Desert dust clings to your skin before the engine even roars.

Mad Max paints a curious profile. For the desert island question it climbs ahead of 87% of titles, but on just two votes, so let's stay level-headed. The rest pulls downward. The feel of the controller sits ahead of a little under two thirds of games, which is decent on so few votes. Fun and rediscovery linger in the lower third, and the sound sits right at the bottom, ahead of only 30% of games. It's the picture of a huge world that catches the eye but struggles to lodge itself in the heart.

Among post-apocalyptic sandboxes, Mad Max plays the driving and brutal-combat card rather than the memorable-soundtrack or emotional one. Where a Fallout or an RDR2 haunt you through atmosphere, this one bets on the sensation of clashing metal.

So, who's it for? For you if you dream of brawling in the sand, bolting your car together piece by piece, and living the road fury. Much less if you want an OST you replay or a game that grips your throat.