Bethesda has released a live-action and CG trailer for Rage 2, the sequel to Id Software’s 2011 post-apocalyptic shooter. It features a noticeably sillier tone than its predecessor, and we now have a look at how that would work in the game itself. Now that the first gameplay trailer has been released, it appears Rage 2 will be just as technically impressive as the original.
“When the asteroid hit, billions were gone in the blink of an eye,” says the narrator in the trailer, who is presumably player-character Walker. “Tribes rose up, alliances formed, territory was conquered. There was no one left alive to tell you ‘no,’ and in this wild, wide-open place, if you wanted something bad enough, it was yours for the taking. You see, in a world where there are no rules, insanity rules.”
That certainly seems to be the case when you look at what’s going on in the video. Characters play “dizzy bat” with a shotgun, launch from enormous ramps on all-terrain vehicles, and use special “Nanotrite” powers to blast enemies with their bare hands. Of course, there are still plenty of guns, and we see Walker put them to good use as he leaps dozens of feet into the air and lays waste to outlaws and robotic enemies alike. An ability dubbed “Overdrive” allows you to enhance your weapons. Chaining kills together will power a meter that is expended when Overdrive is active.
The asteroid mentioned in the trailer has resulted in Earth’s population being reduced by 80 percent, and the “Authority” organization has attempted to take control. As the last “Ranger,” Walker aims to stop them using all the ridiculous tools in his arsenal. The new game’s locations appear to be more diverse than the original game, with some shots of forests briefly visible, though the deserts still feature prominently.
Rage 2 is being developed by Avalanche Studios, the company responsible for the Mad Max game and Just Cause series, along with original Rage developer Id Software. The game will be available in spring 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. It will make an appearance at Bethesda’s E3 2018 presentation on June 11, where more gameplay will be shown.
