay back to the fold, but they had better get their marketing department in gear. We are not PC gamers hiding behind colorful plastic — we are a different community.
Still, despite a few glaring oversites, Carmageddon is a fun if bloody title that is sure to be a huge hit with fans of its predecessor. It also appeals to the same humorous, Beavis & Butthead style "huh huh, huh, kill 'em all" attitude that made Duke Nukem the otherwise inexplicable success that it most obviously was. But the squeamish or those with aging systems — or just those who are looking for an actual racing game — would be advised to pass this one over. |