Hardcore Mode for Mad Max

Increase the Difficulty and fun of your Open-world Carnage.

Overview

Mad Max is a game of exploration and overcoming overwhealming odds. Why the game does try to do this it fails in a few areas keeping it from being immersive. This guide will tell you some options for increasing the difficulty of the game to a level that you feel more immersed at.

Basic Options

These are the less hardcore options to use but make for a good start.

• Don't build the Water Collector or Oil Tank at the garrison at least until you've finished the area or reaching the end.
  
  
• Use the map only to tell what direction you need to head. Make waypoints as little as possible and only if you need to travel great distances or to a specific spot for quests.
  
  
• When leveling up Max try to get as little bonus water from water sources as possible.
  
  
• Max's gear often out levels the area so wear gear 1-2 levels lower then the highest armour you own. Only upgrade armour if you start to really stuggle (this is up to you to decide when its to hard).
  
  
• Only take every second scrap car you find back to base or only take the ones you find at camps back.
  
  
• Always give wastelanders water if possible.

Hardcore Options

These are some more hardcore options you can take if you feel up for the challenge.

• Don't build the maggot farm at the garrison.
  
  
• Don't collect any scrap cars or only ones at camps.
  
  
• Never make waypoints and only use the map to guide you (as little as possible).
  
  
• Never wear any armour on Max.
  
  
• Never fill up your canteen at camps or only after clearing it (water sources and loot areas are still fine).
  
  
• Always eat your dog food!
  
  
  
  
  
  

Ideas

This is a work in progress feedback is welcome and tell us what settings you decided on. How many Hardcores out of Hardcores is your settings?



Rate Up and Comment if this guide made Mad Max more immersive or fun for you.

[dmudgemaster]

Some hardcore rules I like:
No griffa upgrades except the first one
only fill up water in camps when its clear (no time to stop, you're under attack)
all max's gear and weapons (harpoon/thunderpoon included) can only go to level 2
Harpoon cannot be used in car combat, only for gates and scarecrows
only take scrap cars in camps, and after the camp has been cleared
no taking loot boxes during storms
no fast travel or setting waypoints
drive in 1st person only
none of the combat upgrades that turn you into a superhuman are allowed (like sheildbreaker)
only complete the one death race for the story mission
stick to the story, only do what is required to advance (after its done you can do other stuff)

[Major_havok]

I'm all for that hardcore challenge, minus no armor. Max needs a shirt at the very least. Gotta have some decency in the wasteland

[Demer]

im doing 1 life hardcore, if i die i must restart and thats it, everything else is allowed

[Pezant]

My lite "hardcore" mode
-No thunderpoon or harpoon on vehicles (Gates okay). To force urself to be honest you could not use the Magnum Opus, but building the car is half the fun.
-No griffa upgrades. If you do especcialy no water ,food, gas, or scrap improvements
- First person car view all the time
-Destroy scrapulances dont return them
-No gas,water,food or ammo upgrades at fortress. Personally use the cleanup crew for car wrecks cause its a major time waster getting out for every wreck
-Fine with max upgrades although I think 2nd-3rd tier should be max

[Arch-Tau]

My personal hardcore run rules:
Don't upgrade Max at all
Don't upgrade Max with Griffa at all (1 upgrade is necessary. Choose judgement.)
Don't use the harpoon in car combat
Take off Max's shirt once you can
Don't build any projects in strongholds (collect them though)
Reduce threat to 0 everywhere, complete all scavenging locations.
Complete all story missions.
Never EVER use fast travel

[NaiSkor]

My Hardcore Mode (continued) once main quest line is completed everything is still availible to be completed on the end game map. i.e all but 4 camps will be up and running not to mention almost all the snipers crows and convoys, can still upgrade the strongholds and complete all the projects along with all but the 3 wasteland missions u will have already done are still availible to complete. You could go and see Griffa if you chose to and spend your tokens or just leave them unspent, Upto you,
To take my Hardcore Mode up a step my next run through will have a 7th and an 8th gameplay rule
7- Scapulance NEVER returned to stronghold 8- 1 life (If you die you restart game)

[NaiSkor]

My Hardcore Mode and tbh still found it to easy but it did make it a fair bit harder. 1- complete chumbuckets area only attaining 1 (one) griffa token (received for completing the main objective in 1 camp, this is not optional) 2- go and see Griffa with your 1 token.. use the token on the skill judgement (giving 1 exp lvl) 3- NEVER see griffa again. 4- only complete the main quest line (green icon) nothing else except what is needed to continue the main quest line Gameplay rules 1- no fast travel 2- water only no food 3- only builld the required projects to continue main quest nothing else. 4- only complete the 1 death race (to get your fighter) 5- no extra upgrades for max or the opus. (meaning if the main quest progression doesn't require or unlock an upgrade, then it is off limits) 6- drive using the cockpit view By doing the above makes all the combat alot more difficult and you will have to really watch your ammo, fuel and water consumtion closely.

[Nafti]

@Vegans are worse than Hitler- Don't be a negative nancy. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

[PlutonArioch]

I dont need a guide to do that, but some people might lol. Here are some things you can add:
- Drive the car in first person mode: Adds immersion and limits the view. Its much harder to keep an eye on all enemies arround but all the more satisfying and immersive. (Default key is "V")
- Play in "Video Mode" and disable the hud: No minimap, no healthbar, no idea how much water you have left. Makes fights more intense and removes the temptation to use the minimap to navigate or find enemy cars.

[Matches]

You've only played 37 hours... And challenge is a strong point in certain aspects of the game.