We know people are all about Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain this week. Fans lined up at midnight to play, or perhaps stayed up all night if they’d already pre-loaded a digital copy. It seems to be the only thing anyone who enjoys games can talk about now. People seem to be forgetting there was an equally large release this week, Mad Max .
Mad Max is another open world game, this time in a post apocalyptic setting where players get to drive all around the world, accomplishing whatever goals they feel like at the time. It’s huge, beautiful, and completely eclipsed by Solid Snake. Which is sad, because it has plenty going for it.
For example, Mad Max is gorgeous. Only available on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the game goes out of its way to make vast expanses of nothingness and dirty conglomerations of what some would consider heaps of junk pretty. There’s a strange sort of elegance to the cars and people in Mad Max . Even though everyone wears things that are thrown together and vehicles look like they could fall apart at any second, there’s extraordinary attention to detail.
There’s a sense of consistency in Mad Max as well. While Metal Gear Solid V can pull people out of the game with moments that range from dramatic to ridiculous, Mad Max attempts to fully immerse you. The world is brutal and blunt, and that there’s no distraction or attempt to weaken that with moments where you can make a horse poop or watch a woman dance in the rain in her underwear.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the more focused of the two, of course. It also has more original missions and content. But there’s something to be said for a game that can sometimes be repetitive or centered on senseless destruction. It can be a cathartic experience and satisfying in its own way.
It’s still far too early to tell whether Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain or Mad Max could find their way into Game of the Year competition, or even a top 10 ranking. But it is always important to remember that one shouldn’t completely focus on one title when other big releases have also appeared. Take the time to sample everything, as you may find an unexpected favorite.