Insomniac's "Sunset Overdrive" is a crass, irreverent open-world action game that blends the grinding of "Jet Grind Radio" with the zombie mayhem of "Dead Rising". Made by the creators of "Ratchet and Clank", it contains some of the craziest weapons ever featured in a third-person shooter. The game itself is a colorful, highly-inventive blast-a-thon in which the player must always be on the move or risk being the victim of a quick death. Like in a Tony Hawk game, constant movement and combos are the keys to quickly scoring points. And customization is a big thing in "Sunset Overdrive" as you can change your character's gender, appearance, costumes, weapons, upgrades and accessories. Over-the-top designs straight out of "SSX Tricky" and "Saints Row" are what you'll get in "Overdrive".
While the profane language and sexual references are off-putting, the game's campaign is a lot of fun. Many players might find the controls to be difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll have a blast grinding around the city. The world of "Sunset" is a bright and vibrant one complete with a colorful art style and a uniquely designed map. The animations are fluid and inventive and the special-effects are outstanding. While the "meat-and-potatoes" of the game is the single player, multiplayer is also fun if a bit limited. Its cooperative missions are scored on a competitive basis as you protect "bases" from the zombies and win by getting the highest score on the team. Maps and modes are rotated as you play.
While "Sunset Overdrive" is not for everyone, it's certainly a fun experience once you master the controls. Fans of "Jet Grind Radio" will especially appreciate it. And while it may not be a masterpiece, this is still one of the better Xbox One exclusives. It's unique, frantic and fun. I'd rank it with an 8.3 out of 10.