Max Payne 3

The last time we saw Max Payne, it was 2003, when the noir style surrounded his story of deception, murder, the loss of love, and a lot of gunshots. By then, Max Payne became the standard bearer when it comes to bullet time, and, since then, became synonymous to a badass destined for tragedy every step of his way. Approximately ten years have passed (as well as a terrible film adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis), and now, Rockstar Studios brings players back to the world of corruption and bloodshed that Max Payne is known for with the third installment, Max Payne 3, available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the PC.

Years after the events of Max Payne 2, the titular hero finds himself further addicted to alcohol and painkillers in his new home in New Jersey. But as fate would have it, he encounters a man named Raul Passos, a man who knew Max Payne years ago, offering him a job in private security for a wealthy family in Brazil, marking an opportunity to start his life anew. Little did he know that in he would be delved back in a world he tried to leave behind, full of unexpected violence, collateral damage and dangerous politics, all taking place in a country he knows little about.

For those who are accustomed to the system of Max Payne 1 and 2, as well as those who are initiated to third-person shooters, should feel comfortable to the familiar controls of the game, where you are able to use different kinds of weapons (as well as dual wielding handguns and submachine guns) and make use of bullet time (aka slowing down enemy movement) to give yourself a distinct advantage. In fact, for the third game, you will really find yourself using bullet time a whole lot, especially in situations where you’ll end up being overwhelmed by a horde of thugs and soldiers. This incorporates a lot of strategy and planning as compared to other games, since jumping into the fray and acting like a one-man soldier will most likely get your killed. A new gameplay aspect has been added to give the player an advantage, known as “Last Stand”. Whenever you run out of life, you will have the opportunity to go into bullet time and get back at the guy who dealt the killing blow to you. Should you succeed in getting back at the guy, you will be able to survive with your health recovered, granted you have one or more painkillers remaining.

Many years back, Max Payne was presented in the style of noir, incorporating comic book panels to tell its dark and gritty story. Today’s Max Payne has its presentation revamped to a more action-esque style, similar to the movies of Guy Ritchie, which is a welcome change in the franchise. Despite the change, however, the narration remains the same that it has ever been, majorly told through the perspective of Max himself. And as Max continues to go through the motions of Brazilian favelas, violence, and uncharted territories, we would get to see the many graphical and stylistic improvements demonstrated through the current generation systems, which is a benefit in terms of seaming through various scenes. At that, game transitions would not be a problem as there is no need for loading screens at all. Multiplayer is a welcome addition, this being the first game to utilize to make use of Rockstar’s Social Club, enabling players to establish “crews” with friends as well as earn various rewards by going through the game’s multiplayer mode. The Social Club is also expected to be integrated with the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 5, which would mean more interactivity between GTA and Max Payne in the future.

It has been a long time coming for Max Payne, but finally, he’s back and loaded as he ever was. If there is a game that is worth keeping in your console or PC library, this is a true gem to consider.