Poll: Is the new Mad Max game any good?

[Quirkymeister]

I'm getting a PS4 in a new weeks and the best deal at my local game retailer comes with three games; GTA V (will keep, know it's good), the new Forza game (ugh, will immediately trade in) and Mad Max. It's kinda received mixed reviews, but Fury Road remains my favourite film of the year, as well as being a big fan of the classic Mad Max films.
So, has anyone here played it yet? Is it any good? Or of better use to be traded in for MGSV or Witcher 3 (which I'll probably buy anyway when I purchase the console, but always good to get store credit towards these things)?

 

[sXeth]

Thats gonna depend a lot on what you think of free-form sandboxing games.

If you enjoy Shadows of Mordor (which Mad Max borrows heavily from, via shared publisher) its probably a solid pick. Although it doesn't have the Nemesis system (which is a shame, it would've suited pretty well).

The narrative is pretty sparse (Largely, Bad Guy wrecks the Interceptor, so Max has to build a new car. The engine to finish said car is in the big bad fortress, so he has locals help him build enough of a car to tackle that). Which leaves most of the meat to the sandbox activities. Car chases, taking out camps, and the like.

If you get compulsive about completing stuff, the "salvage areas" where you have to hunt about for mediocre scrao rewards, and the lone Scarecrow totems and sniper towers that are 1-hit busy work makers are going to add some tedium. Some of the salvage zones have semi-challenging foes, or little tidbits of world-building, but some are just hunting amidst seven crates in the desert for 2 bits of scrap.

Forts tend to be fun little romps, with combat heavily borrowed from WB stablemates Arkham and Shadows of Mordor. Convoys and car battles are pretty cool too, though it takes awhile for the story to gear you up for such (The very essential armor upgrade is an hour or more into the game)

The game does suffer from some of the usual sandbox woes. Once you lower the threat in an area, there's very little to challenge you, and traversal starts to become more of a boring activity. Max and the Car both get very heavily upgraded, and you can start breezing through all but the craziest odds.

The main critiques I've seen are poor driving controls, which I haven't experienced at all (I"m wondering if reviewers just didn't upgrade their car, or jumped into car fights very early) and the unrewarding salvage activities (which really aren't essential, after you take a few camps, you'll be getting regular scrap deliveries in the hundreds). Wonky indoor camera is present at times, which can mess up battles.

My major critique is largely in the difficulty plateau. It feels like it needs a Endless Mode, Nemesis system or something to keep on once you become more potent to do something with all your newfound abilities. Auto-aiming also takes a lot of challenge out. Much of the time you can get by just by pressing circle, and Max or Chumbucket will target the weapon on whatever is best suited. It doesn't seem like many enemies actually require the aimed targeting to remove wheels or other objectives.

 

[Jamash]

I'm getting a PS4 in a new weeks and the best deal at my local game retailer comes with three games; GTA V (will keep, know it's good), the new Forza game (ugh, will immediately trade in)...

The best deal your local retailer has is a PS4 bundle containing an Xbox One exclusive?

I can see why you would want to trade in Forza, since it won't work on the console its being bundled with, but you should look for a better deal from another retailer, since that bundle should set off alarm bells.

If the local retailer really is bundling an Xbox One game with a PS4, it shows they don't know their arse from their elbow and who knows what other mistakes they've made with the bundle. What guarantee do you have that the copies of GTA V and Mad Max will be PS4 versions? If the bundle comes with a controller, is it definitely stated to be a PS4 controller or could it be an Xbox One controller to go with the Xbox One game in the bundle?

It definitely seems very fishy, to be bundling a brand new Xbox One exclusive with a PS4, and I don't see how it would make business sense unless they're inflating the price of the PS4 bundle to cover the cost of the new game, or running some sort of scam to get the new copies of Forza 6 to be immediately traded back in so they can sell them as used and make a quick profit on a upcoming AAA exclusive, either way it probably violates some copyright or trade agreement with both Sony and Microsoft and demonstrates either colossal ignorance or dishonesty on the part of the retailer.

