4 out of 5
#TBT: Mad Max Video Game
The world around Max is full of sand and sludge and it’s up to the player to restore order as well as make sense of the vast nothing of the waste. How does one make sense of nothing? Now we’re talking.
There is a very therapeutic quality about video games where we get to live the lives of someone else in a foreign world or planet somewhere with beautiful colors and potentially beautiful wild life as we save the planet or rescue a princess from a tree or whatever stupid goal the game has decided is important. We can be in awe of the magnificent world that these developers create and envy the fictional people within it. Such is definitely not the case for Mad Max the video game. Although thoroughly entertaining, I do not envy the people who are forced to make their way in the wasteland. There is something incredibly fascinating about the lifeless mystery of the wasteland in Mad Max. The developers did a wonderful job recreating the hopelessness of the environment but still making it interesting enough to not feel stale and redundant. The world around Max is full of sand and sludge and it’s up to the player to restore order as well as make sense of the vast nothing of the waste. How does one make sense of nothing? Now we’re talking.
In Mad Max, the game starts with Max getting his iconic car taken and scrapped, but not after fighting his way aboard the war rig driven by Lord Scrotus (lol). Max politely shoves a chainsaw in Scrotus’s (lol) brain before being tossed overboard and left to die in the scorching sun. From there the game introduces us to Chumbucket who is a car-worshipping hunchback with black fingers and a mouth that never seems to stop running. Chumbucket tells Max he can build him a car which Max explains that the main requirement to achieve his complete acceptance is a V8 engine. Chum reluctantly informs Max that a V8 is in the heavily fortified Gastown. With that we get the intro into a game with plenty to do. Overall every area in the game has a “threat level” assigned to it which is rewarded if lowered by doing things like taking down large statues, killing snipers, and taking over camps. There are camps spread across the wasteland with varying ways to complete them, and, once completed, Max’s allies move in and over time Max receives additional scrap (how the player upgrades Max and the Magnum Opus), and every time the threat is brought down, the player is rewarded with coins which can be turned into a mysterious character named Griffa who then allows the player to further upgrade Max’s abilities. Another way to lower the threat level in an area (and my personal favorite) is by clearing convoys. Convoys are groups of cars that drive on a set path with a leading car in the front and several cars protecting it. Not only does clearing a convoy help lower the threat level, but once the lead car is destroyed, it drops a hood ornament which can be installed on the front or back of the car for additional bonus stats to the Magnum Opus such as boosted attack, speed, or defense which add just one more component into the twisted variations of customization in the game.
In Mad Max the player drives in an open world to various locations which can then be searched by Max
out of the car, but with the hostility of the wasteland you are going to need all the help you can get, which can be purchased in the game. The player gets the choice to upgrade Max’s armor, attack, abilities, and even just appearance to help the player not only conquer the waste, but look super badass doing it. The combat is very simple, press one button to attack and another to parry and upgrading his attack power will help as enemies grow in number and variations throughout the game. If fighting many foes at once, Max will eventually trigger “Fury” which adds additional damage to attacks as well as unique finishers. Although for a while this combat can feel satisfying, eventually it begins to sort of feel the same as you see the same moves over and over with the same small handful of finishers. Although the combat is the same as say Sleeping Dogs which is one of my personal favorite games, it doesn’t upgrade the attack variations to keep it from feeling redundant. Sure, the player can buy different abilities for combat, but it would have been better off with more variety to show Max evolve as a fighter. Granted, Mad Max was never known for being a “fighting” movie but if the developers decided to add hand to hand combat (which was a clutch move), they should have expound on it more. Mad Max may have never been much of a fighting movie, but it was definitely for car fanatics and the car mechanics (lol) in this game are great.
The player uses the triggers to drive and the “x” or “a” to use boost ability for short range speed boost which can also be upgraded. With Chumbucket at your side, you are given more combat variety as well. The player has the choice to use their shotgun, sniper rifle, or harpoon launcher during combat which is incredibly useful not only against cars but also for taking down “Scarecrows” and sniper nests sprinkled across the map. When not using the harpoon or shotgun, the player is able to ram enemy vehicles and some structures to take them down. The game offers upgrades to the front end that allow for more damage dealt and less damage received from head on collisions with other vehicles. As the game progresses and you access new areas of the map, the enemy vehicles are equipped with better armor and different weapons so it’s important to use all the tools at your disposal to conquer the harder parts of the map with tougher cars and tougher camps.
