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So Here's The Thing: Mad Max (2015)

I have a Playstation, which means I have a Plastation Plus subscription, which means I get free games every month or so, some of them good, some of them... less so. And I was looking for something to distract me while not actually challenging my brain much (work is pretty busy), so since it was free, I decided to try out Mad Max.

It's an "open world" style game, sort of, with driving and beating people up and sometimes blowing stuff up. Think of it as GTA IV meets Fallout; there's a ton and a half of DNA from "Rage" (2011). I broke my rule about scruffy white dudes, which honestly I shouldn't have, because it doesn't have any redeeming value as a game or as a commentary.

At first, I was bored. And then I started to find upgrade items for the base I was operating out of, which meant I was actively participating in making the world around me a better place. OK, that's cool. And then... I moved to a new base, and suddenly I had to do all of the same missions again to get all of the same upgrades (not even reskinned -- literally, the same exact upgrades). And suddenly any energy I had for the game just drained out of me.

Yet another post-apocalyptic world where my actual actions have no apparent effect, besides changing how much punching I have to do to defeat the enemies. Not even the car driving is particularly interesting or fun.

So here's the thing: I'm glad this game was free, because it would have been a waste of my money to pay for it. And that's giving my opportunity-cost a free pass. I'd suggest skipping it.

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