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18.3.2015

it’s been a ten year wait but the endearing crime fighting cop, Max Payne, is finally back in another action packed third-person shooter. The question is though; will those who have followed the franchise stay in love with the game? I ask this because it’s the first Max Payne game that hasn’t been developed by Remedy Entertainment, instead Rockstar Games took over the job of making the latest instalment. They replaced the series creator with their own Dan Houser who helped write both Red Dead Redemption and most of the GTA series; and unlike other Rockstar games the world is structured and it isn’t a sandbox game where you are walking around an open world.So does it live up to the past Max Payne games?Well the storyline follows as you guessed, Max Payne, who after a hard few years losing his wife, child and his job, is nothing more than a ruined pill-popping alcoholic. However he has been given a second chance that offers him a whole new life and a chance of escaping his troubled past and redeeming himself for all he has done and what he has become. Max takes a job in São Paolo, Brazil, as part of a security team protecting the wealthy Branco family, but as events start to spiral out of control all is not as it seems. You end up lost on the streets of the São Paolo favela fighting for your life and desperately searching for the truth.I really enjoyed the storyline, especially the flash backs to how you ended up in São Paolo, it seemed more mature than previous Max Payne games and was like following a well written crime drama, and you know when Rockstar are involved it is going to be graphic even in the smallest details. At one point you walk into a grungy brothel and all around you there are men doing the nasty with cheap looking prostitutes on stained mattresses. It’s little things like this that make you instantly know it’s a Rockstar game because no one portrays situations like this quite the way Rockstar do. The cut scenes may upset some people though as Rockstar have changed the style and tone of the game; so long gone is the graphic-novel style and now there is a much more cinematic experience. Personally I thought it was done really well and the fact that occasionally the screen would go hazy as if you were Max and the alcohol was affecting you really humanised the character. However my one problem was certain cut scenes really did take too long, to the point I thought I was watching the TV and not playing a game.So what have Rockstar done to please the fans of the Max Payne franchise? Well fans will be happy to know that the Bullet Time® and Shootdodge™ mechanics in the game are still here, however they’ve been enhanced for better precision and more life-like movement by using Natural Motion’s Euphoria Character Behavior system. For those who aren’t familiar with this, Bullet Time is a feature where you can slow down time allowing you to take on larger groups of enemies by giving you a better chance of taking them out with headshots. Don’t be fooled into thinking this makes the game easy though, even with this feature a couple of bullets from an enemy and you could be on the floor dead. You really do need to time everything perfectly so when coming up from cover to use Bullet Time make sure you aren’t about to come under fire because you can still be hit. This feature is sometimes automatically activated as well by merging a cut scene into gameplay where you jump straight into action.One new feature linked to Bullet Time is Last Man Standing. This is activated when you’re on your last legs and you have some pills available to regain health. What happens is when you’re in the midst of a gunfight with bullets flying left, right and centre and you take a hit that puts you on the verge of facing death, time slows down giving you the chance to take out one particular target to give you a burst of health to keep you going. However if you fail to shoot the targeted enemy and don’t pounce on the opportunity you’ll pop your clogs. Keeping with the slowing down time theme, once dispatching with all enemies in one area, you will have the chance to slowdown time for that final kill watching your bullet rip into the enemy and see blood squirt out. You can even keep firing to watch more bullets fill your target as they drop to the floor.The arsenal available should also please many gamers; you have everything from small handguns to large machine guns and sawn-off shotguns to explosives and some weapons even come with special attachments like red-dot sight to increase accuracy and torches for searching those dark areas. You also have the opportunity to duel-wield some weapons so you can run in all guns blazing and pumping lead into all those who stand in your way. One feature that really deserves credit with regards to the weapons is the reloading of ammunition which is so detailed you may not even notice it. Where usually carrying two guns or large two-handed guns can cause problems with reloading, Max Payne 3 really is some of the best game mechanics I’ve seen making the process so smooth. If you switch from an assault rifle to a handgun the assault rifle doesn’t just disappear or get put into some kind of holster on Max’s back it is held in his left hand while you use your right to hold the handgun, then when reloading he puts the larger weapon under his arm as he changes the ammo cartridge, it truly shows just how much effort Rockstar have put into making even the smallest of details perfect.Additionally to the single player campaign, Rockstar games have introduced for the first time ever in a Max Payne game, a new multiplayer mode that certainly engrosses the player. There is plenty to please gamers and keep them glued to the game with a whole host of dynamically altered maps, entertaining match types, a huge range of customisation options that allow you to create an avatar, stimulating in-match challenges and rewarding unlockable content through a levelling system. Along with creating avatars you can also make crews with your friends to further reward you with in-game content and exclusive benefits on the web. So what makes it different from your usual multiplayer experience? To cut a long story short it’s the fact you can still use Bullet Time and Shootdodge to make multiplayer games more tactical, and it does this without making it feel forced up on you. It’s a testament to how well the Rockstar development team have worked in order to make it seem so natural.Graphically and sound wise the game is magnificent; as mentioned the old graphic-novel style is gone and has been replaced by a new more cinematic experience which although may upset fans of Max Payne, is kind of needed so Rockstar can put their own stamp on Max Payne. The small details as again already discussed throughout the review show how much work has been put into the game to make it a success. Other graphical features that also make the game that bit more special are the cut scenes that see key words spoken come up on the screen which is a nice effect and how going through the story Max is made to feel more human as your view becomes impaired by the screen becoming hazy as if though you can see how the alcohol and drugs diet is affecting him. The game sound is also great with excellent voice acting for the characters and some brilliant sound effects for bullets flying through your enemies as you activate slow motion finishing.Overall credit is due to Rockstar games for how well they’ve developed Max Payne 3; the story writing as always is captivating, the gameplay is hard to find a fault with except maybe it’s a little easy to die and they’ve done amazingly well to bring in such a large new multiplayer experience that is new to the series. In addition like I’ve already said the graphics are amazing as well, and the small details really do make this game, however sometimes the cut scenes although looks great really does drag out a bit, and can leave you feeling that you aren’t getting as much gameplay as you could be having. That aside the game really is a credit to the developers and they’ve done a great job at picking up the Max Payne series and putting their own twist on it, it really is worth playing.
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8.6.2012

