I’m going to cut straight to the chase here and tell you that Cel Damage HD’s biggest flaw is the complete lack of any online multiplayer mode. Its a crazy, chaotic car combat game that could thrive among small communities and groups but instead the game is a short, fun little game that ultimately comes across as a massive waste of an opportunity.
Based on the European release of the original game, the game features a tweaked combat system from its original North American release and as such includes a health system rather than the one hit kill of the original version. While the health bar system does make the game overall a lot fairer, the lost feeling of destroying and dominating a match by gunning everyone down with a machine gun is sorely missed, even if it was ridiculously overpowered. At least give me the option to turn on one hits if nothing else! The game also includes the stunt system for obtaining a brief speed boost that was not seen in the original conception and it fits right mostly. For the majority of the time the faster paced action fits in perfectly but occasionally the additional speed boost can throw you off an edge unexpectedly or get you trapped on a piece of the scenery but for the most part it works well and when it works correctly and thrusts you from last place to first in a race, you’ll be glad of its inclusion.
All of the 16 characters and 3 game modes are retained from the original, the game modes being death match, capture the flags and circuit racing and the graphical style of the game holds up very well due to the cel shaded, cartoony look and the gameplay whilst simplistic is fairly fun and enjoyable. Its a short game though as after three brief play sessions I had managed to earn a gold medal on all of the stages with my character of choice and with no desire to repeat the process with any of the others on offer, you’ll have had enough of the single player modes just as it ends.
And so the issue with not including any online multiplayer becomes clear. With no need or want to play through the same stages multiple times with various characters the game runs out of steam fairly quickly. Its the type of game which I could have seen prospering with small communities of faithful players online but unfortunately the potential was wasted. The opportunity squandered and the hopes of the game living on beyond its surprise HD remastering gone with the wind.