LOS ANGELES—Sunset Overdrive, Insomniac Games's upcoming open-world action title, is easily one of the most unusual games on the E3 show floor. A delicious mix of action and comedy, Sunset Overdrive flips an end-of-the-world-scenario on its head by presenting the wackier side of snarling beasts taking over the world.
Sunset Overdrive is inspired by apocalyptic movies like Omega Man, but the developers decided to tweak the narrative so that the universe isn't an oppressive, drab, world. Instead, they decided to focus on the new world as a new beginning for the survivors, and it shows in the candy-colored visuals, outrageous outfits, wacky weapons, and the thrill of wall-running, rail grinding, and bouncing from rooftop to rooftop.
The lead character (who you can fully customizable by tweaking skin color, gender, and clothing) is a janitor working the launch party for a new energy drink called OverCharge Delirium XT. Unfortunately, Fizzco, the company behind the drink, pushed the beverage to the Sunset City citizens with a deadly side effect: It mutates people into monsters. It's your job to survive in a decidedly awesome manner.
The gameplay recalls Sega titles like Jet Set Radio and Sonic the Hedgehog in that forward momentum is the key to success. As long as you're running, swinging, or leaping, you have the combat advantage; hit the ground and the enemy mobs will pick you apart.
Acrobatic combat fuels your Style Meter, a gauge that activates user-defined Amps, or perks that grant new abilities. You can craft them, too.
Your arsenal isn't the standard selection of guns and bombs that you'll find in other action games. Sunset Overdrive's humor penetrates that area of the game. For example, one of the guns is Hi-Fidelity, a weapon that shoots albums. You can upgrade your weapons with Amps, or simply by using them.
Multiplayer takes the form of an 8-player co-op mode called the Chaos Squad. There, you team up with seven other Sunset Overdrive players to tackle specific missions. There's no true vs. mode, but players compete in a team format for better rewards.
Sunset Overdrive is shaping up to be an exciting new IP. It will be available for purchase on Oct. 28.