What we know:

The combat racing genre, in which cars fitted with all sorts of outlandish weapons go up against each other in demolition derbies, was practically put on the map by the Twisted Metal franchise.

Now, with the new game, called simply Twisted Metal, David Jaffe and his team at Eat Sleep Play, are trying to recreate the classic experience seen in previous installments like Twisted Metal Black, which is even included as a free bonus in the first production run of upcoming title.

We already know that it will mark a return to the grittier and much more violent roots of the series, as fan favorite characters, including Sweet Tooth, Dollface or Mr. Grimm, will gladly tear each other and their vehicles, to pieces, both in the online and single-player campaign.

In terms of story, the game once again focuses on Calypso’s Twisted Metal tournament, and players can choose a character and lead him or her to one of three possible endings, depending on their actions throughout the campaign.

As most Twisted Metal veterans know, the most fun experience comes from the multiplayer, so the studio spent quite a lot of time on making some truly unique gameplay experiences, including the Nuke mode, where teams need to abduct the leader of their opponents, kill him and then launch a nuclear missile into a chopper carrying the statue of the opposing team.

The multiplayer modes support up to four players locally, via split-screen, and 16 players online. A variety of unique cars and trucks will be available in the new combat racing game and a customization mechanic might also be included.

Why it matters

Twisted Metal entertained legions of gamers from all around the world over the years. Now, under the guidance of David Jaffe and his team, the series is set to make an epic return. While we’ve had plenty of great racing games and even some destruction ones, like Burnout Paradise, there hasn’t been a proper combat racing game this generation.

From what we’ve seen up until now, however, Twisted Metal will bring the genre back to life, so get ready for its release on February 14, in North America, and February 17, in Europe, exclusively for the PlayStation 3.