Very often, we see critics giving Microsoft a lot of flak for their poor console exclusives. However, I don’t think the same measure of enthusiasm being put into praising them for the good exclusives. Sunset Overdrive falls into the category of one of those underappreciated console exclusives. Although it was greeted with positive reviews, it didn’t get the attention it deserved because the gaming world was distracted by bigger names such as the Master Chief Collection, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Dragon Age inquisition, and Grand Theft Auto 5. Nonetheless, Sunset Overdrive promises a totally fun time was running and gliding your way through town while shooting down enemies with teddy bear laser guns.

Insomniac Games developed this open-world action cum adventure video game which was released in 2014 by Microsoft. The game allows you to experiment as much as you want, from its character customization down to its gameplay and weapon upgrades, and the game is built to allow you to explore your options. It cannot be easy to stay focused on the missions. Very often, I find myself veering off course just for the fun of it. The game offers way too much fun to be taken too seriously; I mean, even the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, not with all its mockery of pop culture and the cold humor hidden in its conversational cutscenes. One thing is certain with Sunset Overdrive: you can never run out of stuff to do, and everything is a platform. 

Set In A Near-Future Apocalypse

Sunset Overdrive’s story was set in post-apocalyptic Sunset City, a fictional city, in the year 2027. The game begins with a pre-launch party organized by Fizzco for its new energy drink called Overcharge. As is typical of big corporations who are always seeking profit at every expense, FizzCo jumped health precautions and released a drink that wasn’t properly tested. Everyone at the party that took the Overcharge was turned into boil-ridden, aggressive monsters called OD, short for Overcharge Drinkers (I guess the pun was intended). To cover up their corporate greed, FizzCo lies that there has been a viral outbreak and seals the city from the rest of the world. Your character is an employee of Fizzco who was housed in the sanitation department when the outbreak occurred at the time of the launch party. With the city sealed, your character meets up with a few survivors, and together they do all it takes to escape the city.

The plot of the game from beginning till the end is wrapped around satiric humor. I particularly love how the character breaks the fourth wall to challenge the way he died and requested a change of plot. So instead of dying, you get to respawn for the last stand. Considering the plot is only right that your final boss fight is with Fizzco itself. I recall feeling poetically justified after defeating the maniac responsible for this OD apocalypse, but just before we could finish our celebration, the unthinkable happens…

That enough for the plot; play the game to find out more. Let’s talk about the basic game mechanics of Sunset Overdrive. Sunset city is an aesthetic wonder. It is an explosive blend of colors, lights, and punk music. The display makes combat even more enjoyable and hilarious, with mutants exploding into a spectrum of fiery colors, and gliding is made more prominent because of the sparks generated as you glide.

Speaking of Beauty

The aesthetic mind of the developer is further expressed in the character customization. Sunset Overdrive, unlike most other open-world games, where character customization is usually definite and best upgraded for gameplay purposes. In Sunset Overdrive, customization occurs throughout the game; you can change everything about your character from attire to gender at any point in the game without altering your play style. 

That is not to say that the game lacks a sense of personality. Insomniac sticks to its satiric role throughout every facet of the game. Ranging from the constant reference to pop-culture and geekdom to the occasional breaking of the fourth wall by the character, the game is constantly throwing satiric jabs at video games and pop culture in general. The choice of profane language is typical of a city with a boisterous social life like Sunset City. I would advise you don’t play in the presence of kids or, better still, turn off the menu’s profanity. 

Re-imagined Gameplay

Sunset Overdrive maximizes movement – gravity-defying movement (leaves me wondering if this was also a revolt against the limitations of gravity). While there is no rule against staying on the ground, you are more likely to be overrun by enemies if you stay on the ground for too long. The secret of the game is to keep moving. Everything from cars to umbrellas, street divides, buildings, street lights, vending machines – almost everything provides a bounceable surface. The game uses an array of movements, including wall running, air dashing, zip-lining, acrobatics etc. one of the major systems tied to the movement is the Style Meter, located in the Head-Up Display of the game. The Style Meter fills up as you perform various actions, basically as you change your style. The Meter helps you unlock special abilities which can be added to your weapons. These special abilities are called Amps. Combat is another crucial part of this game. 

A Weapon For Every Enemy

The game pitches you against three types of enemies that engage with a range of weird collections of weapons. The weapons tell you how effective they are against certain types of enemies. Interestingly, you upgrade weapons based on how often you use them, so there’s very little pressure – upgrade your favorite. Of course, you have to shoot at enemies while zipping from one surface to the next. Luckily, the shot box for the weapons is very accommodating and offers to slow down the action for better aiming.

Finally

Generally, Sunset Overdrive offers a leading open-world gaming experience that doesn’t take anything too seriously, not even itself. You would often find yourself getting distracted, disobeying the map, all in search of fun. Best believe the game has many fun activities to offer, leaving me wondering why they even bother with side quests. You would spend most of your time traversing the city and blowing up enemies.