I have waited for Max Payne 3 for PC to come out for a really long time and I have to say, I am not disappointed.I can understand why people complain about the cutscenes (there are really a lot and they are quite long too) but in my opinion they add a lot to the game and give the player a chance to relax between the action (which is challenging, as it should be!).Another nice thing about the game is, that you can play it according to your own style. If you like shooting from behind a cover, you can do it, if you like running into the room and kill your opponents in bullet time and dodging the bullets, you can do that too.The controls are fully customisable and it feels like it is made to be played with a mouse.So gameplay wise I think it is a great PC game.Some people say it is a poor console port. It isn't. Poor console ports usually require insane hardware to run smoothly and look good (GTA4 was a good example for that). Max Payne 3 is the opposite. When I first read the system requirements I was a bit worried if it would run on my computer, which is a few years old already. But after I installed it (without problems) and started it (without problems) it ran like a charm! There is no stutter and the graphics look stunning.I have set all graphic options to high (only texture quality and shadows to very high), even tesselation is on high without a problem, screen resolution is 1680x1050 and msaa off (because people reported problems with that, haven't tried it myself because it requires a restart).To put this into perspective, here are my sys specs:-AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ -> dualcore with 3.2 GHz-4 GB RAM, WIN 7 64x-Radeon HD5770 1GB VRAMSo as you can see my PC is neither the newest nor the most powerful out there and the game just looks stunningly beautiful. I am sure I could run the game at even higher settings without a problem, so trust your hardware and give it a shot.Another important aspect of the game is the multi player. The implementation of the Bullet Time into multi player turned out really well. It is really fun to fight each other in slowmo, even if it is your opponent who triggered it. The maps are pretty well made and if you do not encounter cheaters/hackers the game feels quite balanced.All in all I can say that single player and multi player are both well made and a lot of fun to play.The only major complaint I have, is that you HAVE to kill a CERTAIN opponent in last stand in single player to prevent your death. That is bad because last stand is in slowmo and Max sometimes needs ages to get his gun in the right direction and if you are unlucky you are out of bullets and for the 10 or so seconds this scene takes you will frantically hit the firebutton without anything happening. Max will just lie on the floor and you can do nothing but wait and wait and wait for his imminent death. Same problem when an obstacle is between you and the guy you have to shoot, you can do nothing to prevent your death and have to wait until you die. If it was the last opponent, you have to kill all of them again. Frustrating if you have to do the same room 3 times because of that...Last thing: The savepoints. You cannot quicksave like in previous Max Payne games. There are auto-savepoints, so, for example, if you forgot to get a golden weapon part in the room before: tough luck (doors close behind you, so you cannot go back in a level)! On the other hand, the game saves quite often, so that you do not have to fight your way through the whole level if you die but just one or two rooms.EDIT: I have finished the storyline now, it took me roughly 9 hours to complete the game on normal difficulty. I really enjoyed the single player (it became more fun when I started to use bullet time more often instead of using a cover to fight) and I liked the ending. So was it worth its money? Yes, absolutely, I do not regret buying it and will play it again on a harder difficulty eventually. Besides from those weird image interferences Rockstar thought would enhance the game there are no real drawbacks (if you are ok with watching the cutscenes instead of loading screens). The gameplay was great until the end, the fighting was a lot of fun, there are lots of details to discover and the story was good too. In my opinion it is a good Max Payne game, that I would recommend anyone to play who liked the older Max Payne games (and thus is not afraid of a challenging game).
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12.6.2012

