Rage 2 pre-beta footage shows off nine minutes of murderous mayhem

Bethesda has posted nine minutes of Rage 2 footage that keeps the screen filled with murder and mayhem (and lots of bullets and explosions) for most of its runtime. It only takes two minutes for a small army to be dispatched. Also shown off is an unlockable ability, 'slam', that lets you punch the ground to create a shockwave, along with a boss battle against a massive junkyard mech. Check it out above.

As Phil noted in his Rage 2 preview, it's a lot more playful and over-the-top than its predecessor, full of superpowers and punks, though it remains to be seen if all of that flavour translates into a substantially different experience.

"While basic combat is entertaining—always a positive for an FPS—I don't yet have a sense of how varied the open world will prove," he wrote. "There are plenty of icons to explore, but some felt more like padding, and the vehicular combat encounters I stumbled into on my travels seemed basic and repetitive. While I took plenty of positives from my time with Rage 2, I also have concerns about whether its sense of style is masking a lack of real substance. Hopefully it will prove to be more than just another solid shooter."

It's certainly fun in 9 minute spurts, though, and if you stick around there's a brief story teaser right at the end. Bethesda promises more footage over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled.

Rage 2 is due out on May 14.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.