Mad Max: Fury Road turned out to be one of the biggest movies of 2015. That’s saying a lot, considering all that was out there. Of course, being a popular movie also means tie-ins, like video games. But these releases are as much cash-ins as they are tie-ins. While the prospect of a Mad Max video game is tantalizing, one can’t help but step into this world cautiously – and not just because of the half-naked loonies cruising around in post-apocalyptic hot rods. With the odds not in its favor, Mad Max the video game manages to evoke the spirit of the films on which it is based.

From the intense opening sequence, it becomes clear right away that Mad Max carries the movies’ spirit. The concept is basically the same, too, with Max trying to survive the chaotic world that surrounds him while simultaneously trying to make sense of it. Although the story isn’t much of a change, the open-world environment helps expand Max’s experience – and the gamer’s – exponentially. The map itself is quite large, and you’ll meet many new characters. The big, bad Scabrous Scotus echoes enemies from the Mad Max films, while the likes of Chumbucket offer help when needed. And as much as Max might hate to say it, he needs that help because the world created in this game is just as dangerous as you’d expect, face to face and bumper to bumper.

Mad Max successfully incorporates “Ground Combat” and “Car Combat”; the latter is, of course, an essential part to the DNA of any Mad Max story. Cruising around the dunes of the wastelands is fun, and the exciting car battles are reminiscent of Twisted Metal. You can also build, modify and add weapons to your vehicle. Everything from the basics, like the exhaust and tires, to more Mad Max-centric details like side burners, which allow you to shoot fire from the sides of your car, are available. The gameplay of “Ground Combat” is also nicely done, but that’s because it’s almost identical to the Batman Arkham.

But how does Mad Max fit into the gaming version of the subgenre it helped define? In recent years, the post-apocalyptic world subgenre has been one of the most popular, with titles like Fallout and The Last of Us gaining praise and raising the stakes of what can be accomplished in such worlds. Unfortunately, Mad Max doesn’t add a new take to this gaming niche. Ironically enough, Mad Max looks more like the grandfather, rather than the godfather, in this group of games, showing up late and going through the motions. If it weren’t for its title and familiarity, Mad Max the game could easily be mistaken for a generic post-apocalyptic world game. But the blame can’t be completely placed on the shoulders of the Mad Max creative team. They’re simply following the story beats of the films; story beats that have been borrowed time and time again by other media to the point that the general audience has forgotten where it started – with the first Mad Max film.

Mad Max isn’t a cheap cash-in to go along with Fury Road. It’s a cash-in, sure, but it doesn’t have the hollow feeling many other movie tie-in games usually do. It’s entertaining and bombastic, just like the films, and for any Mad Max fan, you couldn’t ask for more.
For more information, visit madmaxgame.com.

By Jason Savio