First of all I want to advise those who are complaining the game does not work, STOP BLAMING THE GAME AND CONSIDER YOUR COMPUTER!!!!!! SICK OF THE CRYINGI have a Core 2 Duo E75008GB DDR2 RAMAMD HD5770So compared to those crying because they have an Core i5 system, explain why it works on mine and not yours???? Thats right its not the game, so for those potentially put off by the crying of those wanting to blame the game, please do not worry. Yes its on 4 DVDs but it takes just under 30mins to install, and yes its fully DX11 compatable and looks great, but more on this in a bit. Oh one other thing, once installed, you no longer need the CDs to run the game.QUICK TIP: If you are having problems running the game after installing it,check your Anti Virus program and make sure Max is allowed in your firewall as this can interupt the loading of the socialclub as advised when you begin the install of the game. Socialclub needs to load first to allow autosave.I bought the original game when it first came out, OMG it was revolutionary, Bought the second game and OMG it was out of this world. So the anticipation of getting the third game was unbarable, but completely worth it.I don't want to give too much away, so the details I am going to provide are issued with the best intentions but may contain spoilors.For those familiar with the first and second games will recall the comic book stylings of the game, in MP3 the developers have opted for cutscenes instead. For those who appreciate cutscenes will appreciate this game, as in my opinion the cutscenes add depth to the game and give it a more intense theatrical effect, and most importantly add more feeling to the character of Max Payne in the sense of physical and mental trauma. I put it like this because now the game is set mostly in Brazil, and Max has become the haggered has been from the previous games. Gone are the nightmares of a screaming baby, and hello the pill popping drunken stupor of depression, however for those who might miss the psycotic effects of the crying baby from the original 2 will not be too disapointed as there is a crying baby, but the way it has been done is more suitable to the enviroment. Max Payne 3 is a more disturbing game set more on the human condition of greed and poverty, and one can't help but think that the developers are trying to make a statement on the current social and economic state of Brazil then mere coincidence on location.Some of the set peices and specific cutscenes are horrific and the opening sequence reminded me of the part in Star Wars 3 when Obi Wan critically wounds Anakin, the rest I will leave to your imagination.The actual gameplay has not changed and there is no learning curve unless you are approcaing the series from Max 3 and not the earlier games, but there is a kind of tutorial that helps and again this is subtly and creatively done. A negative review of this game suggested you can not run, well you can, you just need to check the control assigned to that function, but like I said there is no really learning curve. One of the main changes is the fact you can't hord weapons, unlike the previous games were you could store every picked up weapon, here you can only pick up three, 2 single hand weapons and 1 two handed weapon. This presents a nice challenge especially later in the game when you struggle to decide what weapon is best for the task at hand.The graphics are immense especially on My AOC F22 1080p monitor and also with DX11 enabled. Unfortunatly due the age of my computer I did have to make some small changes to the graphics but not to many changes. The character details is also amazing when you compare the pictures of the actors to that in the game, they look almost life like.I have dabbled at the multiplayer section but this is pretty standard and uninspiring at the moment but I am sure this will change as more people come active, but so far I was pleased with how well it worked especially with the use of bullet time.I only have two negative points and that is the inability to save or reload at more regular auto save points, and the second is the inability to skip cutscense especially if your having to repeat a certain part because you had to reload. However these issues are small and trivial.I won't say anymore except to say BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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28.5.2012

This game is a wonderfully refreshing change from the first person shooters that have dominated the market for so long. Yet again Rockstar have produced a winner that uses a gripping narative and smooth action to deliver a gaming experience that is well worth the money.For those who are familiar with the genre, Max is a manically depressed alcoholic now ex-cop who struggles with his inner demons with the aid of various narcotics in order to forget the past. Essentially, he's no all american hero, which gives a nice change to the cliche super cop out to save the world. Max's story is told through lengthy cut scene's that are superbly directed and contain voice acting that goes above and beyond where a video game is concerned.The scene's are designed as if from a cctv camera, with the occasional fuzz screen built in. This gives an interesting perspective, as if it's being told from the blurred memories of an alcoholic. It could be said that these cut scenes are a tad over indulgent and a way of padding out the campaign as most of them can't be skipped due to the fact that they disguise the loading screens. However, it's a small price to pay when they're so intuiging to watch and allow for you to be fully emerced in the story.The presentation is superb, but as with special effects in film, good graphics are the status quo in this day and age. Never the less, Rockstar delivers them well with some brilliant environment designs ranging from classy night clubs to grotty slums. The environments all have a destructible edge to them, so as the bullets fly glass shatters and concrete crumbles all around you. What's probably the most impressive is the detail where gore is concerned. Each bullet makes it's own unique cavity in a victims body. An enemy will then react differently depending on where they are shot. This all hits a climax when you kill the last enemy in a group and an automatic slow motion kill camera starts up which shows up close the damage that you're doing and boy is it nasty.The occasional bug does occur but when the machine is being pushed to it's limits it can't be helped. Unfortunately a small glitch is made all the more obvious by the immaculate surroundings. So the occasional blurred surface or cut scene bug stands out all the more, though these never really impact significantly on gameplay.Finally, the gameplay is magnificent. Anyone who has played other Rockstar productions, GTA4, Red Dead Redemption etc will be familiar with the third person shooting style. What makes this experience unique is Max's ability to go into "bullet time", where everything goes into a matrix style slow motion. This naturally gives Max somewhat of an unrealistic advantage over the magnitude of enemies pressing down on him but who cares. This signture of Max gives the game an awsomely cinematic feel. Once the controls have been mastered it's possible to move fluidly from cover to cover, outmanouvering your enemies taking very little damage while dealing out one hell of a lot of pain to them. A significant improvement over the last games is the way that Max now handles far more realistically. Dive into a wall and funnily enough you're stopped in your tracks and fall to the floor with a grunt. It's all very smooth and despite the advantage held with bullet time, enemies are smart and provide an excellent challenge, espescially on the harder difficulty settings, as they will attempt to make flanks and cover each other as well as being a pig to kill when wearing body armour.The odd flaw can be encountered for example when Max goes into a last stand mode and is at a strange angle so can't kill anyone which then leads to your death. In addition, the aim assist is a bit strange at times so using the free aim mode is recomended for more fluidity and to add an extra dimension the the challenging play.So overall a very cleverly crafted and well presented game. Probably a game that sells more for the campain than the mulitplayer, as the online experience is certainly fun but honestly is never going to compete with the big names in online gaming. Never the less, this is yet another superb production from Rockstar that provides an enthralling storyline and addictive gameplay that ensures excellent value for money.
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25.5.2013

