CSR Racing

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It is hard to resist the term “open-world sandbox” when describing Mad Max – if only because there is sand literally everywhere. Presented with a hauntingly desolate world, devoid of all but the most hostile life, you must guide Max in his quest to find peace. Filled with car based action, hand-to-hand combat, and stuff to collect, there is always something to do – though sometimes I wish there wasn't so I could enjoy the ride. 

Capturing the movie

Mad Max takes clear inspiration for the movie franchise, right down to the fact that the titular hero acts as a stand in for the audience in its crazy world. The only constants are powerful cars, weapons, and the harsh (but hauntingly beautiful) desert filled with the worst of humanity – the perfect setting for a game.

The only thing Max is concerned with is his journey. He’s not truly sure why – and nor are you – but that doesn’t matter, it is his driving force that compels him to battle his way through the world. Starting with his meager belongings and his car taken from him, it is up to you to rebuild Max’s arsenal so he may continue his journey through the game’s open-world.

Along the way you discover more about the fate of the world, but this plays into the story. It does add fascinating color though, especially when picking up old photos and messages that lead to Max commenting. One brilliant scene has you find a photo of a bunker with a note telling loved ones to hide there. “That would be the first place I’d look” is Max's response, highlighting the brutality of this world after the oceans dried up.

Your car, your Magnum Opus, is the main focus of Mad Max – and understandably so given the vast scale of the map. Racing along the dirt track produces the fastest results, but watching your car kick up plumes of dirt as you skid around off-road is great fun. And you can drive anywhere, with your sturdy vehicle able to take all kinds of punishment before needing a repair by your in-car mechanic, Chumbucket.

The vicious world also frequently forces you into car combat. Here upgrades allow your car to shunt left and right, bullbars to ram, and harpoons to grapple and rip apart opponents machines. This last of these is the most useful, letting you rip people from their vehicles and then drag them helplessly behind you – slightly sadistic, but I am assured they deserved it. 

Taking the fight to the crazies

This harpoon, along with a sniper rifle upgrade, are vital for the game's other main mechanic - taking down enemy strongholds. While there are plenty of opportunities for you to hop out of your car and enter combat, the most important time is to break into rival factions bases. The sniper rifle lets you silence their defenses, while the harpoons can rip open doors and other defenses.

Once inside its time to get down and dirty. The combat is similar to theBatman Arkham game’s, with Max proving an equally vicious fighter. Youparry and dodge enemies attacks based on onscreen prompts before violently smashing them into the nearest floor or wall. Unlocking additional - abilities using both XP and scrap - allows you to become more resilient to enemy attacks, like the ability to block weapon attacks and other skills to gain you upper hand.

This skills are vital because unlike similar titles it doesn't take long for enemies to start swarming you rather than forming an orderly cue. This means that often you have to break off an attack early, or prioritize a dodge over a block, if you want to preserve your limited health. Max might be mad, but he isn't crazy, and knowing when to run is a necessity.

CSR Racing is an amazingly realistic racing game for Windows and best of all, its completelyfree.

CSR Racing features stunning graphics and addictive gameplay with a range of high performance cars including Audi R8, BMW M3 and Chevy Corvette. You can even customize them with turbos, nitrous injection and aerodynamic tweaks to make them go even faster.

Other cars to chose from include Ford, GM, Mini and Nissan, Audi R8, Ford GT, Chevrolet Camaro, Nissan and GT-R. You can upgrade these with turbos, racing tires and much more although you have to get the balance right - give your car too thin tyres with too many turbos and it'll be out of whack! The aim of the game is territory - beat the gangs and the gang leaders to take over their side of the city until you own it all.

CSR Racing might not be as big as commercial racing games but for free, it's an excellent racing sim.