Max Payne 3

Introduction

It’s been nearly a decade since Max Payne, the grief stricken, pill popping, steely voiced, noir-infused NYPD detective graced the console of gamers around the world and much has changed on both sides of the screen: gaming technology has advanced tremendously, for Max himself, the days of New York City streets are long gone, replaced by the chaotic world of South America, and one question is on the mind of longtime fans: why the hell does Max have a full beard and a bald head?

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

With such a longtime on hiatus, the return to a franchise many gamers have forgotten and many have never heard of is a risky proposition, but luckily, original publisher Rockstar, has taken the full reigns from Remedy, this time picking up development duties as well. With Rockstar’s phenomenal track record, it’s a pretty safe bet “Max Payne 3” is a game worth playing and I’m happy report that track record is fully intact. Gamers who chose to pick up “Max Payne 3” don’t just get a compelling, dark single player campaign, no, this time out, Rockstar’s upped the ante and offered players who stick around a technically accomplished third-person multiplayer shooter that does what “Stranglehold” tried and failed to do year prior: capture John Woo-esque bullet ballet efficiently and smoothly.

The core mechanics of “Max Payne 3” are relatively unchanged from the previous two installments, with the boost in gaming technology allowing for a more refined and distinguished game play experience. The game controls like a standard third-person shooter, with a few unique elements for newcomers. As Max performs more precise kills, an adrenaline bar fills up, allowing with touch of the RB button Max to leap into the air, slowing down enemy reaction time as he picks multiple foes off before landing on the ground. Max can also use the ground for protection providing a lower profile if necessary or to pick off stray foes without breaking the action to stand back up. Bullet Time also returns, activated by clicking the right thumbstick in and functioning like the aerial shootdodge, but leaving Max on his feet.

New to Max Payne veterans is a cover mechanic activated by pressing X near a wall or low-object. As with your standard third-person experience, Max can fire blindly or pop up for a quick shot or to unload an entire clip. This time out a Last Man Standing mechanic has been added, making usage of painkillers far less stressful; should Max take a fatal bullet, time slows down and Max faces his primary attacker; if the player scores a killing shot, a painkiller is used up and Max returns to action. Veterans may also notice, Max can’t carry an entire arsenal and is instead limited to two, single-handed weapons which he can dual-wield and a two-handed weapon. When carrying a two-handed weapon, should the player choose to go akimbo, the larger weapon is dropped, forcing players to fully think their strategies through and further grounding Max in a more realistic game world. Lastly, players have the option of standard free-aim or a more forgiving soft-lock option when it comes to aiming.

Tying this to-the-point and solid game play together is a story that could be easily written off as clichéd, but when viewed in the context of Max as a character is quite intense and at times introspective. While I won’t spoil why Max ends up bald and bearded halfway through the game, I will say his journey through a Brazilian underworld is far more gritty and nasty than his melodramatic noir experiences in “Max Payne” and “Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.” The game starts out with Max firmly hooked on painkillers and booze, so much so, the game employs graphical flairs in cutscenes to show that Max is rarely fully “there.” Hired by the ultra-rich and decadent Branco clan, “Max Payne 3” wastes no time in allowing Max to do what he does best: kill two-bit thugs and rescue lost women. Tasked with tracking down Fabiana Branco, the trophy wife of employer Raul, Max is back to his old ways of saving the helpless, even if it means cashing in his own ticket in the process. He’s not entirely alone, as Raul Passos a former NYPD cop himself who recruits Max for the bodyguard work in an early game flashback mission, provides support against a number of antagonistic factions including common street gangs, mobsters, paramilitary troops, mercenaries, and an elite faction of the Brazilian law enforcement.

“Max Payne 3” works so soundly due to the sharp dialogue written for a returning James McCaffrey, whose voice work here is some of the best heard in years. He plays Max at the appropriate age in his life and there’s always a tinge of sadness amidst the take no prisoners bravado. The noir qualities of his commentary are dialed back a bit and when we do get “bald Max” it’s one of the game’s most rewarding experiences, as players get an evolution in the character from noble, flawed defender of the weak, to pissed-off and bitterly sober force of nature with absolutely nothing left to lose. The one-liners Max spouts will remain with you long after the game leaves your console.

The overall tone of the game is one of cruelty, with certain events occurring a third of the way through the game leaving you asking, “it can’t get any worse, right?” Oh yes, it can and it does, and it makes Max’s torrent of justice through Brazil all the more satisfying. This is not a game for the faint of heart: it’s bloody and relentless, sending Max through hellish abandoned apartment complexes to gang infested streets and a brothel deep in the heart of a violent slum. The game’s final levels approach levels of action that would put it in fair and proper company with a John Woo movie; to think of a game that teams Max up with Tequila Yuen, is an action fan’s greatest dream. The conclusion to Max’s story is satisfying and long coming, I won’t say whether it’s happy or sad, but I will say it’s morally conflicted as one might expect.

Accompanying the great single player offering is a third-person multiplayer mode that shares similarities with Rockstar’s previous efforts on both “Grand Theft Auto IV” and “Red Dead Revolver,” with the obvious improvement of speedier game play and a host of enticing options. Player can choose from standard deathmatch (solo and team), as well as Payne Killer (two players play as Max or Passos who sport improved health and adrenaline levels; with opposing players who kill either filling the role) and Gang Wars. The latter is a near perfect “story” based, team option giving players five chapters, with each based around objectives such as standard team deathmatch, variations on capture the flag, bomb setting missions, and area control. The variety of different chapter options is enough so each foray is different. Players who venture hear will be forced to work together in a way other similar games try and don’t often succeed.

Customization ranges from modifying character avatars to arsenal loadouts, with a unique weight system that rewards players with lighter weapons increased speed and health regeneration. Players have a wide variety of weapons, armor, and perks to choose from including “bursts” which act as special abilities. The more kills a player racks up, the more their adrenaline meter fills, up to three “burst” levels. Players can use adrenaline for standard shootdodge or for these bursts, which include Bullet Time, increased weapon damage, all the way to health boosts for themselves and fellow teammates, depending on the level of the burst. All these options gradually unlock up to a level cap of 50, after which the players can become “Legends” which is akin to “prestiging” in a Call of Duty game. All in all, “Max Payne 3’s” multiplayer mode is not an afterthought and a nice change of pace from standard FPS mechanics, the John Woo flairs thrown in for good measure are executed soundly and leave a lasting impression on players.