A heavy cinematic kicks off the new Mad Max video game. It's violent, brutal and gut-wrenching at times, but the perfect way to bring players into the world of chaos brought on by the apocalypse. Few made it through, but for those who did, life is made up of fighting for survival, power and seemingly most importantly, amazing vehicles.
Our hero Max is a family man through and through, intent on escaping the desolate wasteland he's now becoming accustomed to. When we first meet him, he's fighting a losing battle against Scabrous Scrotus - an insane Warlord of Gas Town - losing his car to Scrotus and his minions whilst also almost losing his life. Luckily for Max, he manages to gain the upper hand in a battle against Scrotus, digging a homemade chainsaw-type weapon into Scrotus' forehead, but in doing so making a very dangerous enemy.
So before even moving an inch with the controller's joystick, those unfamiliar with the unconventional world and characters involved in Mad Max are brought right up-to-date. Success isn't going to be an easy task, but those up for a challenge - as most gamers are - should revel in the instant opportunity presented.
Max is instantly a likeable protaganist. One of your first objectives in the game is to stem the flow of blood on a wounded dog so that it might survive - whilst you're surrounded by those who have lost their humanity, there are still glimpses of Max's to ensure he doesn't slip away and become just another one of the cronies you'll battle.
From the off you'll also be introduced to Chumbucket, a likeable at times but creepy at others companion who believes you're the 'Saint', and only person who will be able to help with his personal quests. Though your relationship is never quite a completely friendly one, it's essential to progress.
Combat is quick and easy to pick up on. There's one button to throw punches, another to counter attacks and a third to slide out of the way of attacks which you'd be unable to counter. Prompts come up on-screen when you're about to be on the receiving end of a nasty right hook, which means it's never too difficult to ensure you're staying alive. When that comes to car combat however, things are a little different.
Getting used to some of the sluggish controllers whilst driving your vehicle through the wastelands could take some time for many players. Just when you think you've got the hang of speeding around, you'll try to take a sharp turn and realise you're still a novice. Add a couple of bandits to the mix in their own destroyer machines and it gets a little tricky.
A huge chunk of Mad Max's gameplay is based on not only upgrading Max's look, weapons, skills and armour, but that of the Magnum Opus - your car - which starts off as something relatively weak but can become the greatest weapon the wasteland has ever seen. Nitro boosters, harpoons, spikes and side-mounted flame cannons are just some of the additions you can make to your vehicle - it doesn't take long for you to become attached to your new 'baby'.
And whilst you're flying around looking for collectable scraps and ammo for your weapons, you'll need to keep an eye on both your canteen and fuel gauge. If your canteen runs out of water, finding a water source should be of big importance, whilst fuel cans can also be found scattered at formerly habited base camps, which you'll need to become in possession of if you'd like to keep your vehicle moving.
Mad Max is a game to be played casually rather than as a grind. Those looking to get the best experience should limit play to a couple of hours every day or few days, to escape the rinse and repeat nature of many of the missions that might be brought on halfway through the story.
The creativity behind the title however is something to be applauded. A lot of thought has clearly gone into making this something special, and as an open world game it works extremely well. A game that can make you care about its characters is one that is, for me, an instant success, and one I'll be revisiting for some time.
Mad Max is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Tagged in Mad Max