Carmageddon Thoughts

The Carmageddon series from Interplay is a different kind of racing game. How different? Try a racing game where running over people is just as important as trying to win the race. Yeah... brutal. It was a racing game series where you're rewarded for running over people with you points and time bonuses. The concept is "racing is boring. Racing while running over people- yeah!" I have my own thoughts to share on this series.

This game series is noted for graphic violence and blood.

NOTE: This blog post is NOT a review! Because I've never played the full version of any of the Carmageddon series, that's why this post is on THOUGHTS of this game and this series.

--- Carmageddon at a Glance ---

^ from: www.amazon.com - Carmageddon is all about racing, but it also rewards you for destroying your opposition and running over pedestrians.

Vehicular mayhem is a trademark of most hardcore-type racing games. Carmageddon took vehicular mayhem to a new level- a new level where running over people is just as imperative to mayhem than any wheel-to-wheel racing. Cars take an intense amount of damage and are quite durable.

The developer of the Carmageddon series is Stainless Games. Three versions of Carmageddon have been long available for the PC, starting with the very first game released in 1997. "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now" was relased in 1998. The final classic Carmageddon title was called "Carmageddon: Total Destruction Racing 2000," or more commonly called "Carmageddon: TDR 2000." Recently, the Carmageddon series was reborn with a title called "Carmageddon: Reincarnation." This 2012 title funded successfully by a Kickstarter will deliver most of the same insanity that has made this series so iconic. Get a preview of this title by visiting Carmageddon's website or by viewing this video: "Carmageddon 2012 Reincarnation Confirmed" - YouTube. Besides the PC, there have also been Carmageddon versions for the Nintendo 64 (Carmageddon 64) and the Game Boy Color (Carmageddon).

Racing... or Lack Thereof.

In races, running over pedestrians adds to your score and even gives you time bonuses. When I played the demo of the very first Carmageddon, I picked up big time bonuses by running over people. Time runs out pretty fast as you're trying to clear checkpoints. So what you had to do was a combination of finding shortcuts, take out other racers, and of course- run over pedestrians. And when you run over pedestrians, they don't just magically disappear from the screen- you leave them bloodied and broken. You can run over any pedestrian trying to save their lives from getting run over. If they share the same road that you're racing on, they are fair game. Everyone from younger people to old people are featured as pedestrians. It leads to an experience that is one of the sickest in the history of racing games.


Having said these things, here are thoughts of mine on this series. And as a precaution- I apologize if I lose the respect of my audience in expressing my thoughts. They are truthful comments of mine regardless.

--- Final Thoughts on the Carmageddon Series ---

There is a reason people loved this game series- it offered something different apart from regular racing. Carmageddon could have just been some other mundane racing game offering the thrill of high speed and intense car mayhem. It would have been just another boring racing game all about racing and speed. Just adding the element of fierce racing battle and driving over pedestrians gave this game some character and some personality to separate itself from other racing games.

Having said this, however, there is a saying I follow- different doesn't always mean better. As a racing game series, the Carmageddon games are tough as they are. I actually feel sickened as a veteran of racing games playing Carmageddon. Doing no-holds-barred racing while also being rewarded for running over pedestrians just makes me feel terrible inside. Adding in the element of running over people (and rewarding it) just makes this one of the sickest and most barbaric racing game series of all time. I find no joy in playing this game just to race the way you do while also running over people. If that makes me less of a person to admit that playing a game like this, then I'm sorry. If it makes me less of a person to admit being squeamish about playing a racing game that rewards vehicular manslaughter of pedestrians, then I guess that makes me less of a person. I'm sorry that I am not the seriously casual racing fan who cares more about things BESIDES actual racing rather than proper racing. I've played violent shooting games and action games before. However with racing/driving games, the intent is on RACING. So I feel sickened having to play a racing game by running over people for bonuses and points.

I've seen rally races where fans get dangerously close to the action trying to photograph their rally racing heroes or get as close as possible to them. Some rally stages get canceled when too many fans flock to a part of the course. This is done for safety purposes. In the world of Carmageddon, you get too close to the action, you may get run over; and that driver may be rewarded for running over a poor soul who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Imagine if you were trying to teach elements of Carmageddon to people. You would teach that it's okay to run over people in regards to drivers. You would teach to pedestrians that you should have no business being in the middle of racing action by putting yourself on track with cars at speed. Yes- Carmageddon is just a game. However, its values and its atmosphere are purely disgusting.

Let's compare Carmageddon to a different racing game series- Burnout. At least in the Burnout games, there is actual racing involved, and the vehicular mayhem doesn't involve running over people. It is different in the Burnout realm because civilian traffic in major cities is a target as opposed to pedestrians running for their lives trying to get out of the way of the crazy racers racing on the track.

Video Previews.

I try to keep my blog as world-friendly (my term of "safe for work") as possible. Videos are usually embedded. Since the Carmageddon games are intensely violent, I will only show you video LINKS to the videos. Remember that you are viewing these links at your own risk. So make sure it's okay for you to view these videos wherever you may be:

• Carmageddon Intro Movie « the introduction to the first Carmageddon
• Carmageddon 1 (1997) « gameplay sample of Carmageddon
• Carmageddon 2 Intro Movie « Carmageddon 2 intro
• Carmageddon 2 : Carpocalypse Now for PC Gameplay video « gameplay sample for "Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now"
• Carmageddon 3 TDR 2000 [GAMEPPLAY BY GSTG] « gameplay sample of Carmageddon 3


Now you know my thoughts on the Carmageddon series. Feel free to agree or disagree.





If you love the Carmageddon series, let me point you towards getting this game for your PC. I'll only focus on the PC games here.



For more information on Carmageddon, visit www.carmageddon.com. Happy shopping!





That is all. Now you know my thoughts on this franchise. Thank you for reading!

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