Sunset Overdrive is a third person shooter and platforming game set in an open-world city overrun by mutants.
Great Characters
Great Graphics/Art
Great Music
Great Story
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Story & Themes
Sunset Overdrive is set in a modern-day fictional city called Sunset City, where an apocalypse of sorts has occurred. Corporate giant Fizzco is getting ready to release a new energy drink called Overcharge, and they’re giving the residents of Sunset City a chance to taste the beverage before the rest of the world. Unfortunately, it turns out Fizzco has rushed the drink through testing and missed the fact that drinking it causes everyday people to turn into Overcharge-addicted mutants who attack humans on sight. The city has been walled in by Fizzco in an attempt to cover up their egregious error, and the main character (which players design themselves) must team up with other non-drinkers and try to escape the city. You must fight off the mutants, as well as other survivors who have turned hostile in the face of the disaster.
Much of the game's sense of humor comes from frequently poking fun at gaming and other pop culture references. The game also has a light anti-consumerism theme in that players are pitted against a major corporation that's trying to cover evidence of their missteps in releasing the energy drink.
Save Points
The game frequently autosaves, meaning players can quit a game at any time without losing much, if any, progress.
Difficulty
While there is a bit of a learning curve, the game is not terribly difficult to play once you get the hang of the core mechanics. The game does a pretty good job teaching you how to do everything.
Heads Up!
Violence Players attack mutants and other humans with a variety of humorous weapons such as the TNT Teddy, which launches an explosive teddy bear at enemies; the Acid Sprinkler, which shoots Fizzco mascots who spin and shoot acid out of their heads; and the Roman Candle, which shoots fireworks at enemies that do area damage in addition to the damage done at the target.
Scary Imagery Some of the mutants look pretty grotesque and could be considered scary, though the game's humorous tone makes them less so.
Sex & Nudity The sexual content is inferred rather than explicit. There is a restaurant in the city called Sexburger, and some of the clothing players can choose for their avatar could be considered provocative.
Strong Language The game contains pretty much any profanity you can think of and probably a few you've never heard before.
Substance Use The player character is shown drinking beer in the beginning, and appears to be intoxicated whenever fast-traveling from one location to the next. There is also a part of the game where the player character drinks an entire bottle of cough medicine and the camera becomes blurry and the imagery looks psychedelic.
Consumerism Rather than encouraging consumerism, the game has a slightly anti-consumerism message in its story.
Discrimination The game features characters from both genders and multiple minorities and portrays them all on equal ground. In addition, the clothing players can pick for their character is not limited by gender. Either gender can wear all of the clothing.
Conversation Starters
- How fun is it to customize your own character?
- What are some of the ways the game pokes fun at consumerism?
- Which weapon do you think is the funniest?
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