Monster Jam Maximum Destruction

Whoopi-ding dong. A combat racing game that manages to not only make you wish for a migraine, but it also should be taken out back and shot like a horse that has broken all four legs. Monster Jam (MJ) takes the tried and true concept of combat racing and takes an evolutionary step absolutely nowhere. The game's premise (which actually has potential) is to take 20+ recognizable monster trucks and pit them against one another in a mad dash of carnage and Monster truck fury. Unfortunately, this idea reads far better then the final product. The game suffers from several faults. The first being, that although the trucks are supposed to each have varying performance issues like handling, speed, etc. they all control almost identically. Even when cash is won and upgrades purchased, I could see no real difference in the vehicle's performance regardless of the modifications.

Another of the game's bigger flaws was the completely uninspired level design. It would seem that the game makers felt that putting vending stands and cars all over the track, they were making an interactive course for you to race through and destroy. Then again, can I even call it a course? It's essentially a series of intertwining turns that usually surround a larger open area.

Of course, no real Monster truck needs weapons but sure enough, this game has them. More then anything it seemed to me that the folks at UBI knew they were putting a game out with sub-par standards, and at some last possible moment felt guilty about it and threw the weapon factor in. Well, it didn't help.

About the only redeeming factor in the game was the trucks themselves, not only did they look good, but many of them are modeled after Marvel superheroes. I don't know if it was a marketing decision to prominently display the Spiderman Monster truck, but I can't help but think that someone was still trying to salvage the sales factor on this one.

I would go into the game's multiplayer facet, but it isn't even worth mentioning. C'mon UBI, you know you can do better then this, now let's see something you are proud to put your label on.