As a Twisted Metal fan, this is a personal favorite!
The next problem would have to be plots themselves. The plots for each character weren't held so well together. The only we, the gamers, are practically told is the character's wish. The only one with an actually good story would have to be Calypso, since the game is based off of a conflict between him and Sweet Tooth.
Basically, the only thing 989 Studios messed up on in this game is the cinematics. Some were good enough for me, but I don't think they deserve to take the cake. The introductory one was good though cause it meshed good detail in the animations, added effects, such as a Sepia or Black and White tone, as well as a good plot to kick off the game. Other than that, the rest just didn't make the cut.
Now as for the gameplay in itself, it is safe to say it was spectacular! The levels were designed very well, the cars look wonderful, the sound was crisp and clear and the performance of the engine, overall, was plausible.
For the time this game was born, this game sure delivered what it needed to for the Twisted Metal franchise. Whenever I play on a level, I don't get angry because of any errors, bugs, or glitches, because there are none (to my knowledge.) Unlike it's predecessor, Twisted Metal 3, your car does not flip over so easily, allowing you to play without worrying if you'll flip over and become an open target for your enemy. And, in case you do, the game was made to flip the car almost instantaneously so that you can continue playing with little to no hassle. Though it is not realistic, it prevents any frustration a player would get from such an issue.
The A.I. is also very well-made. They aren't ridiculously over-powered and are actually quite fair. You do have a chance to escape alive even if you're on the brink of death, just so long as you know when it's time to pull out of the fight (or use what you have to use.) They also don't try to gang up on you, which, for being a free-for-all game, should be just that. Other games, however, have that odd tendency where the enemies won't try to really shoot at each other even if it's completely implied that you're playing a free-for-all game variant. For first timers to the game, the A.I. is not a hassle at all (with the exception of a higher difficulty.)
As for the levels, they are very well crafted. After about a few times playing them, you really start to learn the maps pretty quick. They are as complex as you will allow them to be. All one would need to do is to experiment to learning this complexity. The first time around, you wouldn't know where a portal(s) will lead you, but after a few times going through that/ those portal(s), you'll know where you'll end up. Now there are hidden sections in the map, some that you have to destroy a barrier or a wall to access, but you'll actually have them kind of opened for you, for the A.I. tend to shoot these barriers down sometimes. Again, after a few times looking around and seeing what's where, you begin to learn the map so well, that you begin to remember it more than the back of your own hand.
Then, there are the vehicles you get to play as. This is where Twisted Metal 4 really kicks in as being much better than all other Twisted Metals, even the most recent ones. Now, as any Twisted Metal player could note is that Twisted Metal tends to use the same vehicles over and over again between games, which is true and actually quiet admirable. However, Twisted Metal 4 adds nearly an entire new roster of characters. Sure, they are solely based off of the previous characters from previous games, but they are different, some completely new. On top of that, you can also unlock boss characters to play as as well. Unfortunately, the developers didn't add any sort of story or bio behind the boss characters, but the fact that you have more options kind of makes up for it. Finally, you not only get to play as developed characters, but also custom-made characters which was a feature only applied to Twisted Metal 4. The customization wasn't really as large as one would expect, especially during this era of gaming, but it's enough to be content with. You get to choose such attributes as the size, style, and color as well as a "yes or no" additional accessory option.
The vehicles, for its time, were crafted very well and look very nice. Though they are still a bit blocky, it was a large improvement over the previous Twisted Metals, especially with light reflecting off of the vehicles to add a nice "glossy" look. The driving and maneuvering are very easy to work with with some cars being faster and others being easier to handle, a balance of both or something in between. And, for controlling a vehicle for this game, it is indeed important that you can actually drive the car and handle it well, rather than lose control in the blink of an eye.
Finally, the sound and music really set a good tone or feeling of what's going on. You'll occasionally hear missles flying when there's a battle between two or more cars going on and silence when it's just you on one end of the level and the enemy on the other end. The sounds really add the effect of how powerful something is whether it be far or near. It helps you know where your attack is going or where you're enemy is attacking you from and it really just fits the weapon itself correctly. Then, of course, the music was also a correctly implemented in this game. The songs really fit the levels you're on. For example, in an urban area, you'd hear hip-hop, in an ancient, death-bound looking maze, it would be kind of quiet and eerie. It all comes together quite nice between battling and subtlety.
This game is indeed a spectacle to play. It take you back to the era of the late 90's early 2000's when game began to start getting all the action and elements together to make it more intense and immersive. I highly recommend this game to anyone and everyone of all ages, hence I played the first Twisted Metal when I was five years old. It is indeed a "cleaner" game with not as much gore, swearing, etc. as many "good" games today. Personally, if any form of media can be likable without these kinds of lures, it's definitely worth giving a try at least.