Video game review: 'Mad Max' is engaging and fun

You can safely skip most video games tied to new movies. Not "Mad Max" ($60 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC; rated M). An open world adventure, its setup will be familiar to anyone who has played games such as "Grand Theft Auto," "Fallout" or "Far Cry." What it lacks in originality it makes up in atmosphere, cinematically re-creating the arid post-apocalyptic wasteland of the blockbuster. With the help of a Gollum-like creeper named Chumbucket, Max must navigate through various survival missions while building and customizing the Magnum Opus, a souped-up car that's "faster than fear, tougher than an iguana's gonads." The world of the film bursts to life through bone-crunching run-ins with its quirky denizens and metal-rending car-chase battles. Who knew the downfall of civilization as we know it could be so engaging and fun?