Mad Max Updated First Look – Surviving the Wasteland

On May 15, we’ll return to the wastelands with George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. In addition, we have the Mad Max video game speeding towards a fall release for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Warner Bros. Games recently debuted a new gameplay trailer that features plenty of action both on-foot and in-vehicle. Want to blast a car off the road? One well-timed shot will do the trick. Feel like leaving a bald-headed freak in the dust? Grab your knife and go to work.

Although the in-game Max looks nothing like Tom Hardy, it’s the vintage character through and through. You play the apocalyptic hero who loses everything at the hands of ravagers. He must build himself up and seek revenge against these lowlifes, leaving bodies in his wake.

The first step involves a car. You’ll choose a vehicle and add components to improve its performance, such as armor and weaponry. You’ll need these wheels in order to get around the desert wasteland, since walking on foot for too long will most likely get you killed.

When you discover an enemy hideout you’ll want to approach with caution, lest you become surrounded. You’ll be able to use long-range weapons to help pick off guards in watchtowers, such as a sniper rifle. Once you eventually move in, you can kill thugs using Max’s brutal fighting skills, ranging from drop kicks to arm drags to knife-grasping lunges.

In a way, the game works similarly to WB’s previous hit, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, where you explore the land looking for trouble and prosper from completing missions. However, Avalanche Studios replaced the land of Mordor with the dry, dangerous world, complete with bigger strongholds to infiltrate and a variety of foes.

As you proceed through the game, you’ll not only improve your vehicle, but also Max. Not only can you outfit him with new armor and gear, but also equip different weapons. Alliances can also be made with different parties within the world, so new safe houses can open up and secondary characters can lend a hand if Max becomes overwhelmed.

Thankfully these elements combine to create a raucous Mad Max experience. The car combat looks engaging, with plenty of explosions and high-octane chases that leave you with ample rewards, like new parts to equip. The fighting, meanwhile, looks similar to the Batman Arkham and Shadow of Mordor games, offering multi-directional combat that’s easy to execute, even as you learn new moves. Finally, being able to customize Max opens the door for unique experiences depending on which direction players take through the game.

There’s still a lot to learn about the Mad Max video game, and WB will likely show us more at this year’s E3 show in June. Thus far, however, it appears to be just as thrilling and intense as the films. For now, mark the September 1 release date on your calendar, and get ready for more Mad Max coverage right here at Prima.

As you wait for Mad Max, get your fill on another upcoming blockbuster, Batman Arkham Knight, with 10 awesome reasons to play the game, as well as how to master the Batmobile.