Parents' Guide to

Twisted Metal

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Dark combat racing game that is extremely violent and gory.

Game PlayStation 3 2012
Twisted Metal Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Twisted Metal Game: Screenshot #1
  • Twisted Metal Game: Screenshot #2
  • Twisted Metal Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

See all
age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

daddy60000
daddy60000 Parent of 18-year-old
August 19, 2013
age 18+

NOT FOR KIDS horribly violent and gorey

THIS GAME IS NOT FOR KIDS IF YOUR CHILD ASKS FOR THIS GAME SAY NO!!!!!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Ernesto M
Ernesto M Adult
January 25, 2013
age 18+

Fun but just pointless

This is just by far a sweet game for ADULTS not kids. The game is about 4 what appear to be mentally illed characters "If you played Twisted Metal Black you would see they all start off in a Insane Asylum". They compete to get a wish the Clown = Kill his own daughter "How stupid", Doll = To be a famous Model, Grimm = To save his faughter. The game even dough i enjoy driving fast cars is very pointless nothing fun really happens its cool but.. it did not take long for me to get over the game and it is by far the most frustrating game i have ever played i broke 2 controllers trying to complete the game with levels that seemed impossible.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

From the same creative team responsible for the original car combat game for Sony PlayStation in 1995, TWISTED METAL is dark and twisted tale of the evil Calypso, who puts on the Twisted Metal tournament, and challenges drivers to use whatever they got to take down everyone else -- including multiple weapons of mass destruction. The single-player campaign reprises familiar characters (including Sweet Tooth, Doll Face, and Mr. Grimm), plus it adds live-action sequences to help push the bizarre story along. In fact, gamers will experience separate storylines as these characters and have access to 16 unique vehicles -- from the ice cream truck and souped-up sedans to motorcycles and a helicopter. Along with the co-op mode on one television, there are a number of online modes playable via PlayStation Network.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (8):

For mature players, Twisted Metal is a good game, though it's not a perfect 10. This new spin on the car combat genre adds high-definition graphics, fast and responsive control, more weapons, bigger and more destructible environments, live-action story sequences, challenging boss battles, three endings, and on- and offline multiplayer modes. But on the flipside, many gamers have experienced problems going online to play against each other, be it connection errors or joining one mode (such as Nuke) but finding yourself in another (perhaps Last Man Standing). There are a few other niggles, too, such as only having three characters to play, but overall this game delivers an exhilarating action experience and should be a treat for long-time fans of the franchise. Do take heed to the warning on the front and back of the box for the game's intense violence, blood, and gore, and strong language.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether live-action story sequences -- that is, real actors rather than computer-generated ones -- is potentially more disturbing (or desensitizing) to gamers. Images of bloody death, murder, and destruction can be seen in these video sequences.

  • What is the impact of extreme violence, as is found in this game? Is this no different than a horror movie or worse because gamers can then play in this world?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended game lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate