Cel Damage HD
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Cel Damage HD
For an HD remake that no one asked for of a game that few people played, Cel Damage HD is actually pretty charming and entertaining.
Cel Damage HD isn't going to rocket to the top of the eShop charts and become the kind of unit-selling monster that publishers only dream of, but that doesn't mean it should be passed up if you're a brand new player. As a local multiplayer affair, its vehicular combat is bombastic and silly in a way that makes for countless rewarding matches. It's still too easy to unlock every new weapon and arena in a couple of hours, but with full support for four-player multiplayer, this cartoonish caper finally gets the handheld iteration it deserved all along.
The days of Twisted Metal are long gone (even with the reboot), but vehicular combat still holds a special place in my heart. Even though Cel Damage HD doesn't excel in any particular area, it has its fair share of fun moments. The lack of content and limited attempts at personality hinder those moments, but at the end of the day Cel Damage HD is a solid update of a mostly forgotten 13-year-old game.
There's a small shimmer of something fun and interesting under the 13 years of rust that coats Cel Damage HD. While certain areas show potential, others show the age of the game. If you're itching for local multiplayer car combat, Cel Damage HD may whet your appetite. This isn't a game that I absolutely don't want to play at all, but it's not going to be anywhere close to the top of the list of things I decide to pull out and play, especially given the massive selection out there. Cel Damage HD is like re releasing a mediocre car from a decade ago and only giving it a fresh coat of paint. Without any significantly new content added to this year's model, consider this a 13 year late mixed review of the original.
Remakes of games are tough to score. Without major changes, a remake of a mediocre game is only going to score so well. The source material being what it is, Finish Line has done well.
Finish Line Games has attempted to inject some colour into the car combat genre with Cel Damage HD, and there is some reasonably entertaining action on display here. Sadly, while the cartoony visuals and creative power-ups are a highlight, the lack of replay value will soon put an end to your enjoyment. This is fun for an evening if you've got some buddies nearby, but without an online option and with a pretty tiring cast, you'll quickly tire of this comic book clash.
Cel Damage HD is not going to blow anyone away, but it is a solid weekend romp. It has aged well over the past decade, and for anyone who has never played it, it is a nice change of pace. Still, without online and a severe lack of modes the fun wears thin quickly. This is one to wait for a sale to snatch up. [OpenCritic note: Ken McKown separately reviewed the XB1 (6) and PS4 (6) versions.]
Cel Damage HD is too basic, limited and generally frustrating to recommend. It looks relatively nice in HD, but its gameplay will only appeal to those with nostalgia for its original version.
