Metacritic (62)
OpenCritic (63)
Eurogamer (no score):
Kotaku (no score, impressions):
Ars Technica (no score):
VG247 (no score):
GameRevolution (no score, review-in-progress):
Chicas Gamers (no score, review in Spanish):
GameCrate (9/10):
Daily Star (4/5):
Game Informer (8/10):
Shacknews (8/10):
Use a Potion (8/10):
GamePro Germany (78/100, review in German):
Critical Hit (7.5/10):
Hobby Consolas (75/100, review in Spanish):
DualShockers (7.5/10):
4Players.de (72/100, review in German):
Video Chums (7.1/10):
Millenium (70/100, review in French):
Explosion Network (7/10):
Jeuxvideo.com (13/20, review in French):
IGN (6/10):
TheSixthAxis (6/10):
PPE.pl (5.5/10, review in Polish):
Metro GameCentral (5/10):
PlayStation Universe (5/10):
Twinfinite (2.5/5):
VGC (2/5):
TheGamer (2/5):
OpenCritic (63)
Eurogamer (no score):
Destruction AllStars does a lot right. It looks the part. It's polished and, from what I can tell, largely bug free - a testament to Lucid that the studio was able to produce a game this slick amid a pandemic and a work-from-home order. It's vibrant, feels good in the hand, and I like most of the character designs. But it's throwaway and barebones at launch. It's a game of potential right now. It desperately needs more to it, more depth, and more strategy. The driving is so good I'm craving an actual racing mode, or maybe a power-up filled multiplayer mode, something like a Mario Kart crossed with Burnout. That would be cool, I think.
Kotaku (no score, impressions):
All told, Destruction AllStars left me with feelings of hope and promise, and some uncertainty. Lucid Games didn't make advance copies of the game available to Kotaku. Nearly everyone you see playing this game is experiencing it in the same way at the same time. Could it take off the way Fall Guys—which itself received a boost from showing up on PS Plus for a month—did last summer? Or will it sputter out like, say, Bleeding Edge? I don't know what to make of the game yet. No one does, not really. Luckily, it currently doesn't cost much to find out.
Ars Technica (no score):
The good outweighs the bad. Get a PlayStation Plus trial and give this imperfect car-combat gem a spin.
VG247 (no score):
Being part of PS Plus will no doubt give Destruction AllStars a sizable audience it simply wouldn't have managed had it released as a $60/$70 title, but keeping that audience engaged will be the tricky part. There's only so much time I'm willing to invest in the game while it doesn't give me much in return.
GameRevolution (no score, review-in-progress):
Destruction AllStars is enjoyable in short bursts but a multiplayer game like this survives on its replayability, and I struggle to see how it will motivate players to keep going with it in its current state. With progression rewards currently limited to in-game currency that can only buy dull color swap skins, a single-player challenge mode that is mostly locked behind a paywall, and sporadically exciting matches, a lot of work is needed post-launch to keep players sticking around.
Chicas Gamers (no score, review in Spanish):
Destruction AllStars is a destruction derby with frenetic gameplay and a good foundation for future growth. If you like the style of play, it will give you hours and hours of fun and we hope that over time more game modes will come. A novel bet by Lucid Games that with time could become the next Rocket League.
GameCrate (9/10):
Destruction AllStars may not be a killer app that sells you on a PS5, but anyone who owns a PS5 will be happy to add it to their library. It is definitely one of the best perks of owning a PS5 yet.
Daily Star (4/5):
It's addictive, great fun and all about people playing online together. And it feels original, even if many of the individual elements are borrowed from other games. If you have a PS Plus subscription it's a no brainer to download this free title at some point over the next two months before it becomes paid for. Destruction AllStars is a brilliant new addition to the PS5 roster and will brighten up dull February with some colourful car-smashing fun.
