Review: 'Sunset Overdrive' reenergizes open world games

Most video games set during an apocalypse aren't exactly lighthearted (obviously). It's often grey and bleak. Players spend much of their time scavenging for parts or food inside dilapidated buildings to survive. And when the elements of nature aren't trying to kill you, other survivors with more sinister motives might.

Sunset Overdrive, the action adventure game from Microsoft and renowned studio Insomniac Games, poses an interesting question: what if the apocalypse were more awesome? Insomniac's answer is a frenetic adventure where navigating the city is just as thrilling as encountering its ghoulish inhabitants.

Sunset Overdrive kicks off with players designing their character, an employee of company FizzCo cleaning up after the launch of new energy drink Overcharge Delirium XT. There's one problem: the energy drink turns everyone into mutants, leaving players to fight for survival and -- hopefully -- escape the city. Players will seek help from factions scattered throughout the city, including the samurais of Troop Bushido or the live-action role-playing group called the Fargaths.

Fortunately, FizzCo's lowly employee happens to be really agile, bouncing off walls and grinding on rails to zip around the city. The mechanics are reminiscent of skateboarding video games like Tony Hawk and Skate, where players must string together multiple moves to build up momentum and quickly traverse the environment without disruption.

Not only is navigating the city one of several bright spots, but it's critical to maximizing the damage players unleash on mutants and other enemies, including FizzCo security. It's advanced parkour, as players bounce off vents and trees like trampolines, or glide down power lines like they're riding a rail on a skateboard. Players chain together moves to beef up attacks and increase the damage dealt. Sunset Overdrive was the rare open-world game where I didn't want to Fast Travel through the massive city because taking the trip was much more fun.

Since this was developed by Insomniac -- the creators of PlayStation titles Ratchet & Clank and Resistance -- brace for a selection of unique and unusual weaponry. There's High Fidelity, an automatic weapon that zings vinyl records at warp speed, the Flaming Compensator featuring shotgun rounds that set enemies on fire and the TnTeddy, a launcher that fires teddy bears with dynamite strapped to their bodies.

Combine the high speed of movement with this arsenal and waves of mutants -- from ones that explode when they approach to massive beasts that will chase you up buildings -- and Sunset Overdrive is a chaotic experience. Players boost combos by constantly moving while attacking. When a player aims, it slows down time just enough to quickly target enemies.

Players also snag Amps which give their weapons more firepower, as well as stickers that improve their skills, from grinding faster to earning more combo points with single-shot weapons.

The selection of missions is equally diverse. Players will capture sections of the city such as factories that are fueled by Overcharge, laying down traps and defending their new home from hordes of mutants. There's also your standard side quests players can tackle to help out survivors. There's also the Chaos Squad, a multiplayer component where players can tackle a variety of challenges with up to eight other players.

Sunset Overdrive gives the open world experience fresh energy, with a modern adventure at an accelerated pace. It also gives the Xbox One game roster a powerful jolt.

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Insomniac Games

Platform(s): Xbox One

Price: $59.99

Rating: M for Mature

Release Date: October 28

Score: 4 out of 4

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.