Mad Max is an open-world action title for Ps4 and Xbox One from Avalanche Studios, very much in the style of the Far Cry series. The game comes hot on the heels of Mad Max Fury Road, the astonishingly good, award-winning film starring Tom Hardy. You play as Max, the bearded wastelander we have all come to know and love. He is on a mission to reclaim both his car and glory from villain Scrotus in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, with the help of his trusty friend and mechanic, Chumbucket. Don't expect much on the storyline front. It's simply not all that enthralling. We've all seen it before. Even the characters aren't very memorable or unique. This adventure is all about gameplay. It's all about checking the boxes, upgrading your weapons, car and equipment, that sort of thing. This approach actually works really well here. That's the sticking point. You never run out of things to do, whether it's conquering a new boss, clearing out some underground mines, defeating a convoy or doing errands for leaders in various territories. Some of it can get repetitive, but the constant feeling of improvement and accomplishment make it worthwhile. Upgrading various components at each stronghold proves to be very helpful. By doing so, you will gain access to free water, free fuel and improved weapons and accessories. As far as weapons go, Max has only a few toys in his arsenal. These include the shotgun, harpoon, thunderpoon, sniper rifle and a couple others. It is the wasteland after all. It is also noteworthy that ammo is very hard to come by.
The combat system is reminiscent of the Arkham series. It doesn't copy it though, it has its own unique style. The exceptional fighting animations make it satisfying to kick your foe's tail. It is always a pleasure to run into some baddies while driving across the desert, because fighting is so fun. It never feels like a chore or drag. I like how you can finish someone off with a shiv too, Tomb Raider style. When Max gains enough momentum, he can enter Fury Mode. That's when combat gets even more awesome. You essentially tun into a beast who can do wrestling moves on enemies, deal double damage and string together more combos. It's pretty amazing. I did come across some control issues where I would hit the correct counter button but Max wouldn't counter. These moments were few and far between though. The real fun in the game is simply scavenging. Looting every camp, nook and cranny is immensely satisfying, primarily because you know upgrades will soon follow. It never got old defeating enemies in each camp, looting everything in the area then darting off to the next location. It's all about checking those boxes and it's a ton of fun. One other gameplay element to note is racing. You can compete in races and challenge other players' best times. It's a cool diversion, but it doesn't stand out as anything great. Visually, the game is beautiful. It's the best-looking desert in any game to date, that's for sure. The character models, vehicles and locations all shine with color and detail. In the audio department, I wish there was more music. It's almost nonexistent. You'll mainly hear the grumbling of your car's exhaust, which can grow annoying after so many hours.
Mad Max is not without its issues. As I previously stated, the story isn't going to pull you in and the characters aren't anything special. One thing that does contribute to the story are things you collect called history relics. These are remnants left behind from the world you once knew and loved. The surrealism behind how different the world was and is now is what gets Max (and the player) emotional. It's quite jarring and adds a lot to the experience as a whole. The combat system is great, but at times it feels like you've done it somewhere before (because you have). The wasteland is divisive because many gamers see emptiness, while others see that as simply the style of the game. I noticed a few bugs, most notably, vehicles randomly disappearing and Max's car is sometimes without sound. These are minor technical issues but they need to be cleaned up. Mad Max seems to be a divisive game overall among gamers. Personally, I had a great time with it. That's saying something, especially considering the fact that I like plot-driven games. The main story along with occasional side quests will take around 35 hours to complete, which is a hefty amount of gameplay, offering a big bang for your buck. Ignore the negative noise and give Mad Max a shot. It may falter in some areas and become repetitive over time, but it's fun and has high replay value. (7/10)