Don't get smashed... get Mashed !! (Mashed (PS2))

Member Name: SRowlands

Product:	Mashed (PS2)
Date:	22/12/05 (264 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent mutliplayer game - Very addictive !

Disadvantages: Let down slightly by solo game

Back in the days when I had a Commodore Amiga, I wasted many hours playing a game called "Supercars 2" by Gremlin. The concept was simple - a two player, split-screen racing game (with weapons) with a view from overhead the cars. Simple graphics, but amazing gameplay.

Moving on a few years, and to the release of Micro Machines on the Playstation 1. This was another "top-down" racing game, but rather than the split-screen, the aim was to keep up with the screen. If you car fell behind and went off the screen, you lost a life.

Again, moving right up to 2004 now, and a new game arrives out of nowhere - "Mashed". With all the publicity for big release titles such as "Metal Gear Solid 3", "Silent Hill 4" and "GTA: San Andreas", it would be so easy to overlook this new release from Empire Interactive and Supersonic.

"Mashed" is the latest 3D "top-down" racing game on the PS2, XBox and PC. (Whilst the game is primarily "top down", the camera view changes depending on how many cars are left - up to a third person 3D view.)
The game is a solo or multiplayer game with one simple aim... "Drive To Survive" !
There are seven different game modes, thirteen tracks and ten weapons at your disposal in this game.


TRACKS:
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There are thirteen tracks available, although they need to be unlocked by completing challenges in solo mode. At the time of writing this, I have unlocked nine tracks, and these are as follows...

ANGEL PEAK:

This is the first track of the game, and is easy enough to let you enjoy the game right from the start. It is a dirt track in a circular course. There is a risky jump that, by attempting it, can gain a few precious seconds, and also has a motar weapon just on the other side !

KHARGA TEMPLE:

A very difficult second course, with some very sharp turns and unfenced corners. Take a corner too fast and plunge to your doom ! Again, this is a dirt track. There is a tricky short cut around one of the turns which consists of a thin bridge which may gain you an advantage.

NEUSTEIN:

This is an icy course with some additional hazards, such as low cable cars that you might hit if your timing is out by a few seconds !

TIMGIDSKI:

This track is set at night, in a bad thunderstorm. The course itself is in a square shape, but includes bridges and some tight unfenced corners. The added problem of lack of visibillity will really put you to the test !

VENTURA BLVD:

Ventura Blvd. is great fun to play - it's a simple circular circuit, however the two long straight are along a busy freeway. As well as avoiding the other players and all the weapons fired at you, you must navigate your way around loads of lorries too !!

KEISTER BAY:

This course is set ona green hillside, and is a typical racing track layout. Again, there are some very tight turns, and some jumps to master too ! There is also a wooden bridge shortcut, but this requires a lot of skill and luck to use !

POLAR WHARF:

This is my favourite track in the game - it's a simple oval layout in a dockyard, however the track is icy and unfenced. This give ample opportunity to knock your competitors into the icy water !

TIERRA PIEDRA:

Tierra Piedra is set on a construction site - hence the track is muddy and there are loads of hazards to avoid. There is also a couple of jumps and a shortcut for good measure !

KOKO BAY:

This level is really tough - it's a combination of a road and sand track. It is also set at night in a thunderstorm, so again visibillity is difficult.


When I do eventually unlock more tracks, I'll come back and add them here.


GAME MODES:
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BATTLE GAME:

This mode pits you against up to three computer controlled players. The aim is to keep up with the lead car, or take the lead so that the other cars disappear off the screen. You start off with four points, which increase or decrease according to how well you do, and how many players you beat (or beat you !). The aim is to get eight points, and this is acheived over an unlimited number of rounds. There is, however, a time limit. When this is reached, an "End Game Mode" is activated - which means that no players lose points, just the winners gain points until the winner is decided.

TEAM BATTLE:

As above, the aim of the game is to survive, but this time you play in teams. In the one player mode, it tends to be weighted against you (e.g. two or three computer controlled cars agains you !) The team play as one to try and ensure that just one of their members win the round. In multiplayer, you can select your teams as required.

RACE:

As the name suggests, this round is simply a race, and the screen follows only your car. There is only one aim of this round... win !!

BEAT THE BOMB:

In "Beat The Bomb", your car has been rigged with a large explosive device. To prevent it from detonating, you need to complete two laps of the course within a set time. Fortunately there are several checkpoints which, when passed, will add a few precious seconds to the timer. If you crash or leave the track... well, you don't want to know.

CHASE THE FUGITIVE:

This is a typical "Cops 'n' Robbers" style chase. One car (typically a bit faster than yours) speeds off, and you have to hit it to win. Sounds easy, but it requires a lot of die hard driving skills to catch them !

