The PS5's first dedicated multiplayer title, Destruction AllStars, is now available. This vehicle combat game is reminiscent of past PlayStation classics like "Twisted Metal," while also incorporating elements of "Rocket League" and "Fortnite."

While the overall concept is innovative, the gameplay lacks the mechanical depth of other competitive and esports titles and ultimately feels like driving with a locked steering wheel.

In DestructionAllStars, players choose from a diverse and colorful selection of characters, each with special abilities and unique vehicles. There are currently two solo modes, both with similar goals. All of the digital trappings that make the game so enjoyable are present, making it a fun game for everyone, but not so flavorful that players will want to return to it again and again.

Once Destruction AllStars is loaded, it is hard not to be enthralled by its impressive presentation. The menu is almost "Persona 5" in style. It is very forthright and willing to flaunt clean lines. In addition, the unique characters are cartoonishly styled, reminiscent of "Fortnite."

As soon as I jumped into the game, I was greeted with voice chat; the PS5 Dual Sense's built-in microphone and speakers allow you to communicate without having to wear a headset.

Removing that one pain made me feel more willing to engage with other players. Sure, there were times when the people in the chat room were annoying, but when the mood was good, I found them friendly and congenial. It was fun to talk to people who were in the game a few times during their lunch breaks.

Unfortunately, the developer, Lucid Games Limited, has received complaints and decided to set chat off by default. While I understand this decision, I would have preferred it to remain in place. It will definitely reduce the number of people participating in the chat.

As far as gameplay goes, Destruction AllStars is fairly simple. You drive your car towards other cars in the arena and hit them with the right stick. The more damage you do, the more points you score.

Your car can also take damage, and that's where the twist in Destruction AllStars comes in. Often, players are forced to get out of their cars and get another. Of course, it's not safe to run around an arena full of cars, and there's the thrill of jumping over cars and trying to survive. In this sense, the game is half platformer, half arcade driver.

Unfortunately, the driving itself is shallow in Destruction AllStars; there are no precise controls like in games like Rocket League. The cars feel stiff and do not have the rear-wheel drive driftability one would expect from such an arcade game. The physics of ramming into other cars is also odd. Often when I tried to flick the right stick to make my opponent fly sideways, the car would almost fly sideways. While I'm sure it takes some getting used to, the tightness of the controls required for such a competitive title is clearly lacking.

Jumping and running around sometimes felt floaty and inaccurate. I often found myself jumping repeatedly on rock ledges and trying to grab on, and it may be that Destruction AllStars lacks a certain floating or magnetic sense of sticking together that is found in the Sly Cooper series, for example. Whenever Sly needed to jump on a small ledge or tightrope, the game was magnetically attached so that the player could land even if the jump was not perfect.

In Destruction AllStars, the player had to stop, press the jump button, and move the stick forward in mid-air to allow the character to take the proper position. It is a bit problematic that the jumps do not feel as natural as they do in Super Mario Bros.

Overall, Destruction AllStars is fine, and the fact that it's free for all PS Plus subscribers means it's expected to draw a large influx of players. Whether those players will stay would be another matter entirely.

Multiplayer games like this are often pitted against other high-quality competitive titles. And since Destruction AllStars is free, it is as easy for players to leave this game as it is to pick it up. Still, we recommend giving Destruction AllStars a try. It has enough style to deserve a try.