 

[Auberon]

It's sort of like Arkham Origins: solid game but nothing really original. Quoth Seth, the actual meat is in collecting stuff, clearing camps and it can get annoying (especially for completionists).

 

[Elfgore]

It's the most challenging WB game with their combat, mostly because Max is a brawler and lacks agility. The car fights are rare and usually kinda boring as I never encounter them while driving and get into this awesome fight. Scavenging and taking over the waste involve tedious task that get old very quickly.

I'll say the same thing as I did in my review. It's aright, just don't buy it for full price.

 

[sXeth]

The car fights are rare and usually kinda boring as I never encounter them while driving and get into this awesome fight.

Yeah, that was sort of what I was mentioning. You won't get into crazy vehicle fights unless the threat level is still high. But you have to reduce the threat levels for many of the upgrades to survive such battles. Effectively meaning the battles either don't exist, or are near-impossible to not be utterly wrecked in. My first attempt at a Convoy turned into a 16 car chase, but eventually I took an actual hit and dropped 3/4 of my health instantly (while being out of limited shotgun ammo, and not having a harpoon that could touch the armored cars)

Its a fairly shared problem. I remember the same issue in Saints Row and inFamous with the "Clear district" mechanics meaning that by the time you got powerful, there was nothing left to use it on.


The two main games I remember combating this effect were Shadows of Mordor (Nemesis would start building stronger captains and some would actively seek you, leading to multi-captain battles) and Prototype (You could lower the threat, but the bases gradually rebuilt themselves back up)

 

[Zhukov]

It's pretty average.

The comparisons with Shadow of Mordor are accurate, but the gameplay isn't as polished.

The story is shit. You can tell from the very first cutscene.

The hand-to-hand combat is a poor man's Batman Arkham/Shadow of Mordor. Not bad but nothing that hasn't been done better elsewhere.

I really enjoyed the vehicle combat, but it takes a long time and a lot of upgrades before you can viably do it.

As someone who also loved Fury Road and was hoping for some of that magic in the game, I can't really recommend it. Beyond the brand name, it isn't anything alike. They actually try to tie it in with the movie a bit, but it's just odd references that I suspect were added in after the movie was successful. Oh, and Max as a character is completely different. Rather than the taciturn head case from the movie, now he's a rude "badass" that goes around threatening people for no reason and throwing a tantrum because his car doesn't have enough cylinders.

I got it at half price and have been left nonplussed.

 

[Something Amyss]

If you enjoy Shadows of Mordor (which Mad Max borrows heavily from, via shared publisher) its probably a solid pick. Although it doesn't have the Nemesis system (which is a shame, it would've suited pretty well).

That's a shame. I like SOM, but I'm not sure I'd want to start playing games like it.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

"It's like Shadows of Mordor..."

Interest levels rising!

"...without the Nemesis system..."

Interest levels flatlined.

 

[MrFalconfly]

"It's like Shadows of Mordor..."

Interest levels rising!

"...without the Nemesis system..."

Interest levels flatlined.

"With awesome Mad Max style aussie V8 musclecars."

Interest level maxed out.

 

[Chefsbrian]

I got it for half price from GMG. All in all, pretty good, but not really worthwhile at full price. Upgrading the car is satisfying, you can usually actually feel the difference an upgrade gives you, I find. 'cept for armor, I guess, never really felt much tougher. Once you get partway up the upgrade tree's, things start to feel trivial though. Early on, when I'd get chased down by overleveled enemies, I'd have to get creative, ram them into rocks and off of cliff faces and the like. Half way through the level and car tree's, and I've just found myself blowing everything up that I can't harpoon, and ripping the wheels off of everything else.