Game Informer (8/10):
I had a good time behind the wheel in Destruction AllStars, even if I don't know that it has enough to keep me around forever. That's not to say there isn't anything to do; there is a decent-enough selection of modes and activities between online and offline, with more on the way. And I appreciate the instantly satisfying action that's as easy to drop in and out of as the cars themselves. Even if the novelty of vehicular mayhem isn't enough to sustain my interest for many more long-haul sessions, I'm looking forward to taking it for a quick spin every now and again.
Shacknews (8/10):
As far as gameshow/sporting event-style games go, Destruction AllStars is maybe some of the most fun I've had in a while. I love the pageantry when a match starts and my character does their intro before kicking things off. The visuals are smooth and pristine throughout the fast-paced action and the gameplay in different modes is absolutely delightful. I would like the foot game to be boosted a bit, and it desperately needs some better cosmetics and an easy-access Mute All function, but there's an absolutely enthralling foundation here in Destruction AllStars. I want to see more characters, more arenas, events… I want to see where Destruction AllStars goes in the long run and I'll be happy to keep playing as we work our way there.
Use a Potion (8/10):
Destruction AllStars' chaotic vehicular-based combat makes for an exhilarating (and surprisingly strategic) experience that I've had a blast playing – I just hope that it gets enough post-launch content and support to keep players coming back for more. As it stands though, it's certainly a heck of a lot of fun to play. Sure, there's some inconsistencies in its scoring here and there and the arenas themselves lack imaginative flair, but between its colourful cast, it's satisfyingly destructive driving, and its slick visuals, there really is a whole lot to like about Destruction AllStars frantic showdowns.
GamePro Germany (78/100, review in German):
I like Destruction AllStars. I really like it a lot. The anarchy of the gameplay reminds me of my endless PS1 evenings with Destruction Derby or Demolition Racer. Something happens all the time, there is always a crash somewhere - I never get bored.
Critical Hit (7.5/10):
Destruction AllStars is both new and familiar, but it's a refreshing collection of cars, modes, and madcap driving that shows great promise for the future. A mental destruction derby with some admittedly annoying quirks, there's plenty of charm under the hood of this game that respects your time and smashes into the competition with a gung-ho attitude and some novel ideas.
Hobby Consolas (75/100, review in Spanish):
This new PS5 exclusive offers some amusing ideas while taking advantage of the superior hardware, but it's too shallow in content and uses some greedy strategies. Future updates could change the situation, though.
DualShockers (7.5/10):
Overall, if Destruction AllStars was entirely focused on the driving and crashing aspects, this review would be a hands-down recommendation. I just wish it didn't come to a complete stop as often as it does when you lose control of the car. It does interesting things with the DualSense's adaptive triggers and has a satisfying loop but comes to a screeching halt in other areas. Lucid Games has promised at least a year of new content for the game following its release, so hopefully, things will be fixed over time. Waiting for a fix, however, isn't how I like to enjoy games. Luckily, Destruction AllStars is one of the free PS+ games for February, so with an online subscription and a PS5, I would recommend downloading it to give it a spin.
4Players.de (72/100, review in German):
What is there, entertains only briefly - and the banishment of the other episodes behind a payment barrier is crap. The scope could also be more generous in general: If you deduct Stockpile, which is currently too haphazardly for me, only three modes remain in very similar arenas; The character skills and special attacks of the hero cars are too interchangeable for me. Ultimately, however, I'm curious to see where the journey with Destruction AllStars is going - both in terms of new content and the question of whether it might become a full-price title at the beginning of April.
Video Chums (7.1/10):
Although it features flashy visuals and initially intriguing gameplay, Destruction AllStars begins to get a bit tiresome after a while. It still offers plenty of entertainment but the fun factor doesn't quite have as much longevity as some similar titles do.
Millenium (70/100, review in French):
Destruction AllStars has many strong points to offer. Mainstream and approachable, the directing is quite good and the gameplay quick to learn — although it takes time to be truly mastered. We had a lot of fun throwing out violent bumper blows and jumping on platforms to change vehicles, as well as unleashing the powers of the many heroes available. However, it's hard to predict whether it will be successful in the long run, and the PS5's exclusivity and high purchase price may prevent it from reaching a large audience.
