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It can often be tough to capture the essence of a pre-existing property in videogame form, but the Mad Max game is one that squarely and repeatedly strikes the nail on the head. It’s a raucous open-world game packed with explosive car battles, high-speed races, and brutal combat encounters. Fantastic at launch nine years ago, it’s still a blast today, boasting an impressive 91% positive rating from nearly 50,000 reviews, and if you missed it at the time the autumn Steam sale is the perfect chance to try it – for less than $2.
First launched in September 2015, Mad Max puts you in the boots of the eponymous wasteland survivor, a man who largely just wants to be left alone. Doing so in the desolate post-apocalyptic desert proves tougher than you might think, however, and so you’re thrust into constant tussles with bandits, raiders, and scavengers as you attempt to put together the ultimate vehicle to carry you away to salvation. The result is a strikingly satisfying open-world game that manages to land well, regardless of whether or not you’re familiar with the movies it’s based upon.
I really enjoyed my time with Mad Max. I’m not here to tell you that it’s the best game I’ve ever played, but I found myself seeking out every single quest and side project and getting deep into clearing out the entire map of its various camps, towers, and outposts. The world is vast and expansive, but unique enough in its design that every area is distinct, which is an impressive achievement when dealing with such a barren land of rocks, metal, and dust.
The car is absolutely the star – racing around the dunes has a fantastic sense of pace, and smashing rival raiders off the road is the most satisfying it’s felt outside of the masterful Burnout series. The on-foot action is no slouch, however; it’s a similarly weighty whack-fest reminiscent of the Batman Arkham games but with the added ability to pull out Max’s trusty sawn-off in a pinch to handle particularly troublesome foes.
I’ll even give some love to the characters – they’re very much what you’d expect from the series, and fairly one-note as such, but Max’s constant mechanical companion Chumbucket is genuinely a real charmer, and many of the key cast members you meet stuck in my mind too. Much as in the movies, the story here mostly exists to drive you into the next action sequence, but it achieves that with delightful zeal.
There’s even the ability to fully customize Max’s look along with the many car and equipment upgrades you’ll earn as you progress. Personally, I’m a fan of going for full beard, but you can make Max’s mug yours as you desire. Mad Max is a game that I’ll always fondly remember playing, and with a Steam sale discount dropping the price down to less than two dollars, now’s a great time to check it out for yourself.
Mad Max is 90% off in the Steam autumn sale, which lasts until Wednesday December 4. Expect to pay $1.99 / £1.59 for your copy. If you’re on the hunt for a satisfying holiday game that might not blow you away but is certainly a blast to play, I’d certainly recommend giving it a shot at that price.
If you’re not really feeling the automotive aspects, the best action games are an admirable alternative. But if the cars are right up your street, you could steer further in that direction with the best racing games on PC.
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