KILL THE COPTER:

This is a great variation - you must race around the track collecting rockets, whilst launching them at a helicopter who is firing back at you. It requires a lot of skill to drive, collect, aim and shoot all at once !

SURVIVAL:

This mode is, as the name suggests, all about survival. You need to complete three laps of the course, whilst the other cars try anything they can to get you off the track or destroy you ! As the computer controlled cars have no restrictions, you'll often find them waiting for you just around a dangerous corner.

HOLD THE FLAG:

This mode is only available in the multi player modes. One driver is given a flag, and must retain it until they have won a round. If they get knocked by another car, the flag gets passed onto them. The twist to this level is that you can drive any way around the track - so a good tactic is to attack the flag holder from behind, then do a handbrake turn and speed off in the opposite direction.


WEAPONS:
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As I mentioned above, there are loads of different weapons available in this game.

OIL SLICK:

The classic racing trick - you deposit a mini-slick out the back of your car onto the road. As soon as another car hits it they slide all over the road !

BARRELS:

The barrels are launced from the roof of your car, and have a similar effect to depth charges. You don't want to be around when these things explode.

FLAMETHROWER:

This weapon sprays fire from the back of your car - handy if someone is right behind you !

FLASH BANG:

When you use this weapon, you effectively temporaily blind the other drivers. The screen goes white, so it can be particulary useful on a tricky piece of road. Watch out, however, as it has the same effect on you !

PROXIMITY MINE:

Lay these behind your car. After a few short moments, the mines become active and will seriously damage any driver foolish enough to hit them !

MOTAR:

A very effective long range weapon, although slightly inaccurate. This weapon is really handy if you are at the back of the pack !

HOMING MISSILE:

A deadly weapon ! When the target vehicle is locked on, launch the missile and watch the effects.

MACHINE GUN:

With a red laser sight, this weapon is awesome ! You can shred the bodywork from a car within seconds with this one !

SHOTGUN:

This is actually two shotguns, attached to the roof of your car, and they fire backwards. Great for knocking out anyone who gets too close !


There is one addition weapon, available in multiplayer mode when three or more players participate. The first player to be killed each round has an...

AIRSTRIKE:

This basically brings up a targeting icon, which you can aim at one of the other players. Pressing the fire button launches an airstrike that even the most experienced of players will find it difficult to recover from. The only question is... do you take out the leader - or someone you have a grudge against ?? (Maybe the person responsible for your demise !).



OVERALL OPINION:
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The release of this game was kept fairly quiet. There was no massive publicity campaign leading up to a release date, and even now, there are only a few advertisments that pop up now and again in gaming magazines. I think that this has worked well though - so often games are so highly anticipated, with screenshots appearing months before release, (take Gran Turismo 4 for example !), then the game fails to live up to expectations.
Mashed is different. It doesn't need massive publicity to be successful - it is purely a fantastic game that sells itself. With word of mouth, and now magazine and internet reviews, this game shows what gaming is about.

The game has taken all the best aspects of Micromachines and Supercars 2, polished up the graphics and fused them together into this game. The multiplayer modes have all the elements essential to a competitive game. It creates tension and excitement, with enough variation and tracks to keep you coming back for more and more.
Uniquely, this game actually allows up to four players to play at once with or without the need of a multitap. This is done by sharing gamepads - so each player uses half a controller. This works fairly well, although could get annoying if your partner keeps pulling it away from you. The multitap option works much better.


So, are there any flaws in this game ? When playing the solo game modes, the artificial intellegence of the computer controlled cars can be erratic. Sometimes they will drive perfectly, firing weapons with total accuracy, whilst on other occasions they will actually slow down and allow you to catch up !
The camera can also swing into some bad positions on occasions. You might be swinging your car around a corner, and the camera drops behind a building, making it impossible to see where you are. Within a few seconds, this is usually corrected - but in this game a few seconds can make a difference between success or failure !
The other little niggle is the soundtrack is somewhat limited. The songs can get a bit annoying, as can the occasional abuse shouted between drivers.
There is no online gaming facillity in the game, which doesn't worry me as I don't play online anyway, but may frustrate some players who would want this option. It would also be nice to have included a track editor so that once you've played the game to death, you can create and race your own tracks.
Again, I stress that these are minor flaws that are far outweighed by the multiplayer aspects of the game.

This game is widely available, from as little as £20. I would strongly recommend that anyone who enjoys having a few mates around for a gaming session to get this game. You'll end up playing it for hours on end, and it probably will get quite heated ! If you would only play this in the solo mode, then it's probably one to avoid - the real value is in the group play option.

Summary: An excellent, "top-down" racing game.