Ludography
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Players1 rating
RoadKill cover

2003 · Terminal Reality · Post-apocalyptic · Racing

RoadKill

RoadKill is an open world action-adventure video game. It has been described as the only mission-based combat driving game set in a post-apocalyptic world.

Released
13 October 2003
Platforms
GameCubePlayStation 2Xbox
Genres
Post-apocalypticRacingShooterVehicular combat
Developers
Terminal Reality
Publishers
Midway Games
Modes
MultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
Third person
Themes
ActionOpen world
Country
United States
Age ratings
ESRB M
Languages
English, French, Italian, Spanish (Spain)

About

RoadKill is an open world vehicular combat video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Midway in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. The game was described by Midway as "the only mission-based combat driving game set in a post-apocalyptic world".

Keywords

  • vehicular combat
  • post-apocalyptic
  • block-breaking
  • retroachievements

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

RoadKill is a vehicular combat game, and its gameplay is very similar to Twisted Metal, with a mission-based storyline and open-world elements inspired by Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Like in Twisted Metal, the player controls an improvised combat vehicle, and in a similar fashion to Grand Theft Auto, the player performs a variety of missions to progress through the game's storyline, has an option for free-roam, and is able to commit certain actions to increase their criminal ranks, such as attacking rival gangs, destroying vehicles, and causing havoc.

The player starts with only one vehicle to choose from, though more vehicles can be unlocked as the game progresses, either by completing certain missions or by collecting "blueprints" scattered across the city. To fit the post-apocalyptic setting, most vehicles are heavily modified and armored classic muscle cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans, all of which are armed with mounted machine guns. Additional weapons, such as rocket launchers, guided missiles, sniper rifles, and various explosives, can be obtained or purchased throughout the game with limited ammunition. In several missions, the player is required to control the turret gun to attack enemies whilst driven around.

Story

After a deadly disease known as "The Rot" causes the collapse of law and order, massive gangs form in every community and engage in constant warfare using weaponized vehicles. One such community is Hell County, United States, which is split into three cities: Lava Falls, Blister Canyon, and Paradise City.

In the aftermath of the chaos, a survivor named Mason Strong, a drifter who joined the Sentinels led by Axl who made Mason his second in command, the Sentinels proceeded to take over Paradise City and became its draconian leader with a bigger goal of eliminating the gangs in the other cities and enslaving survivors in the wastes. However, Axl was too greedy to share his newfound power and noticing Mason's increasing influence. Attempts to have Mason killed only for him to barely survive. Now out for revenge, he washes up on a beach outside Lava Falls and finds work for the Daredevils, a clown-themed punk gang composed of Scottish and British immigrants led by the psychotic pimp Uncle Woody. After being accused of snitching to a rival Hispanic gang called Gauchos, Mason ends up having to kill Woody and escape his amusement park.

Reception

The game received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation 213 October 2003Worldwide
Xbox13 October 2003Worldwide
GameCube30 October 2003Worldwide

Games like this

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Platform libraries

Genres

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.