It's been ages since Max Payne 1st blew me away with the introduction of bullet time and it's gripping dark story and atmosphere. The sequel then managed to improve on the 1st game whilst keeping the essence of the first. After a lengthy break, Rockstar have taken over to bring Max Payne into the next gen world and overall, they've done a superb job.The graphics are phenomenal. We now get superb cut scenes instead of the comic book narrative which are well voice acted and fun to watch. The bullet time remains the focal point of the game and has also been given a next gen update with the kill cam that follows the bullet (usually used for last enemy or last man standing) and the last man standing mode I love,where if you reach full damage when you have pain killers left, the game goes into bullet time mode and you have to kill the enemy that last shot you or die.The storyline is a big change, but I personally really enjoyed it and it's now like being part of a movie. Brazil as a setting made it a lot more vibrant, detailed and colourful, aswell as bringing some excellent levels such as the favellas, party boat and police station. I can't say the story is an improvement, but how do you improve on max payne 1's story. It wasn't going to happen and I never expected it to. There's a lesser feeling of purpose in max payne 3, as he's committed to a job rather than revenge, but it was a brilliant move from rockstar to introduce flashback levels in new york where you play as the old max in leather jacket.So why only 4 stars? Max Payne 1 was pioneering as a game. Max Payne 3 isn't. The break has meant that the series has had to fall into line with next gen law. The cover system is an absolute must nowadays with 3rd person shooters. It took me a while to get used to it as I tried to play like the old games using the dive primarily. I can't say I didn't enjoy the cover system, but it has taken over. A lot of the levels are a bit cramped in places with objects everywhere and bullet dive is quite often the wrong choice, so it isn't the main element anymore. The game has focussed on taking cover and using bullet time from cover. I used to love diving into a room in bullet time and taking every1 out, it's not really there like it used to be. So essentially, it doesn't feel like the pioneering max payne anymore, it's max payne that has fallen into line with next gen. It's a minor complaint because it's still so highly playable, but there was something about the game that didn't quite grip me as much as the 1st. I can see gears of war fans saying it's not as good, where as max payne 1 had nothing but praise for being completely different.A gaming hint here: The game tries to rush you through the levels at times, but make sure you don't do this and explore, as there are hidden golden gun parts to be found aswell as pain killers/extra ammo you will need, as the game can be very challenging in places, even on normal setting.Also there's a criminal lack of explosives. Where are the molotovs and I never had a hand grenade once. Instead it was a 1 off grenade launcher (apart from last level) and a law rocket launcher that was used to take out the tank. It's now all guns, although the enemy still use molotovs and hand grenades now and again? Why take this element away, it's such a big negative on a fantastic game.The game also feels a lot more linear now. Go through the door, it locks behind you, take out the enemies, next section. I used to get annoyed with max payne 1 backtracking and getting lost, but at least it felt a lot more open world than 3. I also miss the little fantasy touches like the nightmare levels and the junkies rocking about talking to themselves, things like that. I guess Rockstar want this game to feel like you're playing a hollywood action blockbuster, so all reality based and fairplay, it does feel like you're playing an action film.Still, even with its flaws, it should be one of the best 3rd person shooters you've played next gen, I can't see how it wouldn't for the majority. I loved playing it and would rush out to buy max payne 4
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15.7.2013

Max Payne 1 and 2 share a very prominent position in my all-time favourite games.So, I was very excited when Max Payne 3 was announced, although I was afraid that Rockstar might put too much street gang and too little cop noir into it, and that much, unfortunately, proved to be true in my opinion.The visuals and soundare superb. The settings are built in intricate detail, especially the favelas of Sao Paolo are a breathtaking scenery. Every set pushes the boundaries of what's been put in games so far. If this was a GTA game, or a similar sort of street-gang low-life portrait, I would be full of praise. But it's the exact opposite of what the first Max Payne games were like in mood and tone,and that is slightly annoying. Even for a reboot, altering the style so drastically is bound to cause some discontent amongst old fans.In the end, I got used to it. But it didn't draw me in as I hoped it would. In worse weather, in less saturated colours and with less hip hop music, I'm sure I would have loved these locations just as much as the New York setting in the first two installments of the name-giving cop's oddyssey.Him, I liked. Max ages through the game, puts on some weight, changes his hair style and clothing according to his surroundings and driven, to some degree, by the story. He is the same grumpy guy, talking to himself and telling us about his miserable life. However different his surroundings, Max Payne intonating his first lines of monologue felt like coming home after a long time on the road. Unfortunately, the other characters remain flat and uninteresting. There aren't any memorable antagonists, no strong women to confuse Max and endear the player. It's strictly a one-man show. The plot felt overly constructed at times and doesn't flow just as well as in the older games. However, I think it's still well above today's average shooter, and it helped pull me back to my PC to go on playing. The old comic strip cut scenes were replaced by smartly edited animations, which works great. I can't say the same for the far too frequent, unfitting color shifts, old-TV-style scanlines and glitches that Rockstar decided to throw in for good measure. Instead of helping sell the story / presentation, they constantly pulled me out and kept me from fully immersing myself in the game. What is worse, they really distract you from the visual splendour the game has to offer.In terms of gameplay, not much has changed. You still send Max from shoot-out to action-packed shoot-out. He's now able to take cover, which comes in handy at some points. He still needs his painkillers to heal, which is a good thing. Bullet-time is as powerful and fun as ever. All in all, Max Payne 3 is a great and fun game. There is an incredible mass of cut scenes that seem to interrupt your playing all the time, and I must admit that at times I wished I could just go on playing for a while and not have to watch half the game play itself. It's not a huge letdown, the scenes are well integrated and beautifully "shot", but it's another distraction that is hard to look past.Ultimately, it is the too commonplace Rockstar-typical style and these too frequent interruptions that make me not give the game five stars. The presentation and mood are different from the older games, but there's enough of the old Max there to appreciate the effort of bringing the game to the next decade. The cover system might be an addition many find unnecessary and annoying, but it doesn't make the game any worse or any less challenging. You need a Rockstar Social Club account in order to play, but I do have my spam mail address for exactly this kind of thing. :-) Make no mistake; in terms of production value, this game is up there with the best.Five stars are reserved for rare gems, and this game is not that. But it is far from bad. I played it through and enjoyed it. If you like shooters, scripted events and a cinematic presentation, I'm quite sure you will enjoy this, as well. Have fun with it!
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14.9.2012