I can say it looks damned good, and the Arkham style fighting without a super nimble fighter is a nice change of pace. Max moves and fights like someone would, or could, in real life if he wanted to punch you to death.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I'm sad to learn the car aspect of the game is mediocre. A Mad Max game should live and die by making driving fun.

 

[Quirkymeister]

I'm getting a PS4 in a new weeks and the best deal at my local game retailer comes with three games; GTA V (will keep, know it's good), the new Forza game (ugh, will immediately trade in)...

The best deal your local retailer has is a PS4 bundle containing an Xbox One exclusive?

I can see why you would want to trade in Forza, since it won't work on the console its being bundled with, but you should look for a better deal from another retailer, since that bundle should set off alarm bells.

If the local retailer really is bundling an Xbox One game with a PS4, it shows they don't know their arse from their elbow and who knows what other mistakes they've made with the bundle. What guarantee do you have that the copies of GTA V and Mad Max will be PS4 versions? If the bundle comes with a controller, is it definitely stated to be a PS4 controller or could it be an Xbox One controller to go with the Xbox One game in the bundle?

It definitely seems very fishy, to be bundling a brand new Xbox One exclusive with a PS4, and I don't see how it would make business sense unless they're inflating the price of the PS4 bundle to cover the cost of the new game, or running some sort of scam to get the new copies of Forza 6 to be immediately traded back in so they can sell them as used and make a quick profit on a upcoming AAA exclusive, either way it probably violates some copyright or trade agreement with both Sony and Microsoft and demonstrates either colossal ignorance or dishonesty on the part of the retailer.

Shit!
LET ME CLARIFY THINGS!
IT PROBABLY WASNT FORZA!
BUT IT WAS A REASLISTIC DRIVING GAME!
I FORGOT THE TITLE, PICKED THE FIRST DRIVING GAME TITLE I COULD THINK OF AND SUBSTITUTED IT!
I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY NEED FOR SPEED OR SOMETHING!
STILL LOOKED RUBBISH!

 

[Pyrian]

For a laugh, here's Tycho ranting about the fact that some people don't like Mad Max nearly as much as he does, and apparently this fact upsets him quite greatly, albeit not quite as upset as he gets at the fact that some people defend the fact that people experience games differently from him:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2015/09/04/biblicality

For another laugh, somewhere in the middle of this otherwise unrelated video (maybe somebody else has the patience to sit through it and identify where), Jim Sterling turns off the class act to pettily denigrate Penny Arcade in response:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmX3wVgjT18

Crazy stuff. I wouldn't have quite called these guys the adults in the room, but... I do expect better of them.

 

[WolfThomas]

I'm enjoying it so far. It's not the best game. I wouldn't suggest paying full price but as part of bundle that's okay.

Edit: Also dose anyone know how to access the Sawmeister hood ornament DLC from buying Fury Road on X-bone. I caved because it was such a good movie (though I usually buy dvds).

 

[Fdzzaigl]

If you enjoy Shadows of Mordor (which Mad Max borrows heavily from, via shared publisher) its probably a solid pick.

Nuff said. I will hate it.

Have fun for those who enjoy that kind game though. Personally I find them paper-thin on all accounts.

 

[Strelok]

Loving it so far, distracted me from my long play through of Far Cry 4. It's got some issues, but very minor ones, gets a bit repetitive, but the story is interesting enough to keep me going. As mentioned earlier, would have loved to see Shadows of Mordor style nemesis system in this. I think it would have been a perfect fit. Anyway I grabbed Mad Max for $36 from Green Man Gaming, came with the Ripper a pretty nice car, they are only cosmetic though. Here is a video of some antics, as the car and hand to hand combat is amazing. Also when you do get it, leave a War Crier alive and listen to him for a bit, some funny stuff there.

Turn it up to 1080p and 60FPS if able.


Tried out the capture mode:

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[EHKOS]

I shouldn't be in this thread. I want to play this so bad and have nothing that can run it. But the atmosphere is soooo good. Even the movie although I thought the movie as a whole was very meh.