What The Critics Are Saying About Destruction AllStars

PlayStation recently announced that Destruction AllStars, a new multiplayer battle royale game from Lucid Games, would be featured in February's lineup of free PS Plus games, along with Control: Ultimate Edition. The game supports up to 16 online players in a chaotic, violent competition where gamers attempt to destroy each other's outrageous vehicles. In the world of Destruction AllStars, competitors fight to entertain the masses and win eternal fame, which sounds exciting, to say the least. Now that Destruction AllStars is available on the PS5, critics have delivered their opinions on this new destructive game. 

Reviews have admittedly been delayed on Destruction AllStars because, as Ari Notis reports for Kotaku, critics weren't provided with advance copies of the game. Everyone, including reviewers, are now experiencing the game in real-time. That didn't stop Notis from enjoying the ride, though. He wrote that while his "initial feelings for the game are all over the place," it's ultimately "chaotic, but entertaining." He noted that Destruction AllStars treads the same path as many other battle royale style games. 

Notis also compared the game to Overwatch and Rocket League, but notes that it also breaks new ground in its creative use of the PS5's haptic feedback, which he called "intense."

Toby Durant of RacingGames.gg called the gameplay of Destruction AllStars "electric," and praised the game's variety of player characters. That being said, Durant also commented on the game's lack of in-depth single-player options, and noted that Destruction AllStars is best suited for groups of friends and streamers who frequently play online. However, that one drawback didn't stop Durant from rating Destruction AllStars a nine out of ten.

Writing for Critical Hit, Darryn Bonthuys didn't have a glowing view of Destruction AllStars, and called the game a bad example of what the PS5's technical capabilities. Bonthuys did concede that Destruction AllStars was a "fun diversion," and that the short match times make it easy for players to pick up a quick game on their lunch break. Bonthuys also predicted that the game will probably look different after a year of growth, and might even morph into a different experience entirely. 

Sam Makovich of Ars Technica delivered a similar review, noting that Destruction AllStars, while fun, does not live up to the $70 price tag Sony originally placed on the game. Makovich dubbed the four different play modes as "shallow," but said the game was worth grabbing through PS Plus.