play station official magazine

065

your enemies into explosions
of sinew and blood, and always,
always having fun your way.
In its gunplay, Rage 2 very
much takes its cues from the
classic Id style of run-and-gun
shooter, the sort of ‘push-forward’
gameplay we love in Doom (2016).
Designed with no thoughts of
cover shooters in mind (Willits
rolls his eyes at the very notion of
cover shooters when first
introducing us to the gameplay
demo at the studio), Rage 2 is all
about empowering you to move
forward and take on enemies in
the midst of combat rather than
hang back and play it safe.
So, what does Willits think is
the most important thing for a
player to feel when they’re playing
a first-person shooter? “It’s the
power fantasy of you being the
baddest, toughest guy out there

with any situational weapons.

Speed, movement, and just having

fun running and gunning.” We say

that perhaps what feels so fresh

about the push-forward gameplay

is, paradoxically, that it feels

unashamedly old-school –

harking back to Id’s own Dooms

and Quakes. “It’s not the

mechanics that make it old-

school. It’s the emotions, and the

experience that people tap into.

When people played the original

Doom they moved in their chair,

and they ducked,” explains Willits.

“But it’s those emotions, and

tapping into those emotions

through these game mechanics

that I think is what people enjoy.”

RIDEFREE

On the Avalanche side of the

coin, what does Nedfors think

is most important in an open

world game? “The freedom,” he

says. “‘Freedom’ is for sure the

word that I would use for an

open world game. Don’t force

the player to go to certain points,

don’t force them with what to

do – let them be in the world,

explore it, and often create their

own stories.” Rage 2 isn’t a game

interested in dictating how you

should play, but one that’s keen to

sit back and see what jazzy notes

We’ve got a great big

convoy. As well as driving

the vehicles in your garage,

you can hop into any you find.

What would an open world game be without side-activities to get pleasantly
distracted by? Both derby racing and Mutant Bash TV will challenge you.

RAGE 2

Wellspring’s mayor, Loosum Hagar,

returns from the first game.

“IT’S THE POWER FANTASY OF YOU

BEING THE BADDEST GUY OUT THERE

WITH ANY SITUATIONAL WEAPONS.”