Max Payne 3 - Review

MAX PAYNE 3 - REVIEW

First of all, welcome to my first post on this blog! I've decided to give my first review a go, and the subject will be the most recent video game I've completed-->

First of all, let me start off by praising the trilogy as a whole. Max Payne 1 was a violent, dark, drug fuled escapade of fun, whilst Max Payne 2 got the player seriously invested in the story of our favourite self loathing, pill popping cop. They say sequels are never as good, but Max Payne 2 bucked that trend. That was my first question when starting out: how could Rockstar progress the fantastic second instalment enough to make it not only equal to, but better? 

In short, the answer to my question was answered within the first couple hours of playing the game. Gone was the dark noire atmosphere of the first two games, the cut scene graphic novel presentations of the story,  and the rain (those who played the first two know it was always raining), and in was a brilliant mix of old and modern presentation. Max Payne has always been at it's core half about gameplay and half about the parts between, the real story behind it all. In Max Payne 3 there are numerous cut scenes early on setting out the character and plot (which some gamers may be frustrated with as it interrupts the shooting, but I love it). 

Max's sidekick stating the obvious

What is BRILLIANT about them is that all the cut scenes are set in Max's world, seen through his eyes, and effects are used to make the player seem as though they are seeing everything through Max's eyes too. There are frequent lens flares and colour flashes used to simulate Max's current level of drunkeness, important words and phrases occasionally pop out of the dialogue into bold, white words on the screen as if they are emphasized in Max's brain, and the comic style split screen of presentation is a joy to behold. 

I felt the effects drawing me more into the story as the game progressed, but also made me feel like drinking a bottle of KONG whisky (Max's favourite; I assume because it's only strong enough for him and King Kong) and like I had stepped into Max Payne's shoes. The vibrancy resonated within me, and I could feel myself become more gruff and hardboiled as the day went on. 

Taking cover has helped with Max's pill addiction

Now on to the other half of the game - the actual game play. This is where I think Rockstar really got it right.  They recognised that they had a winning system already, why try hard to distinguish it from past titles? The only major change is that Max can now take cover. However, instead of pawning off that change on the current tactics in gaming, the idea of taking cover has been explained by the developers themselves: Max realises he's getting older, fatter, slower and more fucked up, and can't take on the odds he used to (he repeatedly calls himself an "old, fat gringo") He HAS to take cover occasionally! 

"That's right Neo. I can dodge bullets"

Also, Bullet Time is back in all its glory and has undergone a subtle upgrade. This feature is the one that really sets Max Payne apart from our other graphical heroes - Max's uncanny ability to slow down time. Again, Rockstar has taken Max's ever increasing age into account - bullet time doesn't last as long as in previous games and it recharges slower. However, the 'shootdodge' is still all well and good. Even if your bullet time is empty, Max can still pull off a slow motion dive through the air in whichever direction you choose and casually pump his foes full of bullets. However, even shootdodge has it's drawbacks - you end up on the floor, and once you're there you can't just pop back up like Max could in his last adventure; he takes a few seconds to struggle up and get his gun aimed, allowing those pesky villains precious time to end our adventure prematurely. 

The gameplay is immensely exciting and a huge amount of fun, as it always has been, and is very mechanically sound. The levels themselves are so varied throughout the game (another upgrade over previous Max Payne games). Environments range from the open planned football stadium, a crowded nightclub shootout, Max's journey through the Favela, a (seemingly) abandoned hotel that Max may or may not destroy, police stations belonging to corrupt cops and the magnificent ending level in the airport. The game never gets 'tired' of itself' each level is different and will require different tactics and weapons. 

The music used throughout, however, is without a doubt the game's BEST feature. For the title Track and a lot of in game tracks, Rockstar contracted out to Los Angeles based band 'Health'. Their combaination of melancholic, dark and moody tracks really fit well into the general atmosphere of the game WHEN it is supposed to feel like that. The title track, called 'Tears', is fantastic, and used in the final level to great effect. In the Favela however, is a combo of Health and tracks by Brazilian rapper 'Emicidia' and fit effortlessly into the foreign atmosphere Max is forced to confront. However, the best tracks in the game came from Trouble and Bass, the American mixers who released exclusive tracks for Max Payne. The music throughout the Nightclub level is absolutely fantastic and is by far my favourite use of music in a video game this year.

Question One - Answered VERY positively. The gameplay is so immersive and varied that its enough to keep you going for the whole 12 hours straight of the campaign. The nightclub is a particular favourite of mine, with Max dramatically throwing himself - throw motion - through a window on to the dance floor to protect his charge and the shooting whilst dangling from a helicopter particular highlights. The cut scenes fill in effortlessly between the intense violence, and allow the player to almost become Max Payne.

This leads me to my second question - how would Rockstar continue Max's personal story, and would I have the same feeling for him as I did in previous games? Again, the answer is YES.

James McCaffrey reprises his role as the voice of Max Payne - another brilliant move by Rockstar. Max's voice is a huge part of the game - hoarse, gruff, deep, tortured. McCaffrey, combined with the top notch writing and story telling, really got me involved in Max's story more so than the previous two games (which is saying something). 

A shot glass would just get in the way

We are presented with a man who is a drunk, an addict, suffering from severe depression and who doesn't give a fuck about himself any more. He's at the bottom of the barrel, with no intention of climbing out. We know he's still torn up about his family, that he couldn't save them (less so about Mona Sax though). At the beginning of the story, Max's motivations are clear - he needs money to retire and drink himself to death. 

However, there is a point, at the end of Part 2, where Max realises the story has changed, that the plot has twisted. As a player, you've been so involved with Max's story and his perspective that you find that, although in the back of your mind you knew it was happening, you and Max aren't quite prepared for it. 

This is where the third instalment separates itself from it's predecessors': Max Payne 1 was about his first steps into demise. Max Payne 2 was a film noire love story that secured the fall of Max Payne. All the time you felt you knew what Max was doing, and why. BUT, depending on how you view things, the third instalment is about either the redemption or destruction of Max Payne; you never quite know of his motivations at the end. In my view, Max finally had enough of his pity party. If he was going to die, he was going to go down fighting, and if his death wish ultimately brought him some measure of redemption, so be it.  The character development in game is quite astonishing, and the plot of the game isn't so much about the kidnappings and murders of the people Max is supposed to protect, but rather how it affects him and his emotions and motivations. Unlike it's predecessors, Max IS the story, and it is fantastic to be a part of. 

All in all, the game is a solid 10/10 for me, easily 2012's Game Of The Year thus far, and has surprisingly good replay value. 

Highly Recommended. 

Max felt his choice of attire would allow him to fit right in