Mad World (Wii) Preview

Posted by Jacob Lopez on 08.05.2008

E3: First Look: It's been a while since E3, but I keep writing about the games I saw. Either way, Mad World is shaping up to be one of the goriest experiences on the Wii. SEGA's deal with PlatinumGames seems to be paying off so far. Let's find out why.



One of the most highly anticipated Wii games of the show happens to be a third party title published by SEGA, who just two months ago announced their worldwide partnership with PlatinumGames. Along with that announcement we got a short video and some information on Mad World, the game that promises to satisfy the needs of the ‘core' gamer on the Wii. It is also worth knowing that this team is a select staff made up of some well-known names responsible for games like Okami, and the Viewtiful Joe series. Put together a devoted team of industry vets, and you can expect a high quality game. Most Wii owners, myself included, are not expecting any less from Mad World.


Spikes: Just one of the many ways you can take care of your opponents

When I first saw the trailer back in May, I was a bit worried that certain elements would easily get lost in the black and white color scheme. I am pleased to say that my concerns were quickly laid to rest. Things looked sharp and all details were clearly visible. The high contrast black and white art style in combination with gallons of the red stuff actually remind me of the work of Aidan Huges or Frank Miller (but you've heard that one before), and it looks great.

You play as Jack, a contestant in a game show called Death Watch who has a few things in common with Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in The Running Man and Sin City's Marv. It's a massive battle royale as the contestants are thrown into the real-world arena and you hear the announcers' voices through the PA over the stage's hip-hop-ish soundtrack. Comments like, "He should have seen the sign!" will evoke a few smiles from players after they tear a street sign off the sidewalk and drive it into an opponent's skull. Some of the speech can get a bit repetitive, but I will chalk it up to the fact that game is far from completion. The violence is definitely in there, and the game is not afraid to deliver the gore by any means. The blood effects are actually really cool, and at one point the blood even splattered right on the screen. In fact, we were told that the better or more creative the kill, the higher the score.


"He should have seen the sign!"

This is definitely not getting a kid-friendly rating from the ESRB. Some parents may be more upset about the comments than they are over the graphic violence. Along with just about any kill you make, the game drops an F-bomb and makes light of the fact that you just ripped your opponent in half. Still, if you watch the game in play, it is quickly apparent that the level of violence is not meant to be taken seriously or necessarily meant to be disturbing.



Don't feel so tough now, do ya?

In the few minutes of gameplay we saw, things were pretty wild. You start in a city-like setting with other contestants running around. The idea is to beat them into a bloody pulp, and not get yourself killed. We saw death by street sign, characters impaled on spiked walls, others crushed by trash cans and one cut in half by a dumpster lid to name a few.

The game then moved to a subway station where more fighting commences. One memorable death was the player throwing an enemy into a passing subway train and watching the poor soul being spun and his bloody body parts flying everywhere. Shortly after, the demo was over.


Chainsaw Duels

This game got a lot of attention with the first trailer that was made available online, and deservedly so. We will have to see what the future holds for this title. My hopes are that this game will be more widely received than Suda's No More Heroes.

Screenshots
All 21 Mad World Screenshots