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Tearing down fences and using the grappling hook to take out other vehicles is a ton of fun, but the game does often remind players that this is a dangerous world. It’s not too hard to roam far into the open world and run out of gas or water, which can lead to some terrible outcomes. Although the companion mechanic, Chumbucket, can repair the car anytime it is standing still, players are often punished for taking risks like jumping over dunes or soaring off a cliff, so the game lacks the incentive to be as crazy as in the Just Cause series.

The game’s map, exploration, and questing system are all very similar to the Assassin’s Creed series, particularly Black Flag. Although the world is open, the narrative is incredibly linear and players can easily drive from one spot to the next and power through the game’s main campaign. The quests aren’t incredibly exciting or engaging because most of them just ask the player to go find a certain amount of scraps or a particular tool needed to upgrade the car again. That said, stopping at every camp along the desert wasteland and finding scraps is incredibly fun because of its rewards.

Players are able to use scraps to level up Max and his vehicle and unlock new armor, attacks, and weapons. The leveling system incentivizes exploration and gives players a reason to keep hunting down new resources. Players can also level Max’s own special powers with the help of a desert shaman who shows up from time to time and offers the opportunity to trade a special resource in to level up Max’s legendary status.

Once players step out of the car and find some war boys to battle, the game starts to feel more like the Batman Arkham series. The melee combat system pins Max against mobs of minions and he must string together a chain of attacks to ward them off. As gamers might expect, a perfectly-timed parry is key to success in these fights. The leveling system allows players to give Max more health, faster combos, and increased time in his Wolverine-esque Fury Mode, where he deals extra damage to all enemies. Players are able to break into compounds throughout the wasteland and claim the structures for the weaker man. Once the war boys are eradicated, NPCs will start collecting scrap for Max, which can be used for more level ups.

Although all the individual components work quite nicely in a vacuum, Mad Max is still far from a perfect game. Hopefully patches will address some of the minor issues, but the game currently suffers from some bizarre physics problems and the occasional graphics glitch. These issues can definitely be forgiven, considering the likelihood that they will be fixed within the first month, but the game’s narrative also leaves quite a bit to be desired.

It’s hard to follow up a story as tight, progressive, and well-paced as Fury Road, so in many ways the game was doomed to fall short on this front from the start. The game’s narrative is an acceptable enough revenge story with a fantastic setting, but its delivery is incredibly obtrusive. Cut scenes pop in every time exposition needs to be delivered and although the voice acting is strong, these moments still take us out of the wasteland.

Although players will be able to power through the game’s main story without dedicating their whole lives to the game, there is still plenty of reason to return to the wasteland once the main narrative is finished. Players can continue collecting scraps, leveling up, and hunting down bad guys for dozens of hours after the end credits. Mad Max may be a bit of a mixed bag, but the faithful recreation of the film universe, the ridiculous car combat, and loads of content will keep players coming back to the desert for a long time.