Max Payne 3. The sequel we waited a decade (or nearly a decade) for. Has it lived up to expectations? I'd say, on the whole, yes.The graphics are stellar. I mean, seriously. Sometimes I'm wondering whether or not I'm playing through real life. Ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration but you get the idea. Gameplay is great, shootdodge especially catches my eye. In the previous two games, shootdodge was something you used to dive through doors or round corners. Now, shootdodge is a bit more universal, and especially useful when diving in or out of cover (or in some cases, over). Shootdodge, and Bullet Time too, is very useful when you're in darker places, like when you're in the Commando Sombra base in the jungle,some of the buildings are quite dark and dingy, same with the favelas. Makes it difficult to shoot the bad guys, who despite their bright shirts are hidden in the darkness. Bullet Time lights up the place, encouraging its usage much more. I like that. One minor grumble with the graphics though. Are we using Max Payne or his cousin? I mean, whilst I realise he's meant to look older, especially when bald or bearded he bears a slight resemblance to the Max Payne of 1 and 2, but not a huge amount.I realise some people have complained about cutscenes, primarily their number. Yes, there are an awful lot of cutscenes. During gameplay though, they're probably no longer than 15-20 seconds and serve as a perfect set-up for the next gunfight, or the transition to the next objective. Or in some cases, giving you a chance to see your battlefield. However, some cutscenes, especially the ones opening and closing missions are very long and you just want them to end. Like the one at Rodrigo Branco's base of operations, the cutscene preceding the chapter just went on and on. Too long for my liking. Most of them, such as the aforementioned cutscene, do slip into gameplay very smoothly, to the point where if it wasn't for the HUD you may nto have realised the cut scene ended. I like that.One thing that I really don't like is how difficult the game is. I'm playing it on medium (because I refuse to resort to the easiest settings) and I die in almost every gunfight. That may just be me being simply not that good at it, but having played many third person shooters in the past (including Max Payne and Max Payne 2) I'm a little shocked at how difficult it is for me. I don't expect it to be rediculously easy, but it does seem a little harder than necessary. Although, in saying that, it provides a challenge, which I'm hardly about to complain too much about, as many games just seem way too easy.My biggest complaint about Max Payne 3 though is not the numerous cutscenes or the difficult gameplay though, its the fact that the comic strip sequences that gave Max Payne and Max Payne 2 the really gritty feel, created the atmosphere within the games, is absent. To me, they helped make the first two games, and without them, Max Payne 3 just lacks that little something. Any complaints I had against the game would be somewhat nullified if the comic strip sequences had been retained. On the other side of the coin though, something which I'm really glad they kept is the quit option. Confused? Why am I glad they retained the option to quit? Not the option to quit itself, I'd be worried if they left that out. Its hard to describe, so I'll just let you see for yourself. Go on, open Max Payne or Max Payne 2. Then quit. You'll see what I'm talking about. Great, isn't it? Well its still there.Overall, the game is great, albeit flawed. Rockstar could have made this game a helluva lot better. If I were standing in the shop, contemplating whether or not to purchase this game again, I'd still choose to buy it.
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17.9.2014

I'm a bit late to this game, and I think like a number of others I was put off by the weird advertising decision to show Max Payne as a bald guy in a Hawaiian shirt, which led many to fear that Max Payne wouldn't be the same gritty action-fest they knew and loved……but man was I wrong to have my doubts! This sequel is expertly crafted with fantastic visuals, a dark and blood-soaked storyline, and fantastic gameplay that preserves many of the best bits from the previous games, while adding a solid cover shooting mechanic, and "last man standing" slow motion to kill an enemy before they deal the fatal blow to you. It feels refined and smooth, while keeping the gun-play very, very deadly.Regarding difficulty,I've only played through on medium so far, and I found that pretty tough in places, particularly when there are frequent enemies ambushing you down seemingly deserted corridors, requiring fast reflexes to shoot dodge or find yourself gunned down with no cover to hide behind. It all serves to make the game very tense, requiring careful use of your slow motion bullet-time to leap to fresh cover and get those precious killing head-shots. There are also numerous set-pieces to keep things fresh, alongside "free aim" segments of slow motion challenging you to kill as many enemies as possible or else be stuck with hard odds after returning to normal. If I were to have any complaints about the game-play, its that the enemy seem to find it too easy to know where you are (so ducking around to another piece of cover doesn't take the heat off you for even a moment), and it can be difficult to know when you've killed an enemy, but otherwise the game-play is faultless, if very challenging at points.In terms of replay value there are various "grinds" such as number of head shots, kills with particular weapons etc., plus a number of achievements (many in the free aim segments, which I seem to have failed to get any of!). There is also a series of "New York Minute" arcade challenges, pushing you to complete them as fast as possible, so there's some good content even outside of the main game. There are also two additional difficulty levels beyond Hard, though I'm not sure if I'd even want to attempt those without first grabbing more of the golden gun weapon upgrades scattered throughout the campaign. There's also multiplay, though I've yet to try this.The campaign's story is as action-packed as you'd expect, though not quite as gripping a conspiracy as the first two (I had the villain clocked from the first level's cutscene). Not that that slows anything down as excellent, if a little cutscene heavy, direction, superb character graphics and animation and a few scattered extras to find in the levels tell the story well, and keep our favourite tortured cop as dark and disturbed as ever as he fights substance abuse as much as he fights waves of enemies. While I was initially disappointed by the change of scenery from the grim, snow-covered New York I loved, Sao Paulo manages to be every bit as dark in spite of its sunshine, as Max rampages through some of the worst areas in the city, but for good measure we do get a couple of flash-backs set in white-washed city fans are familiar with.All in all this is a great game, and a very worthy addition to the series. I might even argue that it's better than the second game, and I very much want to see a fourth title in this great series.
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9.9.2012

