It seems like there’s no end to the number of exciting open world titles which are apt to come our way these days. Even if you’re completely burnt-out on these types of offerings you should definitely give Insomniac Games’ “Sunset Overdrive” a shot. It really is a one-of-a-kind experience that’s as exciting and brash as it is colorful and massively dynamic.
Ok, that’s probably enough hyperbole, right? Wrong. Sunset Overdrive is arguably one of the most exhilarating sandbox titles that many are likely to play this year. It basically plays like a mish-mash of various games, borrowing a bit from GTA and InFamous as well as games that emphasize skating/snowboarding. One of the immediate comparisons that many might be apt to make would be the Crackdown series, but only because of the fast action-driven insanity and the super-hero like abilities and agility your character possesses. This isn’t a place for realism, of course, it’s the apocalypse and everything’s pretty much gone “off the rails” and anything’s possible within the confines of this insane world.
Graphically speaking, Sunset Overdrive looks amazing, but the developer has openly stated that conscious decisions were in fact made to sacrifice some resolution in favor of more action. While this might almost seem like a completely bad thing when applied to other IP’s, in this instance it’s not at all. The bread and butter of this title is its zany, completely off the wall randomness and mechanics. Whereas other games might pull you in with their story or seek to entice you to explore for dramatic effect, Sunset Overdrive just relentlessly smacks you over the head with a “fun hammer”. Naturally, this isn’t an experience that seems intent on holding your attention for extremely long periods of time, but rather relentlessly pummeling you with tons of weirdness and options.
Perhaps the coolest thing about this game though is the fact that it offers an assortment of control maneuvers to learn. The fact is, to really master this game, time is required. Of course, by the end of your playthrough you’ll still likely be wrestling with tricky movements that need to be perfectly time, but oh is it worth it. To be honest, there simply aren’t many games of this caliber which fill this particular niche (if at all). Sunset Overdrive stands alone as an example of how to make a wild, adventure filled open world game that’s actually interesting and boundlessly creative.
So, who might enjoy Sunset Overdrive, you ask? Quite obviously, if you own an Xbox One you really need to play this game, but in reality anyone with a love for titles which grant the player loads of options will dive into this and probably never want to come out. It almost seems to be some type of digital canvas where you can paint your own destructive tendencies across it, the entire world responding to you in its own way. Above all else, of course, it’s an incredibly wild ride that’s not to be missed.
