One of the biggest games of the year could potentially be Avalanche Studios' video game rendition of Mad Max. The game is an open-world action title with tons of features, lots of customization and great graphics. The title runs at 1080p at 30fps on the Xbox One and PS4, and it scales much higher on PC. While it's not a direct sequel to any of the movies it does share some similarities with the movie-verse.
It's easy for some people to see the game and pass it off as another movie-based game with little appeal or poor quality, but there are some really cool things about this title that make it really standout. In fact, we put together a list of 8 of the coolest things about Mad Max the video game and you can check them out right here.
First-Person Combat
First-person modes are a dime a dozen in most action games. In fact, there are a group of gamers who see “first-person” and instantly tune their interest out of the game. However, sometimes a game can implement the mode and it adds a whole new dynamic to the way the game is played and experienced. Mad Max is one of those games where the first-person combat adds a whole new dynamic to the action, especially while you're tearing up the desert roads in Max's Magnum Opus. You get a really gritty, visceral depiction of the combat and driving in Mad Max while in the first-person mode and it's a great feature to help compliment a game already packed to the rim with features.
Hunting Convoys & Scavenging
Max has to stay alive in the wasteland by any means necessary, this means finding food, armor and fuel for his ride. One of the ways of keeping Max in tip-top shape is scrounging through the wasteland for derelict structures or abandoned vehicles. You can retrieve scrap metal to make new gear, craft ammo or weapon upgrades, or increase the combat effectiveness of your Magnum Opus. You'll also need a very capable vehicle in the wasteland to take on some of the random convoys that carry supplies throughout the game world. These convoys require players to track their movements, setup an effective strategy to attack them and, of course, engage in an actual fast-paced combat experience in an attempt to reap the rewards of the convoy. They're randomly placed so there's always going to be a reason to scout the roads for supply opportunities.
Dust Effects
It may not seem like much but the dust effects in Mad Max are some of the best environmental effects featured in a game. A lot of racing games don't always put these kind of effects at the forefront of their design, and only few games have managed to do smoke and dust effects right. Gran Turismo 5 had some impressive tire smoke effects and Codemaster's upcoming Dirt Rally also captures the effect with great realism. However, it's Avalanche Studios' Mad Max that actually adds a striking element of realism to the dust kick-up and the way the cars rip through the post-apocalyptic desert roads. These dust effects also play a role in the game's real-time weather and wind simulation that sees dust storms kick up in similar fashion to what was featured in Fury Road.
Cinematic Lighting
Kicking up dust might seem trivial, but combining it with the cinematic lighting borrowed from George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road gives Avalanche Studio's open-world action title a really striking look. The game's lighting and color grading gives it the look of a film at times and straight away it's easy to tell that you're looking at a Mad Max game in action once you see the dusty orange hues and sand-drenched saturation in play. Avalanche Studios really went out of their way to ensure that the game – whether you're driving around during the day or the night – an awesome film quality to the renderer. While a lot of games have a gun-metal, military-brown to their lighting scheme, Mad Max goes in a completely different direction and it really pays off in helping the game stand out from the herd.
Vehicular Combat
In Mad Max a large portion of the gameplay relies on the intensity of car combat and there's no way you can have effective vehicular carnage in the wastelands of Australia without twisted metal, dented doors, ripped off roofs and satisfying explosions. In the case of Avalanche Studios' open-world post-apocalyptic action title, they manage to not only have great looking bumping and shunting but they also managed to include explosions mirrored after the vehicular combat and the wreckage caused in Fury Road. In addition to this they added elements of slow-motion, debris flying everywhere and some of the best flaming effects I've seen in a game. The core of the game is to be a road warrior and this aspect of the title has be a prime example of what makes the game cool based on what's been showcased so far.
Customization Features
Blowing up cars, and causing massive wrecks out in the middle of nowhere is only part of the fun of dabbling in the quad-wheel antics of Mad Max. Another huge part of the game is in the customization aspects. You can change and alter just about every important facet of the gameplay experience, from Max's weapons and his look, to his vehicle and everything that goes on it and in it. You can modify the engine, the tires, the paint job, the livery, the decals, and even the ride height. The game offers an extensive amount of customization and anyone who loves micromanagement, stat scaling and unlocking new abilities will love the deep RPG mechanics featured in the game.
Limitless Map
One of the other features revealed for the game that has gone somewhat under explored is the fact that there are no limits to the map in Mad Max. Let me repeat that: there are no limits to the map in Mad Max. Outside of the main points of interest contained within the standard map region, the developers revealed that if you want, it's completely possible to just drive far and deep into the wasteland without hitting any boundaries. The only drawback is that there are limited resources in the game and Max will have to maintain his food and fuel meter, so essentially you can drive about as far as both the car and the fuel will allow you. I would almost be willing to bet that there's bound to be some Easter Eggs scattered out in the farthest reaches of the wasteland.
Melee Combat
There's been a lot of talk about the vehicle combat, the effects and the driving, but one of the other cool features of the upcoming open-world action title is the ability to get out of the car and beat the crap out of any and everyone. Just like in the old game Sega game Outlander, it's completely possible to get out of the Magnum Opus, scavenge for supplies and even get into fist fights. Max has an extensive array of melee moves that can also be upgraded throughout the game. You can also get hold of weapons and use them in battle as well. It definitely adds some variety to the gameplay if you get tired of driving and blowing things up all the time.
The Interceptor
One of the most iconic things from the first two Mad Max films is the V8 Ford Interceptor, Max's trusty car that he uses to dispense revenge on evil doers. It wasn't featured in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and it had a brief cameo in Mad Max: Fury Road, but sadly the celebrated vehicle rarely got a lot of screen time after the original two films... until now. While the Interceptor originally gets stolen at the beginning of Mad Max the game, you can actually retrieve the bodykit for it and customize it to look like the original one from the films. Finally, after 35 years we finally get to drive around and vicariously live out the life of a road warrior in one of the most badass pieces of motorized machinery in the history of cinema. It may not mean much to new-school gamers but it's a dream come true for fans of George Miller's first two films.