Explosion Network (7/10):
Like any multiplayer game these days, it's hard to truly judge Destruction AllStars until a couple of months after its release. Hopefully, there's an injection of skins and other items to chase over the next month, and it'll be able to sustain a long-term player base. I'd love to be part of that group as I'm enjoying smashing into cars like never before, but the game needs a better progression system.
Jeuxvideo.com (13/20, review in French):
Everything could have gained more dynamism and appealed to the players a little more by offering various tricks such as slow motion or "killcam", but unfortunately, Lucid Games preferred to keep this type of functionality for the game's Solo mode. A Solo mode which also could have been successful, finally if it was not restricted by a system which requires the player to take out his credit card.
IGN (6/10):
Destruction AllStars can provide short bursts of action-packed chaos that are at their most fun when kept simple. The driving and vehicle-to-vehicle combat are highly enjoyable when you're slamming into other cars at high speed, but they wear thin quickly and offer very little else on closer inspection and the on-foot gameplay you're forced into too often feels pointless. With hit-and-miss modes, single-player content hidden behind a paywall, and poor cosmetics on offer, there's a disappointing lack of depth beneath the loud crashes, bangs, and wallops that feel so exciting at first. The roster of heroes are decently designed, along with their signature abilities, but very little is done to encourage team play or interesting uses of them. There's the basis of a great party game here too, but at launch it's far too shallow an experience for Destruction AllStars to be considered one right now.
TheSixthAxis (6/10):
The car combat genre has long been out of fashion and still has a way to go if it wants to take us back to its glory days of the 1990s. Destruction AllStars is a mostly satisfying modernisation that has some neat ideas and looks fantastic, though ultimately spins its tyres on repetitive rival-wrecking gameplay and a lack of truly worthwhile content at launch.
PPE.pl (5.5/10, review in Polish):
Lucid Games didn't take care of immersive modes or extensive vehicle controls, which creeps into the monotony. The visuals itself will not be the title on the pedestal.
Metro GameCentral (5/10):
Destruction AllStars is a fun little time waster but even if there were more arenas and game modes we're not convinced it would ever feel like anything more. We are curious to come back to it in six months or so, once it's no longer free and it has more content, but for now this is inarguably the least interesting of the PlayStation 5 exclusives and likely to stay that way for some time to come.
PlayStation Universe (5/10):
Destruction AllStars is a clunky mess of a multiplayer experience, committing a few cardinal sins when it comes to its online experience and offering uninteresting and dull gameplay most of the time. Each character feels unique and their abilities and vehicles are fun to use, but when meshed with the rest of the experience, it doesn't work. Predatory microtransactions, a lack of lore and backstory into the AllStars, and poor single-player offerings make this the weakest PlayStation Studios title in a long time.
Twinfinite (2.5/5):
Scratch the surface and you'll find a very shallow car combat game that simply doesn't have what it needs to pull you back in over and over again. Destruction AllStars is unlikely to be the next PlayStation Plus success story.
VGC (2/5):
Out of the 4 modes available at launch, 2 of them feel redundant and unbalanced. The single-player content is slim and if you want even a crumb more, you'll have to pay, which leaves Destruction Allstars feeling like a clumsy, hollow product whose fun moments go by in a blur.
TheGamer (2/5):
I wanted to love Destruction AllStars. I still do. There's just not enough there to make it worth my while right now. A couple of times, I ran into a weird technical issue where I would jump into a brand-new car, but it just wouldn't move. I think that issues like this can certainly be fixed in a future patch, though. I also know that the development team of Lucid Games has a year's-worth of content planned for the game. As such, although I can't recommend playing Destruction AllStars right now, I do have high hopes for the future of the game. Especially since the car combat genre is ripe for the taking with no new Twisted Metal in sight.
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