Mad Max Reviews
If there weren't balances to these rather significant downers, the game would suffer greatly, but with the story picking up near the end, the driving being fun and the drive to customize both Max and the Magnum Opus being truly motivating, the game ends up being a fun, but not great experience.
If the non-vehicular segments were on par, we'd have had a classic on our hands. But sadly they aren't, and we don't. Mad Max is at its best when you're hurling through the desert with a pack of murderous bandits on your tail, but the on-foot portion of the game feels derivative and largely uninspired.
As you wander the desert on the lookout for pieces of scrap, your enjoyment will feel like it's on a downward trajectory the longer that you play. As a result, you'll try to spend as much time as you can racing across its beautifully realised wasteland, while avoiding anything that pulls you from behind the wheel.
The road warrior provides a thrilling adventure, but the rust-ridden story can't keep up with the chase
Avalanche's take on George Miller's post-apocalyptic wasteland is replete with striking visuals, basically enjoyable busywork, and not much else.
Mad Max offers great car combat and some gorgeous scenery, but with simplistic fighting mechanics and tedious activities, it quickly loses its luster.
Mad Max isn't going to be a game I call a must buy on release date or even something you must play. It's definitely worth giving a try because it can be quite fun to play at times. I liked the customization features for both Max and the cars, and I thought the game managed to be familiar but have a unique take on different things like combat for example. Although my thoughts of the game started strong, they dropped more and more as I advanced through the game. I'd say for now to hold off on your purchase until it drops in price.
There's nothing inherently wrong with Mad Max, it just doesn't excel in enough areas to really stand out from the crowd. The cost-per-hour brigade will find plenty to love I'm sure; Avalanche have created a game where there's tons to do, but Mad Max is open-world by numbers, following the Ubisoft template too rigidly for comfort. Shadow of Mordor has already filled the hole Mad Max is trying to occupy, and for Mad Max to really succeed it had to bring something new to the table, which it emphatically hasn't. If you're still not tired of the collect-em-all open-world formula then you'll definitely get a kick out of Mad Max, but for the rest of us it feels like an opportunity wasted beyond the first few, sweet, hours.
'Mad Max' is a decent open world experience. It checks all the boxes for what is expected with a game in this genre, but doesn't bring much new to the table. Max's ride and sidekick are important high points, and a love for the film series helps. The game does have heart and some great vehicular combat; it's just missing some body work.
Mad Max is obviously a licence close to my heart, and The Road Warrior is my favourite tale in the franchise, so it could be considered unfair to have judged the game how I have, but there are definitely some glaring issues here that make the product schizophrenic in its licence representation. When applying played-out tropes, however, it actually works through the game's size and goals, and is easy to enjoy -- just as long as you forget the past and embrace the present.
It's not that Mad Max is bad. It's just the latest in a long line of Ubisoft-template open-world games.
A solid sandbox adventure, lacking in the chaos and madness that the title and license would suggest.
An almost equal number of significant pros and cons make Mad Max an interesting and polarizing title. Ultimately, it's a game I would recommend, but with some due caution as described in the article.
Mad Max has its ragged edges, relying too much on not-so-optional side activities, but it's a fast, thrilling open-world action game that captures the spirit of the George Miller films. Bad timing makes it unlikely that it will be this year's Shadows of Mordor, but if so it won't be for a lack of effort, quality or style.
Overall, Mad Max is a game that's solid but could've used just one more extra push to really reach its true potential. Folks who are burnt out from standard open world gameplay or don't like driving won't get as much bang for the buck from it. If you love great car combat and wandering around a large sandbox while checking off side missions, however, this is a game you'll get lots of extra mileage from.
While it's a jack of all trades and master of none, there is a distinct charm inherent with Avalanche Studios' take on Mad Max and provided you can get it cheaper than its full price listing you could certainly do a lot worse.
A chaotic dust bowl of an open world, rendered and recorded with Avalanche's usual technical excellence on PC. Like Max's car some parts are a little ramshackle, but if you stick to causing bedlam there's plenty of fun to be had.
Mad Max's narrative may not be as tight or progressive as Fury Road's, but the addictive leveling system and intense combat in and out of the car make the game irresistible for fans of the franchise.
[M]uch like the Max of the movies, there's something about this road warrior to which I've become attached.
Every component of Mad Max is at least satisfactory: at best, fantastic. While it mostly relies on a tried and tired Ubisoft-open-world formula, the exhilarating car combat, the gleeful punk-rock absurdity of its world and the characters that populate it, and its almost flawless presentation make it something more than the sum of its well worn parts.