At first glance, the vibrantly spirited heroes and villains of Agents of Mayhem could be mistaken for characters that have been ripped straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon. That is, until they open up their mouths to reveal they’re as proficient with profanity as they are with combat. Set in a future version of Seoul, you’re put in control of a ragtag roster of heroes (known as M.A.Y.H.E.M.) in order to fight the chaotic forces of evil (known as L.E.G.I.O.N.) that are bent on taking over the world. Positioned as a Saints Row spin-off, Volition’s open-world third person shooter is an unmitigated barrage of frenetic action and immature vulgarity that doesn’t always land, but is always rousing.
From a narrative and gameplay perspective, Agents of Mayhem’s deliberate over-the-top style is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness. Understandably, in order for a game of this style to not come off half-hearted and contrived, every facet of it must be fully committed to the tone of its premise. In this regard, Agents of Mayhem admirably swings for the fences to create an overall experience that is at times hilarious, at times cringeworthy, but most importantly, a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The action that takes place in Agents of Mayhem centers around three locations. The streets of Seoul, the evil lairs of L.E.G.I.O.N. and in the hero’s headquarters known as Ark. Whenever you deploy into the field, you’re required to pick a squad of three agents. Once you’ve selected your squad, you are then able to explore the world via foot or by car. Each agent has their own unique play-style and abilities, so who you take into battle is determined by how you like to play and if there are any specific skillsets required for a mission. Some characters lack firepower but are nimble and well-suited for taking out agile enemies, whereas, some characters possess tank-like qualities that sacrifice mobility for dealing out damage with heavy weapons such as a gattling gun. Impressively, each character feels dynamic, from how they move to the feel of wielding their weapons. You can only control one agent at a time, however, you can toggle between each character instantaneously in order to make use of all their abilities at any given moment.
Along with their abilities, characters are also able to triple-jump, and in some cases, dash in mid-air. This is great, not only for traversing the world, but for launching yourself around the battlefield as you take enemies down. I felt like an absolute badass whenever I propelled myself into the air and took out multiple enemies in a shower of bullets. Despite its chaotic elements, Agents of Mayhem’s combat comes together impeccably to create a harmonious cacophony of delightful destruction.
The completion of every mission culminates in levelling up, upgrading your characters weapons and abilities and unlocking new vehicles and gadgets for use in the field. It was always satisfying to complete a mission due to the steady influx of unlockables that are awarded for doing so. You also earn money that can be used for purchasing items and improving the Ark’s facilities. I was initially overwhelmed by the number of systems the game threw at me, but after a couple of hours, I was able to navigate competently through the wealth of customisable options. I enjoyed taking a break from the action every now and then to spend time at the Ark and micromanage my team’s abilities and weapons.