With so many side activities to accomplish in Mad Max, it can be easy to get distracted from the main
questline in order to buy that new upgrade or take over a camp. Though some upgrades can only be purchased after completing certain quests and leveling up, it’s very important that you get the upgrades almost as soon as they are available to you as you will need them in order to keep from continuously getting out of your vehicle for Chum to fix it. You see, when your vehicle gets damaged, you have to exit the car and let Chumbucket fix it. While out of the car it’s important to keep your wits about you and run and roll to avoid getting hit by enemy vehicles (even though it causes much less damage than it should). Though as the game progresses, Max is introduced to a cast of unique and borderline psychedelic characters in true Mad Max fashion that make missions more interesting. Enemy factions and vehicles make each area feel a little different even though it’s all sand in the wasteland. Yes that rhymed. No, it wasn’t on purpose. Yes, I am proud of it.
Overall I have enjoyed my time with Mad Max. Exploring the beautifully hopeless environment for the thrill of scrap and upgrades make this game a satisfying addition to anyone’s game collection. As a Mad Max fan, it seems apparent that the developers worked tirelessly merging the old universe with the new as the game feels like a midway point between Road Warrior and Fury Road. With a man surrounded by insanity just trying to find peace in a hostile world, the story shows a man pushed to do what he has to in order to survive. This world is for the mad and this game is for anyone looking for a new open world experience to explore and conquer. I give this game 8 chainsaws to the brain out of 10.
Note from the Editor in Chief: I’ve interpreted the weird chainsaw method of rating as 4/5
The North remembers.
In the universe of Game of Thrones, scenes’ before the opening theme are constant for the first episode of every season. For example, two great scenes that come to mind are the three Night’s Watchmen hunted down by White Walkers in season one or Tywin Lannister melting down house Stark’s sword Ice for Jamie and Geoffrey, season four. On the other hand, the opening scene of season is just plain horrific but awesome at the same time. Nothing is more satisfying then watching all the men of House Frey choke on their own blood after being reminded of the Red Wedding. It was an absolute grand-slam and took off perfectly from where we last saw Aryain season 6.
The North remembers.
Right after the credits we get a quick reminder of the army of the dead, and with more bad news; Giant white walkers. But thankfully we are intercepted by Bran warding into one of them which seems like a very useful ability (what’s next dragon’s or an ice dragon?). He is now with
the Watchers on the Wall and back in the mix, hopefully heading for Winterfell where he can inform Jon he is a Targaryan (This will be hype! I wonder if he can be burnt by fire!). Bran’s story has taken a back seat to other prevalent Starks but it’s nice to see him in the mix, demonstrating his power.
Next, we have psycho Cersei and her sane, lover brother Jaime. I still can’t forgive him for pushing Bran from the tower but I am starting to come around. The disapproving way he has been looking at Cersei dating back to last season says it all. From confronting her about
Tommen’s suicide, to questioning her about the enemies created (Targaryans, Tyrells, Starks, Dornish, and Half the Iron Borne) and the lifeless dynasty they will continue. He keeps his position with Cersei discussing what allies they have left but Jaime is clearly becoming distant and realizing the extent of his lover/sister’s delusion. I forecast a remake of the tale of “The King Slayer” retitled “The Queen Slayer”. In the mean time, the diabolical Yuron Greyjoy, the new king of the Iron Islands rekindles the bond between the Lannisters to move him into a prime position to become King of The Seven (three at this point) Kingdoms. He is presented as a lot more cunning and rounded character kissing up to the Queen and promising her a gift, whether that be Tyrion, and/or a thousand ship armada. What will be interested is how Jaime responds to a marriage between them, because Cersei and Yuron have a demonistic chemistry. She even abides by him making hand jokes and death threats (killing his brother, telling her to do the same). This was a fantastic scene all the while, and it really shows if Cersei get’s close to Yuron and isolates Jamie she will create yet another enemy.
We then get to a short snippet of Samwell Tally’s horrific, grotesque life as a server at the Citadel preparing to become the maester of Castle Black. There is a massive scene which shows him preparing food, cleaning and handling old people plumbing. What’s intriguing is the un-thrones like comedic cut between him doing his daily work; It’s funny and it’s not a bad idea to lighten the tone up because Tyrion used to be the comedy for us in the earlier seasons. Samwell helps the archmaester with the dissection of a corpse where he confirms his thoughts of the White Walkers. What was kind of cheap for me was his simple way of finding dragon glass through a book in the restricted section. It seemed too easy for Game of Thrones, like something you would see Hermione Granger find in the “restricted section”. Hopefully there is more too this but it was kind of stale and forced
Oh wait, Ed Sheeran? I didn’t see it coming, and I thought it was weird but acceptable. It was obviously him having an in with the producers and wanting a cameo role, but he has pure, angelic voice and creates a sympathetic feeling for the Lannister troops that brings out the non-assassin in Arya. She tells them she’s on her way to kings landing to “kill the queen” and it’s not taking seriously which shows how dangerous she has become. But what I see from this is season two when Mellisandre said there is a darkness in her. This darkness has come to fruition and it will be interesting to see how this is received by the remaining Starks. Besides the randomness of Ed Sheeran, I thought this really grounded Arya.
