Mad Max is a sandbox game released in 2015 for PC, PS4, and XOne, combining elements of action, crafting, adventure, and racing game. The idea for this title and its storyline are inspired by the film series of the same name created by George Miller.

Did you enjoy this game? Or perhaps, like us, you love post apo and are looking for something similar? Therefore, we invite you to our list of games similar to Mad Max! But before we get to the ranking, a few words about this title…

Features that Define Mad Max

As mentioned earlier, Mad Max combines action, adventure, and sandbox gameplay, along with crafting and car racing elements. The game offers two gameplay alternatives. Playing as Max, you can traverse the map on foot (though it’s a challenging task) or move around in an armed car.

During the journey, you’ll often encounter post-apocalyptic gangs and columns of armed vehicles, with which you must engage in battles. Interestingly, the game faithfully recreates over 50 vehicles known from the film series. Fuel, namely guzzoline, also plays a crucial role. To navigate the Wastelands, you must find tanks with this valuable resource.

Visiting cities and human settlements, you encounter numerous NPCs who share their stories, opening up the depth of lore and assigning various tasks. Max’s main task, however, is to build a worthy successor to the stolen V8 Interceptor and find the legendary Plains of Silence.

The most significant feature of this game is its setting. Mad Max opens up a quite extensive, open world in a visually pleasing post-apocalyptic Wasteland.

GameReleaseGenreDeveloper
Just Cause 2 2010-03-23 Adventure Avalanche Studios
Elex 2017-10-17 RPG Piranha Bytes
Fallout 4 Game Of The Year Edition 2017-09-26 RPG Bethesda Game Studios
Just Cause 3 XXL Edition 2018-10-24 Action Avalanche Studios
Borderlands 3 Super Deluxe Edition 2020-04 Shooter Gearbox Software
Just Cause 4 Complete Edition 2018-12-04 Adventure Avalanche Studios
Fallout 3 Game Of The Year Edition 2009-10-13 RPG Bethesda Game Studios
State Of Decay 2 Juggernaut Edition 2018-05-22 Action & Shooter Undead Labs
Borderlands The Handsome Collection 2015-03-24 Adventure Gearbox Software
Elex II 2022-03-01 RPG Piranha Bytes
Borderlands 2 GOTY 2012-09-20 Action & Shooter Gearbox Software
Rage 2 Deluxe Edition 2019-05-14 Action id Software
Rage 2011-10-03 Adventure id Software
Days Gone 2021-05-18 Action SIE Bend Studio
Fallout New Vegas 2010-10-21 Action & Shooter Obsidian Entertainment
State Of Decay Yose Day One Edition 2015-04-27 Horror Undead Labs
Metro Exodus Gold Edition 2019-02-22 Action 4A GAMES
Death Stranding Directors Cut 2022-03-30 Action Kojima Productions
The Planet Crafter 2022-03-24 Survival Miju Games
Biomutant 2021-05-25 RPG Experiment 101

Borderlands series

Release date:2020-04
Genre:RPG shooter
Developer:Gearbox Software

Borderlands is an action game series with elements of shooting, adventure, and cRPG. The game takes place in the future on the planet Pandora, featuring post-apocalyptic scenery.

Why play Borderlands if you liked Mad Max? Primarily because the creators themselves admit that they were heavily influenced by the Mad Max film series while creating the games. The combination of melee combat, shooting, and vehicular combat is also a strong point. Additionally, the Borderlands Psychos bear a resemblance to the Warboys from Mad Max.

Key features
  • Dynamic shooting combined with action gameplay
  • Set in a post apo environment
  • Play as one of several unique characters
  • Many similarities to the Mad Max film series

RAGE series

Release date:2019-05-14
Genre:Action
Developer:id Software

RAGE (2010) was the first game from id Software since 1996, representing a new brand for the studio. This title is also set in a post-apocalyptic world and combines dynamic shooting with car racing.

The similarity to the Mad Max series is evident in RAGE, with traversing wastelands, engaging in melee or vehicular combat with various enemies—soldiers, mutants, and bandits. The latter, especially those covered in white paint, resemble familiar foes from the Mad Max universe.

