Post-Apocalypse? Check. Wacky characters and action-packed battles? Check. Everything is set for Rage 2 to shorten the wait for Borderlands 3. Whether that really works is something MeinMMO author Robert knows. He played Rage 2 for a small test.
The Rage developers id Software and Avalanche Studios are well-versed in post-apocalyptic scenarios (Doom, Quake, Mad Max). It has been 8 years since the first end-time shooting, Rage 1. How does the now-released sequel Rage 2 play? Can it bridge the wait for Borderlands 3 ?
I played the end-time spectacle for a few hours and I am quite taken with the shooter gameplay and the open world. However, story lovers will have to prepare for disappointment.
The Story of Rage 2 – Trivial yet Dead Serious
Because it is so trivial, here is the short version of the story: An asteroid impact wipes out almost all of humanity. The last survivors want to escape using Arks of Destruction. This plan goes terribly wrong. Since then, the last representatives of the species are fighting each other.
In Rage 2, you must confront the authority, an organization that has destroyed your homeland and killed loved ones. Throughout the story, you need to seek out three key figures, complete quests, and ultimately send the big boss to oblivion: he is an ugly mix of a Transformer and Mr. Data.
I was surprised at how seriously this superficial story takes itself. I expected to hear zany and funny dialogues like in Borderlands. Unfortunately, the conversations in Rage 2 are quite serious.
Particularly unsympathetic is the male protagonist of the story, Walker. Arrogant and self-absorbed, his voice annoys me after a short time.
Fortunately, the focus of Rage 2 is not on the story, but on the open world and gameplay. Both are quite impressive.
The Gameplay of Rage 2 – Explosions upon Explosions
The shooter mechanics are convincing, the weapons have feedback and lead to sometimes absurd reactions from enemies.
A targeted shot with a shotgun can throw enemies several meters through the air.
This feels good and doesn’t get boring even after hours. Since you’re one of the last cyber-warriors, you can learn additional abilities like dodging or delivering a devastating melee attack that significantly increases combat dynamics.
Together with the great explosion effects, the shootouts are a highlight of Rage 2. You must constantly keep moving and use your abilities if you want to survive.
It is almost unnecessary to mention that Rage 2 is extremely brutal. Not only do barrels explode, but also your enemies, which looks quite graphic.
There are plenty of locations for battles. The expansive map features dozens of places like abandoned gas stations, bandit hideouts, or the Arks where you can discover new weapons and abilities. Various dungeons with mini-bosses at the end invite exploration.
Additionally, you can find a variety of resources with which you can upgrade weapons, vehicles, grenades, and abilities. You explore the vast map in vehicles that, unfortunately, did not knock me out of the driver’s seat.
While the vehicles have different driving behaviors and weapon arsenals, the controls are clunky and unwieldy. I generally avoided fighting against motorized villains, as it was simply not possible for me to react dynamically to the situations.
Compared to the vehicles in Borderlands, at least the three vehicles I tried played significantly clunkier. At least they are sufficient to get from A to B in Rage 2. And there are many As (and many Bs).
Rage 2 – Conclusion
Robert says: Even though the story seems trivial and the vehicle controls are particularly peculiar, the dynamic battles are quite fun and motivate longer sessions.
You will complete the campaign in about 5-10 hours, but after that, you can continue to explore the map and gather resources. However, one must clearly ask the question: For what?
While you can further optimize your equipment, I don’t see the famous carrot in front of my nose that keeps motivating me further in the base game.
Borderlands offers a lot of long-term potential with random weapons and equipment. The Rage 2 makers want to achieve this through new events, cheat codes, new vehicles, and real story expansions. Whether this will keep players engaged in the long run depends primarily on how quickly and how frequently new content is released.
Personally, I am disappointed that Rage 2 is purely a single-player game. Especially with the vehicles, cooperative elements would have made sense. I would have enjoyed wreaking havoc in the wasteland with a friend. Here, too, Borderlands has the edge thanks to its co-op mode.
Also, there are no different classes with various abilities. However, for a casual shootout in between, Rage 2 is more than sufficient. The locations on the map are easily accessible, making the game suitable for shorter gaming sessions as well.
Our author Tarek Zehrer has also played Rage 2 and shares his assessment.
Tarek says: Rage 2 is really fun for me in the first 1-2 hours. So far, nothing is really outstanding, but the gunplay feels good to me. The weapons pack a punch, and in combat, you feel powerful thanks to various abilities and gadgets.
So far, I especially liked the shotgun, it packs a real punch. As for the story, there isn’t much to say yet. My first impression is that it will be little more than a nice thread that guides you through the shooting and the game world.
I don’t need much more in a game like Rage 2, as gameplay is more important to me. The game world, at first impression, is a huge playground where things are constantly exploding. It is also significantly more varied than its predecessor, which was only set in deserts.
Additionally, I find the presentation and visuals appealing and I am curious how the rest of the wasteland looks. After about 2 hours, Rage 2 for me is a fast, explosive shooter that could keep me entertained for longer. I will definitely take it as a snack until the release of Borderlands 3.
Have you already been able to try Rage 2? What is your impression?