Sandor Clegane and the brotherhood without banners are now at a place he would rather not be; an old victim’s house where Clegane took their silver and resources. They find the father and daughter dead, holding each other. This almost creates an epiphany for the character, asking why the child dies, and fellow brother Beric Dondarion should be brought back. Then the flames get him, showing him the army of the dead and the reality of the larger issue at hand. I think we will see a more compliant hound the rest of this season. I’ve loved this character from the beginning and his arch is getting much broader for the better. I predict a positive change in attitude for the hound.
Finally, the Queen of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, Denarys Stormborn is finally home. From season one this is the only thing she has wanted. But now, she has an army of unsullied, the Dothraki and there gigantic Dragons. The final scene of her tearing down the Baratheon banner and taking her spot among her ancestors war table was breathtaking. It was a long, drawn out scene but the character deserves this and it has been a long time waiting. Fire and blood seem to be the strongest motto of any house right now, and it will for sure be enforced upon the Lannisters. My prediction although is that she won’t penetrate King’s Landing because of Cersei’s ruthlessness and George R.R Martin curveball tendency. Whit I think everyone is looking forward to is the meeting with Jon Snow that will eventually happen. It will be interesting if she commands him to bend the knee (he better not, he’s the rightful heir of the Taragaryan house and not a usurper like Daenarys)! This episode was a great starting block for the season while still providing notable and exciting action.
Rest in peace, watermelon.
The latest episodes in ‘Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid’ were very interesting to watch.
One was definitely a fanservice episode, and heck, even the producers know that! Episode 7’s title contains the phrase ‘The Fanservice Episode, Obviously’, so that cracked me up.
Episode 7 focuses on the elements of anime that will appeal to any nerd out there. By that, of course I mean bathing suits and comic conventions! Cue the beach episode!
Tohru and company decide to go swimming for the day. Kanna’s adorable as always, while Lucoa doesn’t realize just how sexual she is toward a small boy.
Like, really? You think wearing a very sexy swimsuit in front of a lot of kids on a beach is okay? And why do you insist on torturing Shouta with your breasts? It’s obvious that he’s tempted, but stop trying to seduce small children.
Of course, they’re dragons, so hilarious antics ensue. Tohru and Kanna get carried away in a swimming race, making water splash up everywhere. Also, a crab and watermelon are murdered. RIP.
However, one aspect that I thought was a nice touch was the backstory we got for Tohru. It wasn’t much, but Tohru and Kobayashi have a deep and meaningful conversation about their family’s lives, as well as how humans and dragons are different from one another. Fanservice episodes usually focus on that alone, but fortunately that’s not the case here.
The second half of Episode 7 focuses on Comiket. Tohru and Kobayashi help Takiya run a booth, and we learn that Fafnir is also participating by attempting to sell powerful curses. Wow, didn’t see thaaaaat coming at all.
Tohru notices otherworldly creatures in their true forms at Comiket, as they reveal that this is a great way to show their true forms. With Kobayashi’s permission, Tohru exposes her wings and tail, appearing to others as if she’s cosplaying as, well, a dragon maid.
Episode 7 was very nice because there were many heartfelt and adorable moments.
Meanwhile, Episode 8 FINALLY introduced the dragon that I keep on mentioning in my reviews. Her name’s Elma, a dragon who is a rival of Tohru’s. Elma accuses Tohru of disrupting the human’s ways and tries to force her to return to the dragon world. This doesn’t succeed, however, as Tohru sends her to an open field and leaves her there.
Unable to get back home, Elma stays in the human world and begins working at Kobayashi’s company. Kobayashi teaches Elma how to use computers and technology so that she can keep her job. Of course, this prompts Tohru to become jealous, smelling the scent of another dragon off Kobayashi like a dog does with a human. I won’t reveal how the episode ends, but it ends in a positive manner for Tohru.
Overall, I really loved these two episodes because they made me feel warm and fuzzy. They appealed to the emotional senses through a heartfelt conversation between Kobayashi and Tohru. Elma is also an innocent sweetheart who only wants to bring harmony to the human and dragon worlds. And I can’t wait to see more of her in the upcoming episodes.
I feel like in these two episodes alone, we learned so much about Tohru and her feelings for Kobayashi. She really wants to understand the human world and will do anything to stay with Kobayashi.
I’ll up my rating to a 4.7. These episodes were both fun, and we finally got the new dragon! Bless.
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