Based in the world that the movies emulated so well, the new “Mad Max” game by Avalanche Studios is a perfect mix of open world sandbox with awesome vehicle combat. The game’s story is standalone and is based of the franchise’s universe instead of the films, but has the same characters and post-apocalyptic wasteland depicted in the movies.

Players take the role of Max Rockatansky, a survivor of the apocalypse and resident psychopath. Max is trying to get past the Plains of Silence, but is ambushed by bandits called war boys who run him off the road, take his car weapons, and clothes, then leave him for dead. This is where the game begins, with the player stranded in the middle of no-where with one homemade weapon and a somewhat hostile dog.

The plot is extremely simple: get Max’s stuff back, and continue on the journey across the plains, with a few interesting characters and awesome cars mixed in. It isn’t the best story ever written, but it’s good enough to be enjoyable.

The graphics, on the other hand, look great. The animations are a tad bit wonky, but all the other textures and details fit into the drab wasteland perfectly. The controls, at least on an Xbox controller, are smooth but loose until the driving sections, when sometimes they are oversensitive or just downright unresponsive. Fortunately it is easy to get used to and not much of a grievance after the first 30 minutes or so. The sound and music are superb and add loads of atmosphere to the game’s tense or slow moments.

For “Mad Max” the $60 price tag is a little much. Wait until it goes down to a preferred price range before picking up a copy. No matter its few flaws though, “Mad Max” is still a joy to play and experience.

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One

Reviewed on PC