Cel Damage HD | Xbox One UK Review

The demolition derby returns to Xbox after 15 years – but is it still in pole position?

If you’ve never played the original Cel Damage, then think Wacky Races meets Demolition Derby. That’s as good a shorthand as any for a video game that’s billed as ‘a fast-paced vehicle combat game.’ This latest incarnation is a HD remaster previously available on Playstation 3 and 4, and the Vita. Now it’s out on Xbox One, in all its violently cel-shaded glory.

So what’s it all about?

Cel Damage HD is an offline-only couch co-op; a weaponised destructo-drive-by savagely rendered in the most vibrant colours known to man. Finish Line Games have done a great job of updating the garish graphics for a new generation, which take their inspiration from the Chuck Jones era of cartoon-creation.

A party game that's limited in almost every sense – from the lack of online play to the maps and modes. Cel Damage HD nails the fun aspect, but unlike a road trip from Basildon to Bolton, you won't be in it for the long haul.

The game is genuinely entertaining on a addictively superficial level, though it's desperately crying out for DLC that brings it up to par with its rivals.