Mad Max was a whole lot of fun when I got to play it earlier this year. Of course, they only let us play the game for a short while in a preview, which means that we don’t get a feel of how it might play out over time. But these lucky news outlets got their hands on review samples, and here are their thoughts about the whole experience.
IGN – 8.4
Mad Max is a juxtaposition of exciting, thrilling fun set in a world of disgusting, primal depravity – like a singing telegram informing you of a death in the family, or an ice-cream cake with your terminal test results written in frosting. It’s a conflicting place of despair, a personal playground of explosive action and compulsive, unending progression that I can’t wait to get back to, and one hell of a ride.
Games Radar – 4/5
This may not be breaking any new ground but it’s a satisfying experience with plenty to do. By the time I’d finished the main story I’d clocked 38 hours and apparently completed 39% (!). The main story, despite its mundane crux, does ultimately deliver a worthy climax (it’d be spoilers to say more) before returning you to a still daunting map full of bases, side quests, diversions and everything else to mop up. The plot might barely exist for the majority of the game, while direction and focus takes its time to come together, but none of that matters. Just being in the being the world is enough. You are Mad Max, a violent stranger roaring across the wasteland in a cloud of dust and violence.
Game Informer – 7.5
At the end of the day, Max overtook some bases, ran a couple hundred cars off the road, met some forgettable characters, and buried his fist into the sunburnt skin of the villainous locals. Was it worth the effort? That ultimately depends on how much fun you had in performing these basic, repetitious open-world activities.
Gamespot – 6
It’s a shame because Mad Max’s world in the game is beautiful, grim, and fascinating. Some interesting characters, impressive environments and great car combat draw you in and incentivise you to keep going, but it’s when you get out of the car that things fall apart. Mad Max’s combat system is too dumbed down to enjoy, and repetitive activities such as searching for scrap and invading small enemy camps gets old fast. Mad Max offers some great experiences, but for a game that tries to impose the realities of survival on you, it does a poor job of following up on this pressure. Mad Max is too focused on providing you with an open-world that’s filled with missions, and not focused enough on making those missions worth your time.
Polygon – 5
Mad Max is a shallow, forgettable experience. Those inevitable wins felt empty, and that’s really the biggest problem with Mad Max. The film franchise has always transcended the summer blockbuster genre, providing worlds and characters and scenarios that have stuck in my mind. Mad Max the game is the opposite; it’s got chase scenes and big explosions and bloody fights, but nothing to remember it for. In spite of some annoying technical issues and questionable design, Mad Max is functional, but it’s fluff, plain and simple.
Sounds like a pretty bland experience to me, despite all the explosions and mayhem. Mehd Mehx indeed, then. If you’re wondering where our review is, fear not – we are just still waiting for our review samples to arrive and then we will let you know if it’s actually a glorious thrill ride or if we were left wondering why you heff to be so mad.
Last Updated: September 1, 2015
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 1, 2015 at 10:10
So it’s basically Just Cause 2 with a Mad Max skin? That’s cool, I loved Just Cause 2.
RinceThis
September 1, 2015 at 10:47
And bases, so Farcry…
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 1, 2015 at 11:00
Just Cause 2 had bases. Do you even game, bro? 😛
RinceThis
September 1, 2015 at 11:01
I haven’t played Just Cause 2! Why must you be so mean when I am practicing one of the steps from my new book ‘how to interact with cretins’!?
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 1, 2015 at 11:13
If you have to ask, clearly you haven’t finished reading the first chapter.
Captain JJ Fantasticus
September 1, 2015 at 10:12
Sounds like fun to me. I didn’t expect a stellar story, I just want madness, car fights and rampage.
Dutch Matrix
September 1, 2015 at 10:13
Try the N3 South during rush hour…
HvR
September 1, 2015 at 10:15
Half the movie was actual traffic camera footage on the N2 outside Cape Town
Captain JJ Fantasticus
September 1, 2015 at 10:40
That sounds about 100% right. Only there is probably less damage done to cars in Mad Max by people next to the road.
Brady miaau
September 1, 2015 at 10:26
No. I will not. But thanks for asking. I bought a house close to my office
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 1, 2015 at 10:20
I just remembered, it’s a Warner Bros game. I’m guessing none of those reviews were done on PC.
Rock789
September 1, 2015 at 10:37
lol! 🙂
Captain JJ Fantasticus
September 1, 2015 at 10:39
Right. So sale it is then.
Brady miaau
September 1, 2015 at 10:26
Well, the site looks different. The pictures look crisper and clearer to me. (thumbnails on main page).
AND – this is a movie game. In that regard it seems to have scored very, very well.
Martin du preez (D4RKL1NGza)
September 1, 2015 at 10:29
I’m not Mad (Max) just disappointed (Max)
hairyknees
September 1, 2015 at 10:30
WHY YOU HEFF TO BE MAD?
AfricanTimeZA
September 1, 2015 at 10:31
eish sort out this website, cannot read with the background and letters black
Gavin Mannion
September 1, 2015 at 10:50
We are working on it, it seems to be only affecting a few people so fixing it is tough
Jac7
September 1, 2015 at 10:36
Really some good scores for a licensed property. And no, I cannot take Polygon seriously…ever.
40 Insane Frogs
September 2, 2015 at 19:26
No one should. Lolygon exists purely to be mocked. They (alongside Neogaf) are the used condom of the video game world.
Nikola
September 1, 2015 at 10:54
Still sounds good to me, well it better does since a pre-ordered it:)
Marcus
September 1, 2015 at 12:07
HAHAHAHA Know what that’s like!
Fnuik
September 1, 2015 at 12:24
Pre-ordered from CNA. But knowing them I will probably get it by Friday, if I’m lucky.
Despite what a lot of critics of the move said, after I watched it I had to get the game, if only for awesome vehicle mayhem!
Skyblue
September 1, 2015 at 18:48
Watched it twice already and a third viewing is beckoning, loved it.
40 Insane Frogs
September 2, 2015 at 13:41
Vehicular mayhem brother Fnuik… and it is glorious! May the petrol cover your fingers, till they’re black, and may your engine roar in delight with the power of a V8!
40 Insane Frogs
September 2, 2015 at 13:36
Funny enough, I’ve been enjoying the game more than the recent Mad Max movie or should I say, Furiosa’s Grand Desert Truck Tour.
The game does have flaws, the controls could be tighter, but there’s nothing more awesome than building up your car, taking down enemy strongholds and doing it ALL AS MAD MAX!!
Praise be unto the Angel Combustion!!!