Rockstar has always had a place in my
heart. Their wonderful creation of GTA III was the reason I
got into gaming. It was so engrossing and so well done that I just
fell in love with them. When I found out that another Max Payne was
coming out, I flipped out. I was so excited. Nine years after the
last Max Payne game was released, I can proudly say that Rockstar
blew all my expectations away. It can also be considered Rockstar's
greatest achievement.
Story:
Max Payne 3
follows Max Payne. His badge is gone and he is currently doing
protection detail. He, however, has a slight problem. Due to the
death of his wife, he turned his life to alcohol. While he is
supposed to be protecting some of the richest people in Brazil, he is
off at the bar drinking. A bunch of guys rush in, steal the very
people he was supposed to protect. He fights his way to find
out what exactly happened, and who they are. This story is also about
him getting over his dead wife.
Gameplay:
If you are new to the series, you don't
need to know much. You do need to know that this series is where
Bullet Time came to be. You can slow down time to use pin-point
precision in your lovely headshots. Every shooter that uses this
mechanic copies it from this series. Max Payne 3 takes
what hwas already great and actually makes it better. Max can
move at full speed down a hallway, only to have everything slow down
around him. Bullets are seen in slow motion, making you able
to dodge them with the greatest of ease. Bullet Time is built up by
doing dangerous things, such as standing in the middle of a gunfight
or making headshots.
A Last Stand mechanic is also
introduced. If he has at least one painkiller out, he can get himself
back up. The kick is that you need to kill the person that shot you.
It can be treaky depending on where Max is laying on the ground.
Rockstar never allows for a dull moment
in this game. After a giant wave of enemies, it still throws in
surprise moments that always keep you on your toes. You are
constantly moving at full speed, never stopping. The game has no
loading screens so it truly feels like a movie experience, similar to
the Uncharted series.
Graphics:
Fans of the series will notice that the
Noir elements of the series
are gone. They were portray using comic book style cutscenes.
However, Rockstar seems to have went with the fully motion captured
scenes. They are absoutely gorgeous. Even on the six-year-old
consoles, they look stunning. In fact, Rockstar went all the way in
making sure this game ran at its tip top shape. Added into the
game are video distortion effects, each done when the game engine
feels its fitting. It can be annoying at times, but it pays off. It
shows the headaches from Max's hangovers actually affecting him.
The Euphoria engine, which is also
known for some other Rockstar hits such as Red Dead Redemption
and GTA IV, is the key to this entire mechanic. Kills never
looked so good. When you fire a bullet, sometimes a bullet cam will
take effect. You literally watch the bullet fly through the air and
straight into their head. You can slow down the bullet using the main
action button. The reflections off the bullet as it flies through the
air are priceless. Other games also do this, such as Ghost
Warrior and
Sniper Elite, but those are nothing compared to
this. The engine makes every movement incredibly realistic. You could
be running down a road only to get shot in the leg. Max
will fall, arms coming out in front of you to catch yourself. The
same goes for the enemies.
Sound:
Shooters such as the Battlefield
series try to capture the power that guns wield. They let the screen
fill with flashes of light. Rockstar once again are masters at sound.
The dialogue is some of the best I have ever heard, putting in line
with their other games. The sounds from the guns are also top notch.
They feel lifelike in your hands. They let you know that they are
capable of death, something they will gladly do.
Lasting appeal:
New York Minute is also back.
Players must finish a level in a certain amount of time. Each kill
adds to the clock. Literally every second counts. It adds a very
arcade feel to the game, which is perfect for those who just want to
kill things. Players can also compete against each other for the best
time. The levels are so well done that going through them never gets
boring.
Max Payne 3 also offers a
multiplayer experience. I previously thought that it was just another
tacked on online feature, but I was so very wrong. Bullet time
actually exists online. Players only in your sights are affected by
the slowdown, allowing others to get past your watch if you aren't
careful. There are a variety of modes to play in. Gang Wars is by far
my favorite, assigning objectives to complete. They range from
assassinating a team member to leading a full out assualt on a
location for a simple bag of cash. The online modes are based on part
of the sinple player narrative. The story chagnes depending on how
well, or how badly, you are doing.
It is incredibly deep. There are a
number of unlocks to be gotten, as well as a pretty impressive level
tier. Countless hours can be wasted
away in the online, with all the time being a absolute blast.
It should be noted that Max Payne's online, as well as the upcoming
GTA V's online, will be combined. Details are scarce at
the moment on this however.
The single player clocks in at a
impressive 15 hours.
Conclusion:
Max Payne is a non-stop adrenaline
rush. Max is still the depressing, gritty guy we as gamers have grown
to love. He has truly had a hard life. You can't help but feel sorry
for him. However, it's his own damn fault that he is this way.
Rockstar has made something special. They continue to press forward,
evolving the way games are told. It pays off in every single way.
Story: 8
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 9
Sound: 10
Lasting appeal:8
Final score:
9
This review was based on the Xbox
version. The PC releases in two weeks, using the DX11 framework. The
Xbox 360 uses DX9.
