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Mad Max: A Wasteland Wanderer’s Paradise
Contents
The Mad Max franchise, a cinematic masterpiece spanning decades under the direction of George Miller, resonated deeply with movie enthusiasts. While Mad Max: Fury Road reignited mainstream interest after a 30-year hiatus, the gaming world remained largely unfamiliar with the wasteland wanderer. A NES top-down action game from 1990 marks the sole official Mad Max game release, leaving the post-apocalyptic gaming landscape to titles inspired by the series, like Fallout, Wasteland, and Borderlands.
This backdrop fueled skepticism surrounding Avalanche Studios’ Mad Max game. Released three months after Fury Road, it faced the daunting task of carving its own identity while competing with the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Despite assurances that it wasn’t a movie tie-in, the simultaneous release with such a major title, orchestrated by Warner Bros, posed a significant challenge. Could Mad Max forge its own path to Valhalla, or would it be lost in the wasteland of mediocrity?
Max looking out over the wasteland
A Road Paved with Fire and Sand
Another day dawns in the wasteland. The roar of an engine fades into the dust as Max, once again, finds himself without his iconic V8 Interceptor. Enter the Magnum Opus, currently resembling a pile of scrap metal, a far cry from the majestic War Rig. Yet, this vehicle, along with the eccentric mechanic Chumbucket, becomes your inseparable companion for the next 30 hours in this treacherous desert.
Mad Max shines not just in its vehicular combat but also in its character progression system. This system extends beyond Max himself to encompass the Magnum Opus. Initially, the Magnum Opus handles like a makeshift tractor, slow, unwieldy, and prone to falling apart. However, each upgrade, from chassis and armor to tires, engine, and weaponry like the harpoon, flamethrower, and “handheld” rockets, transforms the Magnum Opus into a formidable wasteland machine.
Max driving the Magnum Opus
With over 15 customizable parts, 50 upgrades, and the “Archangel” system offering countless customization paths, investing time in your vehicle yields significant rewards, especially during the explosive and action-packed vehicular combat sequences that define the Mad Max experience.
But Mad Max is more than just a grizzled man and his car. The game’s open world presents a vast landscape littered with objectives. If you’re weary of the ubiquitous open-world formula, Mad Max might not be for you. It embraces many of the genre’s conventions, offering little in the way of innovation. However, this is also its strength. The game doesn’t strive to be a masterpiece like Metal Gear Solid V. Instead, it focuses on refining its core strengths.
The map is divided into five regions, four controlled by allied Strongholds and the fifth, Gas Town, ruled by Scabrous Scrotus, son of Immortal Joe. Your journey involves aiding allies in repelling Scrotus’s forces through various activities. Lowering the “threat” level unlocks Magnum Opus upgrades, while completing Challenges enhances Max’s Legend rank, granting him new abilities.
Max fighting enemies
Progress requires Scrap, the game’s primary currency. Collecting Scrap entails traversing the wasteland, leaving a trail of destruction in your wake. From sabotaging oil refineries and raiding convoys to hunting down Top Dogs, participating in lawless Death Runs, and completing unique Wasteland Missions, the gameplay loop, while repetitive, provides a lengthy and engaging experience.
Fists of Fury and Highway Havoc
Mad Max excels in its two core combat mechanics: hand-to-hand combat and vehicular combat. The melee combat system, reminiscent of the Batman Arkham series, is brutal and visceral. Unlike Batman’s graceful fighting style, Max’s combat is raw and unforgiving. Improvisation is key, as encounters can quickly escalate into chaotic brawls.
Highway combat presents a different kind of challenge, often pitting you against overwhelming odds. Skillful driving is crucial for survival. Ramming, sideswiping, using Thunderpoons to dismantle unarmored vehicles, incinerating enemies with the flamethrower, and utilizing the harpoon to rip off tires, doors, or even drivers are just a few of the tools at your disposal.
Max standing next to the Magnum Opus
After 22 hours, completing the main storyline revealed a surprising statistic: only 35% of the game’s content had been explored. This speaks volumes about the game’s depth and replayability.
A Wasteland of Beauty
The vastness of Mad Max‘s world is impressive, but its surprising diversity is what truly captivates. The seemingly monotonous desert landscape reveals a rich tapestry of environments, from scorching sand dunes to gray and brown mountains. Strongholds and camps are nestled within the wreckage of ships, nuclear power plants, oil refineries, sulfurous swamps, and the remnants of a lost civilization.
The wasteland in Mad Max evokes a sense of grandeur and authenticity rarely seen in other post-apocalyptic games. Neither Fallout nor RAGE captures the gritty, chaotic, and dreamlike essence of the wasteland quite like Mad Max.
Max in the desert
Narrative Shortcomings
The Mad Max films have never adhered to a strict canon, and the game follows suit. Despite minor connections to Fury Road, the game’s narrative feels superficial for the first 75% of the gameplay. The plot only gains momentum towards the end with a predictable twist.
The characters also present a problem. While the Mad Max world is inherently “mad,” the game’s overreliance on eccentric personalities creates a sense of caricature. Even Chumbucket, the seemingly sanest character, is a fanatic obsessed with the Magnum Opus, viewing Max as a saint destined to fulfill the vehicle’s potential.
Allied characters in the Strongholds make fleeting appearances in the main story and Wasteland Missions but play insignificant roles in Max’s journey. The female lead, Hope, suffers from the tired “damsel in distress” trope, and her interactions with Max feel awkward and lack natural chemistry.
Conclusion: A Worthy Wasteland Adventure
Despite its narrative flaws, Mad Max delivers a compelling open-world experience. The vehicular combat is exhilarating, the upgrade system is rewarding, and the wasteland itself is a breathtakingly beautiful and diverse environment. While it may not reinvent the open-world genre, Mad Max successfully captures the spirit of the franchise, offering a unique and engaging journey through a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
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