Cars with guns become humanity’s last line of defense against the rogue AI Helios inChaos on Wheels, transforming a vehicular destruction game into society’s last-ditch effort to stop a robot menace. As expected in a game that highlights car-on-car mayhem,Chaos on Wheelswill have players outfit their car with a multitude of weapons and armor, glossed with the occasional paint job so the evil robot forces know what hit them.
However,Chaos on Wheelsgameplay goes beyond the usual “guns on top of cars” mechanic, as the title boasts a multitude of features to enhance the overall experience. While players have access to multiple gun armaments, the game also offers other interactive components to amp up the challenge in theirvehicular destructiontitle. Dominik Čondić of Acodeon recently spoke with Game Rantabout the intricacies of vehicular mayhem inChaos on Wheelscombat.
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Car Focus Streamlines Mechanics
Despite taking inspiration from classics such asTwisted MetalandCarmageddon,Čondić is quick to point out thatChaos on Wheelswon’t offer multiple vehicle types at launch. While toppinga vehicle with a machine gun screams Sweet Tooth,Chaos on Wheelsand its characters’ heroic struggle against an AI overlord needs more precision to offer a more enjoyable challenge.
I prefer to say thatChaos on Wheelsis a car combat game rather than a vehicle combat game, because we don’t have helicopters or tanks, and all we have are cars.
However, the lack of specialized vehicles in favor of car-on-car destruction paved the way for more streamlined mechanics in the game. UnlikeTwisted Metalgameplaywhere armaments are divided between exclusive car abilities and weapon pickups, players can rig their car inChaos on Wheelswith up to four weapon types, not including potential pickups. As Čondić explains, specific parts of any car are reserved for both armor and weapon components. On the roof of the car are a main gun (LMB) and standard rockets (RMB), both of which players can manually aim. At the front of the car are two other guns (CTRL) which fire based on the car’s general direction. All cars also have the option to fire homing missiles (Q).
While the excessive weapons seem like overkill at first, they coincide with the game’s penchant for sheer environmental destruction. In both the arcade Chaos Career and story-based Chaos Campaign modes, players fight not just hordes of AI-controlled cars but also stationary turrets that provide extra hazards in the environment. Players can further enhance their cars’ destructive capabilities with pickups and Driver Abilities. Each of the Drivers within the game’s roster offers special buffs such as Nitro and Shields (SHIFT), while Special Rocket pickups can imbue the RMB Rocket with specific effects. The amount of potential armament combinations inside and outside combat ties into the game’s emphasis on car customization.
The Pursuit Of Customizable Chaos
Čondić adds that customization is one of the key areas they want to develop further after the game’s launch. With the amount of options available for weapons and armor, it’s not uncommon for players to enjoy the Chaos Garage more than the mayhem of the gameplay modes. According to Čondić, the team wants to implement additional options such as special decals and more armor variety. Whileshooting a carremoves its armor visuals over time, Acodeon wants to implement destructible armor attached to certain parts of the vehicle.
Twisted Metalbecame a key inspiration towardsChaos on Wheelsgearing up for a more customizable experience. Čondić recalled enjoyingTwisted Metalas a child, but he often recalled wanting to customize the way his cars looked. This desire tied into Čondić’s main advice forChaos on Wheelsplayers, whose pursuit of the ideal car-busting vehicle may simply be a matter of preference.
Just think of what you like! Do you want a big car? Do you like a small car? Choose whatever you like and make it look pretty - pick your colors, pick your guns, and just click everything you see in the Chaos Garage and see what happens. Once you know how to build your car, just build your dream car!
Chaos on Wheelsreleases October 20 release for PC. It’s currently in Early Access onSteam.