I've played Max Payne 1 and 2 so was interested when I hear there was a 3rd on on next gen consoles. I saw a picture of a bald and aged max payne in Brazil and was immediately worried as it looked a far cry from the snow ridden streets of NY and and what we remember. However I saw some videos and decided to buy it, which was worth it.Gameplay: 10/10The game has zero inconsistencies in it. By this I mean; everything is done realistically with no room for improvement. Doors don't magically open, large guns don't magically disappear into a mary poppins pocket. When you reload whilst holding 2 weapons max holds a gin under his arm etc. When walking through blood there's foot prints,when shooting people they get riddled with bullet holes as do you. And this is all the same on multiplayer.The animations are perfect and all look realistic, depending on where you land after diving the character reacts accordingly. If you walk to a wall the guns don't go through it, the character hold them upwards. The list goes on.There's also bullet time yet again which is great fun and looks better than ever as bullet cams are for any gun and not just the sniper rifle (you can slow it down and watch the bullets tear through it's target)There are plenty of tense action moments that make good use of bullet time as well as improved elements, like when dying you fall to the floor in slo-mo and if you kill the one killing you in time, you crawl back from death. There's also a good and easy to use cover and fire system.Story: 8.5/10An important part of the series is the storyline and it's unique way of being told, anyone complaining about the many dialogs or cutscenes would be an idiot as these are what made the last games (albeit in comic strips)The game has cutscenes now but are cleverly put into stills and certain dialog shown in large writing to retain that graphic novel feel. In gameplay if you kill someone just before a cutscene the target will freeze as they're shot, it's cool. The same applies to max when dying.The story itself continues several years after the last 2 games, max is now getting on a bit and after spending a few years at the bottom of a glass and pill pot (pain pills) he ends up in Brazil working a security detail for a rich family. And things soon spiral out of control. So far the story isn't as riveting as the first (wife and baby killed) but max narrates throughout the game and there's some humor too making for a enjoyable and gritty experience.Sound: 9/10The music suits the game just right, even the sad piano theme has some brazilian influence and nothing is out of place. The guns and such all sound fine, and the dialog is as you'd want it to be.Multiplayer: 9/10The multiplayer is as addictive as COD or BF as there's many weapons to unlock and upgrade through money and ranks. Also perks or Bursts as they are called in this game, even challenges and several different character avatars that can be customized with new equipments and looks. There's a good number of game modes and all this together makes for nice re playability.Overall:A very good game that's worth getting, at times a little difficult but nothing people should complain about..
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20.5.2012

Yes this is a game made by Rockstar. No it isnt a sandbox. In fact, it is the very antithesis of what the development house are known for. Does it suffer for this? Not in the slightest.Max Payne has always been about bringing early John Woo cinematics and film noir dialogue and atmosphere together in a 3rd person shooter. If you want more from a game, then sit back and wait for GTA5 later in the year.But if a stylish and refreshingly challenging shooter is what you are looking for, then you have come to the right product.The story is compelling, and true to the vibe of the first 2 games. I have heard many complain about the length/frequency of cutscenes, but they signify end of levels or 'chapters'in the story only, and as well as being appropriate, are brilliantly scripted and voice acted. Its nowhere near as obtrusive as in the Metal Gear series, and is more on a par with Uncharted 2/3Graphics are fine - not earth shattering, but the animations, bullet FX, and killcams are excellent, and environments are fully destructable and nicely detailed.Gameplay is where the game excells though. Firstly, and most importantly, there is no 'magic' health regeneration, you have a good old fashioned energy bar (pass the sanatogen if you remember these too), and while there is a cover system, most things you can duck behind can be shot through and destroyed quite quickly. Add to this that if you try and 'camp' the AI flanks you quickly, and bots are happy to throw grenades to flush you out, and it soon becomes evident that playing it 'safe' in this game is anything but.Instead you are encouraged to grab an uzi in each hand and leap through the air towards your enemies like a slow-mo lead pumping missile. As their bullets whizz past your body, missing you by inches as your own find their (usually multiple) targets, and bodies and blood fly, something wonderful happens - you begin grinning. You feel like Dirty Harry, Neo, and John McClane rolled into one. Even after all these years, controlling Max feels cool as hell, and with such a refined animation and shooting mechanic, its new 'old school' at its finest.As an old school game though, you do get moments of intense frustration - this is not a game that wants you to beat it, and while targeting assist helps, in some sections you need to use your slo-mo advantage to go beyond 'centre mass' auto targeting and look for the killshot, or else you run out of ammo, and life remarkably quickly. This just forces you to become better at the game, and solve the 'puzzle' of each battle area.The guns are all nicely balanced, and have a 'weight' to them, and its nice to see shotguns that really are range specific (Infinity Ward take note).The set pieces (sniping and shooting from vehicles sections) are not earth shattering, but they work well within the story, and the game. Dont expect jaw dropping OMG moments like the Gears of War series gave us, think more 80's action movie/TV cop show and your pretty much there.So this is not a typical 'Rockstar' game, and should not be purchased by those seeking such. It is, to its heart, a Max Payne game, and judged by that standard, its a roaring success.
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22.5.2012

