Warner Bros. Interactive and Avalanche surprised us at E3 with their reveal of Mad Max, and now we've got the first gameplay trailer. In addition to a licensed NES title, the Mel Gibson films have been linked to video game culture many times. Examples include the bandits from Borderlands and elements of Rage's vehicular combat.

Now, things are coming full circle, with the Road Warrior starring in his own title once more. Combat takes place behind the wheel of the Pursuit Special and on foot, with what appears to be a combination of melee and firearms. When Matt Helgeson previewed the title at E3, he noted that emphasis is strongly on fisticuffs, which is a departure for open world titles.

Avalanche Studio's sandbox pedigree earned from the Just Cause series is enough to have us interested in what Mad Max's wasteland will have to offer. It doesn't hurt that the song chosen for this trailer, Soul of a Man is a masterful rendition of Blind Willie Johnson's classic from the 1930s.

Update: Reader Andrew Webster has identified the cover artist as Steven Stern. His version of Soul of a Man is available on iTunes and Amazon.

Mad Max is coming (likely) in 2014 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.