Sunset Overdrive: XBox One Review

Sunset Overdrive: XBox One Review

Platform: XBox One
Released by Insomniac Games

Sometimes, madness prevails.

So it is with the bright colours, general insanity and orange overtones of XBox One exclusive Insomniac Games title, Sunset Overdrive.

It's 2027 and in a move that would see Red Bull, V, Monster and the like potentially suing, an energy drink called Overcharge's been launched that turns the entire populace of Sunset City into bubble-headed mutated monstrosities hell-bent on ripping you apart after you were the only one to survive (being a janitor for the drinks company and all that).

Gradually though, as you head around Sunset City after initially locking yourself into your own panic room, you realise there are other human survivors and people out there, who can help you try and save the day and your city from being over-run by these Overcharge guzzling goobies.

Sunset Overdrive is going to win you over big time.

It's nothing but pure unadulterated bubble-gum fun, that aims to put a goofball smile on your face as you play around the free-wheeling world. The problem with the game is that there really aren't enough hours in the day to help you hoon around the world that's been created.

Movement's largely confined to the skies, given that the ground's actually the most dangerous place to be - from grinding to traversing wires to speeding around, airborne tactics are the only way you'll survive the hordes of attacking critters. And you're not confined to simply being sky bound, because you can use your weapons to maximum effect from the skies too, which help you boost your style meter and get you the points you need to level up.

It's mainly quest-driven gameplay to be honest, so there are times when it starts to feel somewhat repetitive; but I guarantee you won't care about that as you grin your way from one mission to the next. There's also plenty of personality within the game as well - from the people you meet to your own character, there's more than enough to keep you engaged. Add to that the thought that's been put in to the game - even from various animated respawnings after death (you come to life from a grave, or out of a missile shot in) and it's easy to see why you'll get swept into the pure fun that is Sunset Overdrive.

Upgrades help you get your weapons and with the armoury you can get hold of, you'll want to power these puppies up. From a simple Dirty Harry shooter to a TNTeddy that fires exploding teddy bears, the mania doesn't stop short of what's on the screen.

The game chooses to break the 4th wall and has fun doing so; and that's probably why you're swept up in this game. There are no real rules - sure, you've got missions to achieve and reasons to exist, but if you want to take the time to explore Sunset City via the wires, then you can fly away, shooting at OD and bouncing to your heart's content on cars (and your style meter will thank you for this too).

Fun is the MO of this XBox One exclusive title - and in a world where the apocalypse is an all too often mined for serious intentions cliche, the fact Insomniac have thrown everything in (even the kitchen sink in some parts) is to be applauded.

Put simply, if you own a Xbox One, you can't afford to not have Sunset Overdrive sitting on the system ready for you to fire up after a particularly tedious day of the 9 to 5. No other game this year has presented fun in such a playably lunatic way.

For that, Insomniac Games, we salute you. (And demand a sequel).

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