The antithesis of modern, narrative-driven action games, Sunset Overdrive brings some welcome fizz to an often stern, po-faced genre. And appropriately, a new energy drink is to blame, having turned the inhabitants of Sunset City into murderous mutants.
Most of the missions are simple, involving little more than collecting items and bringing them back to base. Grinding over rails in the style of Tony Hawk, which is an essential part of combat, requires no skill, and dying results only in an instant respawn nearby. The city offers plenty to explore, with hundreds of challenges to complete and moves to unlock, and there is a great multiplayer mode.
But details are irrelevant, really, because Sunset Overdrive is just so much fun. The comedic tone, complete with outdated pop culture references, gives the game a certain charm, as do its cartoon visuals. But it’s how you move and fight that makes Sunset a joy. Swinging on poles, running across walls, grinding on phone lines and bouncing on cars, all the while shooting mutants with exploding teddy bears or a host of other bizarre weaponry. Utterly bonkers, and absolutely the most fun you can have on Xbox One.
