Video game review: 'Rage'

“Rage”

Grade: B

Details: Bethesda, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, $59.99

“Rage” takes place in the sort of post-disaster wasteland that has become a bit of a clich . In 2029, the hero was put into suspended animation before an asteroid struck Earth. When he awakens centuries later, the surface has been overrun by bandits, mutants, cannibals and other miscreants.

Though the weapons don’t get too exotic, they’re well-differentiated. A shotgun has a beefy kick to it, while a rapid-fire machine gun is more difficult to control. You also can build turrets and sentry robots, which become valuable sidekicks when foes become too much for your lone gunman.

There are only a few enemy types, but they come after you in many ways. Some kill from afar. Some heavily armored guards march relentlessly toward you. And the most agile mutants jump you en masse. The animation and artificial intelligence are terrific, making all your antagonists seem like living (and dying) creatures with their own unpredictable attack patterns.

At its core, “Rage” is a series of environments — caverns, a factory, a prison — filled with things to shoot. There are a few short detours, but the paths are almost entirely linear.

There also are side jobs that you can take on for cash. And there are several gambling events, including an addictive, collectible card game and the ever delightful “five-finger fillet.”

Such side quests — as well as the colorful but cramped towns where you’ll find them — create the impression that “Rage” is an open-world adventure like “Grand Theft Auto” or “Fallout.”

In the four years since “Rage” was first announced, its post-apocalyptic setting has been used more effectively in adventures such as “Fallout 3” and “Borderlands.” Despite its disappointing story, I had a lot of fun — and I’m looking forward to “Rage 2.”

—Lou Kesten, Associated Press