A romp in the unhinged universe of 'Mad Max'

There is a word all reporters are taught to avoid: iconic.

 

Mad Max

For: PS4, Xbox One, PC
From: Warner Bros
Rating: (R16)
Four stars (out of five)

 

But sometimes, as in the case of reviewing a game loosely based on the Mad Max films, it is the only label that really applies.

Everything in Mad Max screams ''iconic''.

From the wind- and sand-swept vistas, to the rusty machinery, to the vicious and unhinged enemies, this is a loving tribute to the film series that made Mel Gibson a star and got its reboot earlier this year.

Though I should point out the game is not strictly based on the movies, but on the Mad Max ''universe''.

It's an old-fashioned post-apocalyptic romp that never makes you think too hard but always finds something fun for you to do.

You play (surprise!) Max, whose overriding quest in the lonely wasteland is to find the stuff he needs to build his dream car, the wonderfully-named Magnum Opus.

To progress, he largely has three activities: driving, fighting and scavenging.

The driving side is a huge chunk of the game.

You start with a basic rust-bucket, but can find and store new vehicles, and upgrade them with dozens of weapons and tools.

Think nitrous, ramming grills and mounted cannons.

Yep.

Vehicular combat is also a big part of it.

As you quietly hum along the desert tracks, you are frequently assailed by scumbags in a variety of bizarre cars, which you can ram and slide into and shoot until they (or you) explode.

The driving mechanics are smooth, and the sensation of speed excellent, but the combat side of it can get a little clunky.

On foot, the fighting system utilises a simple and effective method of tapping a button to duck, and following up with some fisticuffs, unless you have any spare ammo - and that is in extremely short supply.

Here's where the scavenging system comes in.

Max is forever running out of bullets, scrap metal to upgrade his cars, fuel, and water, and must constantly dig in and around various abandoned buildings and camps to find loot.

It's a common part of every game of its type, but adds a nice exploration element to the game.

Max is your classic loner but he does have some company along the way - the splendid Chumbucket, a keen hunchback who is a loyal companion and handy mechanic.

Mad Max slips into repetition at times but everything is so well done, you hardly ever notice, and it does a great job at capturing the spirit of the movies.