This is Destruction AllStars, a frenetic multiplayer that we can download completely free from February 2 with PlayStation Plus.
We discovered it for the first time last June 2020, in a first look at the first-time PlayStation 5 catalog, being presented as an exclusive to the new Sony console. Later, when the price increase for these launches was announced, we doubted the success that a proposal like Destruction AllStars could have, but wisely, the Japanese company rectified. In this way, next week we will be able to download this frenetic multiplayer with influences from others such as Rocket League or the classic Twisted Metal, for example, completely free if we are subscribed to PS Plus, in a twist that can give this title a first boost to by Lucid Games, but… how do you play Destruction AllStars?
Destruction AllStars is primarily a driving video game, although we have seen characters on foot touring the circuit, and it invents a futuristic competition in an attempt to capture an important community of players for a future in which others such as Roller will have to compete Champions by Ubisoft. A key aspect will be that of the launch content, which should be sufficient so that the player base that it will surely build in the first days does not end up jaded by the lack of it. On the one hand, we know that there will be 16 selectable characters at the beginning, each with their own car, an amount that seems more than enough for a first batch, also counting that there will be different skins for each of them. On the other hand, Lucid Games has also confirmed that there are several circuits, although the exact number has not been specified. As for its game modes, there will be four that we can enjoy from the beginning, hopefully more will arrive as the months go by.
Once in the game, there will be three different types of vehicle, each with its own characteristics and objectives to fulfill. The first of them will be the fastest and with the capacity to make spectacular skids, there will also be a smaller second with the best handling of the three, and a third tank type, more voluminous and specially designed to inflict and receive damage. As we said before, one of the peculiarities of the game is the differentiation between characters, each of them having their own abilities, which are recharged in an energy bar that can increase by doing evasions, hitting other vehicles and collecting items scattered throughout the stage.
Specifically, during the special State of Play of Destruction AllStars that we could see this week, we saw a small glimpse of the special abilities of two of the 16 characters such as Shyft and Lupita. The first, of a defensive tendency, achieved temporary invisibility, while Lupita left a trail of fire behind her to damage her opponents, being able to do so while going on foot or on four wheels. These abilities, among 16 characters, undoubtedly grant a significant variety, to which must be added the inherent and common abilities of each of them such as double jump, running on the walls and more, giving a touch of parkour essential not only to avoid our rivals, but also to get score items and new vehicles to continue the competition. The ability of the characters will also grant them the ability to climb on the opponent’s vehicles, being able to sabotage them, direct them towards an obstacle so that they collide or directly, steal them.
Lucid Games also presented a second game mode called Carnado, in which two teams of eight players each compete, and whoever gets the most gears wins. These are obtained thanks to impacts against other vehicles, but you have to take into account the risk of losing them all. The third mode will be Stockpile -also by teams-, similar to Carnado with the exception that we will have three points to control at the same time that we try to steal gears from our rivals, for which we will have to get out of the car after having knocked down the rival. After obtaining them, you will have to deposit them in each of these three specific points to have control of them. The fourth mode they talked about and which will also be available at the beginning is Gridfall, a luck of all against all in which the last contestant standing will win, with the peculiarity that the stage will collapse as the game progresses, being able to launch our opponents to the void, while we will have to show off parkour skills to avoid our own fall. We have a limited number of lives at the beginning of the game, although more can be achieved throughout the game, thus fully detailing what promises to be the most hectic game mode in Destruction AllStars.
Fortunately, it will not be necessary to enter the competitive from the first moment, and Lucid Games has implemented a single player mode called Challenge Series, with a slight narrative element to add a background based on the rivalry between the different characters. During it we will have to overcome various challenges to end up competing with our rival in a direct confrontation.
The study also went into detail about the presence of the different in-game currencies with which to unlock cosmetic items, without any impact on the gameplay, both for the heroes and for the vehicles. These will be the AllStar Coins and the Destruction Coins, the first being the ones that we can obtain from the beginning simply by playing online, while the second will be the ones that will be available to buy in the PS Store. However, as they assured, at the end of this year we will be able to obtain them thanks to weekly and daily challenges.
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In short, Destruction AllStars has all the ingredients to become one of the most talked about games in the coming months, just as some like Fall Guys or Among Us have been in recent times. Its direct launch on PS Plus will be key to establishing itself in the first days, but the important thing in the medium and long term will be to provide it with enough content and events to keep the interest in the players. The experience of Lucid Games, whose founders are former members of Bizarre Creations -Project Gotham Racing- must be put to good use. We will discover more about this fun title from next February 2, when it will be available to download completely free for subscribers to Sony’s service.