Key features
  • Post apo setting – Earth devastated by an asteroid
  • Combination of first-person shooter with aggressive car races
  • Solo exploration of sandbox wastelands
  • Two multiplayer modes – Road Rage (deathmatch) and Wasteland Legends (co-op)

Elex II

Release date:2022-03-01
Genre:RPG
Developer:Piranha Bytes

The second installment in the Elex series, continuing the threads introduced in the prequel. The game offers a large, open world that players can explore freely, completing tasks and quest lines assigned by independent characters.

Due to its gameplay – solo traversal of the world, battles with bandits and other enemies, and character development – as well as its post-apo setting, this title will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Mad Max and other post-apocalyptic games.

Key features
  • RPG with action elements
  • Diverse locations, including post-apocalyptic ones
  • Combination of fantasy with post-apo themes
  • Rich arsenal of weapons and character upgrades

Death Stranding Directors Cut

Release date:2022-03-30
Genre:Action
Developer:Kojima Productions

The enhanced version of the game, which had its premiere in 2019. It is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the US, destroyed by a series of catastrophes and the intrusion of a phenomenon called “Death Stranding” – a being that slowly causes aging and death to everything on the surface.

Similarities to Mad Max? Solo travel through vast wastelands, fighting various enemies, performing small missions, crafting, the ability to ride various vehicles… You’ll like it!

Key features
  • Post-apo, bleak setting
  • Solo travel through an open world on foot or using various machines and vehicles
  • Combat with enemies using various weapons and gadgets
  • Extensive crafting system

The Planet Crafter

Release date:2022-03-24
Genre:Base building
Developer:Miju Games

This game is a combination of a simulator with action and survival, set in an open world. In this title, players take on the role of an astronaut whose task is to adapt an alien, inhospitable planet to accommodate colonists.

Similarities include resource gathering, an extensive crafting system, building machines and vehicles, as well as some locations. The planet you travel to is full of spaceship wrecks, adding an interesting touch to its raw landscape.

Key features
  • Game set in the distant future
  • Combination of action, simulation, and survival in an open world
  • Many locations resemble a post-apo setting
  • Extensive crafting system

Biomutant

Release date:2021-05-25
Genre:RPG
Developer:Experiment 101

A sandbox action RPG with exciting combat, exploration, and crafting. Interestingly, it features many motifs from kung-fu cinema and elements reminiscent of older movies and games in the post-apocalyptic genre.

Why is this title included in the list of “games similar to Mad Max”? Because the protagonist moves through a post-apo world. Many years ago, human greed led to a series of ecological disasters that influenced the contemporary appearance of the planet. Thus, we traverse the remnants of the former civilization, constantly encountering various intriguing artifacts.

Key features
  • Action RPG with motifs from kung-fu cinema and post-apo themes
  • Setting envisions a post-apocalyptic world rebuilt by humanoid animals, destroyed by ecological disasters
  • Extensive crafting system
  • Solo journeys through wastelands, accompanied by a faithful companion… that is, a robo-cricket.

Fallout 4

Release date:2017-09-26
Genre:RPG
Developer:Bethesda Game Studios

Another, the fourth full-fledged installment in the series, with Bethesda handling the production since 2008. Similar to Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Fallout 4 is a sandbox FPP/TPP game set in a post-apocalyptic reality.

Similarities to Mad Max? Well, it’s no secret that the entire Fallout series is inspired by the Mad Max film hits. The solitary journey through post-apocalyptic wastelands, a companion dog, various factions with bizarre ideologies, dangerous bandit groups… and an extensive crafting system. Only the V8 is missing! If you love both the cinematic and gaming aspects of Mad Max, you can’t miss this title and the other parts of the Fallout series!

Key features
  • Sandbox game set in a post-apocalyptic reality
  • Numerous main and side quests
  • Huge arsenal of weapons and armor
  • Beloved DOGMEAT!

Conclusion

Just like in all parts of the Mad Max film series, in the Mad Max game, we follow the story of a lone wanderer trying to find his way in a post-apocalyptic reality. Although the game is not a direct continuation of events from any film, it contains many references and iconic elements known from the movie series. Similarly, this is true for many titles mentioned in our list!

If you love post-apo, are interested in a game where you traverse the Wastelands alone, search through the remnants of human civilization, constantly fight for survival, create useful items, and help small groups of survivors… you will undoubtedly find a title on our list that suits your taste!