So it's been 9 long years since everyone's favourite hard-boiled cop has been on our screens, but this game proves the wait was worth every second!Max Payne 3 has given players something that people have been crying out for, yet few thought possible...a fresh take on the 3rd person "cover shooter" genre. A great deal of care and craft has gone into making this game and it shows, and it (very nearly) ticks all the boxes for a perfect gaming experience.The graphics bring the surprising variety of locations in the game to life in awesome detail. Environmental effects look fantastic and the gunshots absolutely gruesome. Even the cut-scenes blend in seamlessly to the in-game action.As has been noted before...yes there are an extraordinary amount of them, but the caliber of the voice actors and the script they've been given to work with will ensure you won't want to miss a second of this absorbing story (also, you can always skip the bulk of them if you want.....so quit your whining!).From a gameplay standpoint, I admit, it took me a while to "get" it. Eventually a lot of things that initially frustrated me (and from the looks of it, other reviewers here) slowly began to make sense. First of all the physics of controlling Max are VERY realistic, while this may appear to be sluggish we must remind ourselves that Max Payne is a middle-aged alcoholic, and in fair poorer shape than your typical 3rd person shooter protaganist of "gruff/mechanically enhanced space marine/super soldier". He's a bit slow on his feet, it takes him a while to get up after a dive and getting shot isn't something that heals after hiding in cover for a few seconds.The shootdodge mechanics have also been given an extra-shot of realism. Mistiming or misdirecting a jump could see poor old Max flying head first into a wall at which point he crashes, and falls to the floor. If you think this is a "problem" with the game, may I suggest running and diving at a wall yourself, recording the results, and then compare them to the game and see how they weigh up.All joking aside, these interesting touches are what sets MP3 apart from the army of Gears of War clones out there and presents familiar challenges in a way that makes a hallway full of baddies a question of tactics as well as run-n-gun mayhem.The only flaws with this game would have to be the fact that Rockstar haven't approached this game with much subtlety. Original developers Remedy seemed to nail the "film noir" aspect of Max Payne perfectly while Rockstar have instead concentrated on making it darker, grittier and in the case of the script...a A LOT more swearier than the previous 2 entries. Max Paynes dialogue seems to resemble unused Tarantino lines more than the elegant black-humoured pathos of the first 2 titles. A confusing choice considering how spot on last years "L.A Noire" was in this respect.In conclusion I can safely say this game has been one of the most cinematic and emotional games I've had the pleasure of playing through. Rockstar have outdone themselves and produced one of their finest titles in Max Payne 3.
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3.6.2012

I've been a huge fan of the Payne series all the way back since '01, and now that Max Payne 3 is FINALLY out, newcomers to the series can experience a third person shooter like no other.Animations- The guys at Rockstar have done an incredible job making this game not just look amazing, but FEEL amazing. Every animation in this game is fluid and realistic, say for example if you shoot dodge towards a wall, you don't have half your body clip through the wall and stop then you magically get up and keep going, no, you instead hit the wall(hard) and Max slowly gets up in pain leaving himself open to getting shot. This is a prime example of how incredible this technology is. The AI in this game put other games to shame,at first you are shooting at low skill thugs but later on you take on paramilitary soldiers who know how to flank you and keep you pinned down, this adds to the excitement to every gunfight you are in.New school with some old thrown in- Sure you got you're modern cover system and fancy graphics, but MP3 has what we all loved about the first 2, the health system, bullet-time, and incorporated it with the new and it makes this game feel like a classic but without looking dated.No loading screens- Yes its true, NO loading screens, Rockstar creatively put in cut scenes so that you seamlessly go from cinematic to gameplay without a studder or 5 minute load screen. But i have to say, its very story heavy, so guys who want to just cut to the action are gonna have to sit and wait until the scenes are done.Graphics- Now since i have a solid rig to play this, i set every setting to the max, the game looked incredible. From 'Noir' York City to Sao Paulo this game shines in this department.Bang for your buck- Lets see, an over 15 hour story mode(varies with difficulty), with collectables, unlockable Arcade modes, and Multiplayer that brings infinite replayability, with future map packs coming along the way, makes this game worth the moolah.No time to look around for gold guns while the bosses wife is being held at gun point- Most of the scenes in this game involve someone being held captive or a gang is shooting up the place which is why its strange that Rockstar added Clues and Golden Gun parts, there's hardly any calm areas that you could explore and find things, that being said its still fun to find the Golden Gun pieces even though your buddy is trying to get you to help him kill guys in the next room.Overall, Max Payne 3 hits the target, in slow motion while diving of course, this should be enjoyed by everyone and not just fans of the series. I hope to see you in Multiplayer!Make sure you have at least 50gb of hard drive space for the download and for the install. Also CRC errors are caused by either lack of space or corrupt files due to connection problems or cut outs during the download. If the game itself has problems, make sure your rig can run it and make sure your drivers are updated. I had absolutely no problems downloading, installing, authenticating or playing.
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15.6.2012

