We haven’t jumped into bullet time since 2003, and hence we reminisced the first two games during our playthrough of Max Payne 3. Not only that, but the familiar voice of the title character, the prevalence of his wretched agony and the same nature of the pickles he finds himself in, all succeed in taking you back to an age when bullet time was the coolest thing around. While it is brilliant to see that Rockstar Games has managed to uphold the essence of the previous titles, it’s equally wonderful to gape at the new features that have been introduced with the game. Read on to find out more about the latest title to have come out of the stable of the GTA-maker.
That Max has had a nightmare of a life is no secret. And to get away from all that, the only thing he thinks appropriate is to gulp down two bottles of Kong scotch every night, hallucinate occasionally, throw up and go to sleep in whatever sorry state he finds himself after that. But he’s employed during daytime, and has to battle his hangovers while fighting off goons who’re out for blood. All the action transpires in Sao Paulo where our pitiful hero is working as a bodyguard to a filthy rich family. It doesn’t take long for things to go haywire, as local gangs start abducting the folks Max is in charge of protecting. And as he tries to tackle the situations that unfold, while continuing his drunken stupors of course, Max is forced to watch the family members die one by one, falling prey to a huge conspiracy, to which he becomes a horrible hindrance.
Of all things, the story tries to hold you by highlighting the socio-political state of affairs prevalent in Sao Paulo. If there’s one studio that so awesomely manages to capture the culture and ethos of the cities in which its games are set, it would have to be Rockstar. From rebel gangs, to sellout army men; from the activities taking place on rooftop condos to the ones transpiring on the poor streets right below them, Rockstar Games has tried to deliver the city in an excellent manner, but not without sacrificing the title’s pace. You see, Max Payne 3 goes fine for most of its duration. However towards the end, it starts to drag a little with repetitive gunfights and an unmaintained tempo. After a point of time, Max’s self-pitied jabber goes from smirk-worthy to plain boring. His opinion on every painkiller he picks up is just not needed!
But let us talk about what this game actually is at its heart – a superb shooter instilled with cinematic brilliance. Its cut-scenes couldn’t be any less true-to-life and engaging. The gunfights themselves are a treat to jump into. You have the polished bullet time at your disposal. And to add to that, there’s the stylish bullet cam which allows you to slow down your final bullet to watch it pierce through flesh, bone and sinew. Rockstar Games has pioneered an all new cover system which is very different from the ones that are a commonplace in today’s games. It doesn’t let you sit back and relax for a long time. Instead it asks you jump out of cover as soon you pop some bullets into a few dudes. And yes, some cover surfaces are penetrable and bullets will pierce through them and go right into Max if he stays put for long.
Another highpoint for Max Payne 3 is its incredible AI. The enemies are bestowed with a level of intelligence that makes them almost human. Whether your foes are falling off stairs or railings, talking amongst themselves or taking bullets from your guns, they do all this as real people would. And if you try to keep away from them by ducking behind stuff, they’d still breach your cover in more ways than one. The game’s wonderful AI is complemented by some equally splendid physics that is best described by the word ‘realistic.’ There’s an inexplicable sense of satisfaction felt as you watch your enemies hit the environments, or one another, or both, before they land on the ground. Take for instance that you kill an enemy in front of a door, go to the other side and try to open it. The door would be blocked. All we can say is that we’re waiting to see more of this promising physics in a certain upcoming game called GTA V.
Graphics-wise too, Max Payne 3 is a bliss. It renders its visuals in an overly polished manner, and its environments too are worth gazing at. The gunfights take place in heavily-lit nightclubs, the insides of a football stadium, a New Jersey cemetery, the slums of Sao Paolo and other imaginative settings that make the experience more authentic. A catchy soundtrack and clear-cut sounds do well to augment the game’s grandeur. Trademark Rockstar humor can also be found on the TV screens spread throughout the title. So feel free to interrupt your gunfights with The Adventures of the Baseball Bat Boy, or watch little bits of a South American soap opera if you’re so inclined.
The multiplayer in this title is just pure praiseworthy, if nothing else. Amongst all things, it integrates into the game, the bullet time feature which might well have been branded as impossible by any other developer. There are a number of modes for you to drench yourselves in, but Payne Killer and Gang Wars are two modes that kept us busy most of the time. Customizable load-outs, tons of unlockable items and a rewarding achievement system are all in place to enhance your online experience.
Final Word: Max Payne 3 played out just the way we wanted; well nearly. The game has a small number of flaws which hinder its potential. It gets a bit sluggish towards the end, and the lack of grenades is deeply felt when enemies close in on you from all sides. Dialogues often lose sync with the visuals, while camera issues too arise from time to time. But looking on the bright side, the single-player campaign is quite long, so gamers needn’t complain about short games that are coming out these days. And the multiplayer component is set to devour hours and hours of your time. This game is recommended whole heartedly to fans of the genre. Here’s our score for it.
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sounds: 8/10
Environments: 10/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Replay Value: 8/10
Overall (not an average): 9/10