Max Payne 3

The Max Payne franchise has always been a thrilling and exceptionally mature story of murder and mayhem, and Max Payne 3 continues that trend with full force. In this third-person shooter, players once again step into the shoes of Max Payne, an ex-cop haunted by his violent past. Set several years after the events of Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Max Payne 3 gives players a brand new look at Max's character along with a fresh and exciting setting in Brazil. Full of hectic action, cool bullet-time mechanics, and a gripping story, Max Payne 3 is an unforgettable journey. That's not hard to believe either, as the game is developed by Rockstar Games, the minds behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Main Game Features

• Cinematic story mode
• Cooperative and competitive multiplayer
• Bullet-time shooting mechanics

Story

Max Payne 3 takes place nine years after Max Payne 2 and offers an exceptional change in environment for our favorite disgruntled detective, Max. After his many years of working the beat and solving murders, Max has moved from New York to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he works as a private security guard for wealthy politicians and businessmen. Although Max spends most of his days drinking to the bottom of the bottle and taking illicit drugs, he still manages to protect his clients. Unfortunately, his luck runs out one night when a local gang kidnaps Fabiana, the wife of his most prestigious client. In his effort to retrieve her, things quickly grow violent and Max is forced into using his signature brute force.

Like the other two Max Payne games, the story in this third and likely final Max Payne title is intriguing, exciting, and often gloomy. The character of Max is far from a cheery old man, and the situations he finds himself in are often vile and upsetting. There's plenty of intrigue and exciting crime-thriller action when it comes to the kidnapping plot, but a lot of the heart and drama of the story comes from the pain and growth that Max deals with as a character. Frequent voice-overs from Max help you relate to him as you traverse through each level, while frequent cutscenes inform the narrative and cover up loading times. Although Max Payne 3 is packed with exciting action, the focus is often on the story and characters rather than the blood and destruction.

Gameplay

Speaking of blood and destruction, the gunplay in Max Payne 3 is absolutely exquisite and controls great. The game's main single-player mode plays out in a linear fashion, guiding players through 14 unique chapters. There are a good variety of weapons to use during firefights, including pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, and more. In addition to the landmark bullet-time feature popularized by the first Max Payne game, Max Payne 3 also includes a cover system, allowing players to reinforce their position and dodge gunfire. If you take too much damage, you are afforded one last opportunity to kill the enemy and revive yourself. This, along with other modern gameplay improvements, makes Max Payne 3 feel just as fun to play as the original two games.

Once you're done with the campaign mode, you can group up with some pals for competitive and cooperative multiplayer matches. Max Payne 3 supports up to 16 players in one lobby, resulting in some truly explosive rounds of play. Most multiplayer maps are simply areas from the single-player campaign, simply refitted to work with more than one person, but it's not exactly a bad thing. Many of the story missions have some really well-designed areas for shooting and moving, so it makes sense to use them again in a different context. Regardless, the multiplayer options in Max Payne 3 let you squad up with your friends and test your skill against each other or the AI, offering at least a few hours of replayability.

Conclusion

The first two Max Payne games were highly-acclaimed and generally well-received by both critics and gamers upon release and Max Payne 3 doesn't disappoint those fans who have enjoyed the series from the start. By staying true to the characters and offering an engrossing narrative set in a refreshing environment, Max Payne 3 succeeds as a sequel. It provides more of the great, explosive gunplay that fans love, while also amping up the presentation and graphical fidelity. The main story should take you around a dozen hours to complete, with some extra hours available through multiplayer modes. If you've enjoyed any of the other Max Payne games or appreciate a serious and bloody shooter, give Max Payne 3 a go.

Pros

• Effective and mature storytelling
• Awesome gunplay and shooting mechanics
• Great character development

Cons

• Cutscenes can feel interruptive
• Reused story levels in multiplayer