This short review is written with those in mind that like the predecessors, MP1 and MP2, and are unsure about the newest addition to series. Different reviews may be more helpful for those that don't know MP1 or MP2.Max Payne 3 is a fresh start of the franchise. While the basic game mechanics remain unchanged (in bullet time through linear levels with strong storytelling), New York is left behind for Sao Paulo, but the world of Max Payne seems to be same anywhere: violence as the only solution to problems in a society that is full of intrigue and betrayal and too complex for the individual to understand. These points are now even more evident with the change of location. While always an outsider,Max is now a foreigner and stranger. He doesn't even speak the native language. In Max Payne 3 there are many foreign places, full of strangers with foreign names and quickly I was as lost as Max was, but at least the job is simple: keep the girl safe... This is a good thing in my opinion! I admit, it means there are no characters like the illustrious Vlad or the enigmatic Mona, but this isn't Max Payne 2 and it is doing a really good job at being Max Payne 3. The infamous change from the black leather coat to a Hawaiian shirt is the epitome of this transformation. Having experienced the entire game, I can now say that this is a well-executed part of the storytelling. The transformation of Max Payne has more aspects though. For example, while in MP1 and MP2 he was a man that had consumed more literature than was good for him and spoke in numerous metaphors, the portrayal is of a more realistic character now. (I do miss the metaphors though!) The re-design also meant taking a step towards Die Hard and Crank (the movies) in terms of the story (though still feels rather believable) and the storytelling. Again, this is something that may be controversial, but it is well done.While the game is not particularly long and one rainy weekend might suffice for some people to finish the game, it is a great experience all the way.There are two things I found irritating: the level of violence and gore sometimes and the number of enemies in places. There are also technical issues with this game, it occasionally freezes when reloading (about 5 times during play through). There are also other issues: None of the controller settings are intuitive for me, the aiming help is bugged (aims for enemies behind cover), and other small problems.In conclusion, I would give Max Payne 3 full five stars, if it weren't for the issues mentioned - it seems easy to fix those and it is beyond my understanding why they didn't bother. For those that don't know the predecessors, I can fully recommend the game. Those that know and love MP1 and MP2, I encourage to give Max Payne 3 a chance.
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14.12.2014

no idea why so many people don't like this game.look at tomb raider - 5 games and it was all the same thing over and over, rockstar didn't see sense in making a max payne 3 just like max payne 1 and 2. a great story needed to be told, and great gameplay mixed into that story needed to happen, and this game delivers that on every single level.the storyline dialogue, voice acting, and the acting of characters on screen in the storyline moments is fantastic. the gun play is spot on, this is one of the best, if not the best action run and gun game i have played.the soundtrack is out of this world. if you have a good sound card and speaker setup or stereo headphones for your PC this game is going to blast your ears into heaven from start to finish.for me a great game is pointless without a brilliant soundtrack and realistic authentic sound effects, this has all of that.i love the cutscene gameplay cutscene gameplay mechanic in this game. instead of showing me so many damned boring 4-5min long cutscenes and dreary gameplay the game paces itself with second short cutscenes throughout your gameplay experience, completely balancing everything. it's something i haven't seen done before, thus made the experience new to me.the game is challenging on hard mode. i was on the edge of my seat hurling abuse plenty of times trying to get past specific sections of bad guys and a boss to deal with, spamming my mouse into oblivion with rage and adrenaline in my face and when finally getting it done... and rewarded with 2 or 3 painkillers and a refill of ammo to not worry "too" much about the next set of bad guys... such a sense of achievement and victory and happiness comes over you.the game doesn't ever hold your hand, it simply lays out the path for max payne to take, but you the player still need to be a skilled shot in order to get through everything.all in all a very rewarding game, with excellent gunplay, a fantastic soundtrack (just listen to the Tears track on repeat with that bass line flowing through your ears and body, just amazing), a great set of achievements (if playing on steam), and good replay value with an online mode against other players, or grinds to collect weapon parts, and even harder game modes like hardcore and nightmare to replay the game with an even greater challenge.i would say there's easily around 100 hours, maybe more, of game for you to play if you're a completionist.verdict... 9/10. 1 point lost for a slightly shorter than expected storyline, but the storyline and mix up of the gameplay and your settings is so good it just doesn't deserve an 8 for me. 9/10. if you're a rockstar games fan, even more reason to play it.
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8.11.2012

This is the first Max Payne game I've played so I don't come with any baggage about what Rockstar have done with the IP. As a first-timer, there's a lot to like and there's also several really irritating niggles.The presentation is great - it feels Die-Hard like and looks like an 80s dirty cop show, with it's heavily-sylised lighting effects, almost comic-booky subtitles and they've really gone to town making it seem Gritty. The sets are sumptuous, from luxury yatchs to wildly colourful favela street parties, it all looks great.It's very bloodthirsty - slow-mo killshots are maybe a little over-cooked, with skulls bursting and eyeballs exploding. Again though, this is a style choice,but it does stand as an odd juxtaposition to the realism of the main game.Max's signature move is Bullet-Time, seeing him dive around, lining up shots as time slows down. It's nice to watch but feels awkward when he lands prostrate in full view of the baddies, getting shot to bits and taking ages to get up to his feet and find cover. I guess this is aimed at making you more selective about when you use the slowdown feature but it can get really annoying when you've killed loads of people only for one last chap to pop his head up and shoot you while you're trying to get up.There is a spectacular amount of gunplay, although these serve to link up cutscenes rather than staning in their own right. Some of them are ultra-hard, which leads onto the annoying bits of the game.You will often find yourself in incredibly tough gunfights, which don't save your progress until you've killed everybody, so if you die (and you do. Often.) you end up back at the very start of the scene, learning attack patterns rather than employing strategy. Trying to creep forward from cover-to-cover doesn't really work as you're very slow, you get frame-rate jutter and and bad guys can see through solid walls. Diving in sometimes works, but again you're exposing yourself and it isn't consistent.Super, Incredibly, Mega, Hyper-irritating is when you get to cover, turn around and try to slide along your low wall and Max has a seizure, juddering in one spot like he has a palsy and will not move or shoot at all. This happens regularly and when you get stuck on these bits you have no choice but to restart from the last checkpoint. Gaaaah..!!But overall, Max Payne 3 is pretty good, aside from these niggles. The story is fine, the blasting (mostly) a lot of fun and the style is very impressive indeed. If Rockstar can fix these irritations then it's a very good game and worth checking out. For the now, you'd definitely be getting value if you get the game in a sale.
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