Auto Destruct

Auto Destruct

Overview & History

Released in 1997 exclusively for the Sony PlayStation by developer Paradigm Entertainment and publisher Electronic Arts, Auto Destruct drops players into a grim, dystopian future controlled by a tyrannical military-industrial complex. You assume the role of Jax, a wrongfully imprisoned rebel framed for treason, who is forced to pilot a heavily armed, shape-shifting combat vehicle known as the "E.L.F." across desolate, hostile terrains to exact revenge and dismantle the regime. Blending vehicular combat with open-zone vehicular exploration, the game stands out for its ambitious pseudo-3D physics, destructible environments, and gritty cyberpunk aesthetic, offering a distinct arcade-style vehicular rampage that predates the modern open-world driving boom.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around high-octane vehicular combat across massive, sprawling sandbox levels populated by enemy tanks, gun turrets, and heavily guarded checkpoints. The signature mechanic is the E.L.F.'s ability to transform dynamically on the fly between a high-speed wheeled racer, a hovering craft capable of strafing, and a bipedal walker mode designed for navigating treacherous platforming sections and tight urban ruins. Players must manage a relentless barrage of secondary weapons—including homing missiles, land mines, and plasma mortars—while racing against a ticking time bomb mechanism embedded in Jax's vehicle, meaning rapid objective completion and precise driving are paramount to survival.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Steer Vehicle / Aim Turret
• Action Keys: Accelerate, Brake, Transform, Fire Weapons
• Enter: Start / Pause