“Road Rage” is a motorcycle combat racing game developed by Team6 Game Studios and published by Maximum Games. It was released on November 14, 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms. The game is inspired by the “Road Rash” series and offers similar gameplay, combining racing with combat elements.

Plot and Game World

The action of the game is set in the fictional city of Ashen, a place where chaos and lawlessness reign. Once it was a prosperous metropolis, but the economic crisis and crime spike turned it into a gloomy labyrinth of abandoned buildings, ruined roads and endless graffiti walls. The law here has long since lost its force, giving way to criminal gangs that have divided the city into zones of influence. Among these gangs are bikers, who do not just race – they wage a real war for supremacy.

The protagonist is one of the participants in these deadly competitions. He is young, ambitious and eager to prove his strength on the streets of Ashen. For him, the motorcycle is not just a means of transportation, but a weapon with which to make his way in a world where cruel rules rule. His goal is simple: to rise up the hierarchy of the criminal world, to become a leader and gain control over all areas of the city. However, the road to the top will be strewn with enemies, betrayals and deadly battles.

The city is divided into several districts, and each of them has its own peculiarities. One has an atmosphere of industrial desolation, with rusting factories and abandoned warehouses, while another has narrow streets littered with traces of riots and pogroms. Every corner of Ashen is full of danger, and its roads are arenas where fates are decided. The police are either corrupt or don’t show up at all, allowing the gangs to make their own laws. The only way to gain respect here is through strength and speed.

There is no room for weakness in this world. Every race is not just a race, but a battle for territory, survival and status. Can justice be found here? Or the only way is to become the most cruel and ruthless? The answer to this question the player will have to find out when he goes to the streets of Ashen.

Gameplay

Road Rage gameplay combines dynamic racing and brutal combat, turning every ride through the streets of Ashen into a deadly challenge. The player has to get behind the wheel of a powerful motorcycle and go into a world where there are no rules, and the only goal is to win at any cost. At the heart of the game is a constant confrontation with rivals who are ready to use any means to knock you out of the saddle. This is not just a speed race – it is important not only to overtake, but also to physically eliminate your competitors, using a variety of weapons, from baseball bats to chains and brass knuckles.

One of the key mechanics of the game is the ability to modify your vehicle, improving its characteristics, as well as selecting equipment that will help in battle. Each motorcycle has its own features: some are better suited for maneuvering attacks, others can withstand powerful blows in a brutal confrontation on the track. Improvement of technique becomes a necessity, because with each new level the complexity increases, and opponents become more aggressive and dangerous.

Ashen City offers an open environment to explore, where the player is free to choose his own path to the top of the criminal hierarchy. The variety of tasks does not let you get bored: here you can participate in deadly races, carry out missions to destroy competitors or earn money by carrying out orders from criminal authorities. Each task brings not only rewards, but also helps to gain respect in a world where only strength and speed are valued.

Adrenaline drive is reinforced by the gloomy atmosphere of the city, where hostility is felt at every step. Unbridled chaos in the streets, destruction and complete absence of law create a unique atmosphere that fully immerses you in the world of biker fights. There is no place for the weak – only the fastest and most ruthless can reach the top, proving their right to power in this cruel world.

Game Modes

Road Rage offers several game modes, each of which reveals the chaotic world of street racing and crime from a new perspective.

Single Campaign

This mode immerses the player in the story of the protagonist trying to make his way to the top of the criminal biker world. As you progress through the game, you need to complete various tasks:

• Survival races – not only the fastest, but also the most brutal wins.
• Competitor attacks – eliminating rivals using weapons and tactics.
• Assignments from crime bosses – fulfill orders to increase influence in the city of Ashen.

Freedom of action allows you to choose which missions to complete first, which adds to the game’s non-linearity and variation.

Tests

In addition to the story mode, Road Rage features special challenges that offer unique scenarios:

• Gun races – it is important not just to come first, but to eliminate all opponents.
• Elimination mode – the last biker left in the saddle becomes the winner.
• Skills testing – testing motorcycle control and combat mechanics.

Multiplayer

In network races you can compete with other players. Not only speed is important here, but also the skill of fighting. However, multiplayer is not the main feature of the game, and its development is inferior to the single mode.

Pros and Cons of the Game

Road Rage has a number of strong points, thanks to which it is able to attract fans of dynamic races and brutal street battles. One of the main advantages is the game’s atmosphere – the gloomy, crime-ridden city of Ashen creates a tense environment where every race turns into a deadly ordeal. The open world gives you the opportunity to freely explore its neighborhoods, and different types of quests bring variety to the gameplay. A system of motorcycle and weapon upgrades allows you to customize the style of play to your personal preferences, which makes the passage more interesting.

However, Road Rage also has significant drawbacks. The main disadvantage is technical problems: bugs, FPS drops and not always responsive controls can spoil the impression of the game. Combat mechanics, although interesting, sometimes feel not fully finalized, which makes the collisions less dynamic than we would like. The multiplayer mode also leaves much to be desired – it didn’t get enough attention from the developers, and so it’s not as diverse as fans of network racing would like.

In general, Road Rage is a game with a good concept, but with shortcomings in realization. It will suit those who are nostalgic for classic street races and are ready to turn a blind eye to technical flaws for the sake of adrenaline gameplay.

Conclusion

Road Rage aims to offer a combination of racing and motorcycle combat in an open world, however, due to its many technical and gameplay flaws, the game falls short of its goals. Caution is recommended when purchasing this game, especially considering the availability of better alternatives in the genre.