

Other major characters also look quite real. Max's face reads 'tired' yet he trudges along at every level with a steely determination to uncover the ultimate truth. Character design and facial features have been etched out to the extent that you can see every wrinkle, cut, and twitch on Max's face. Designing levels with so many different terrains and making them look real takes work and Rockstar has come out all-guns-blazing in that department. Intricate detailing is the hallmark of this game. Modes of transport have not been left behind so brace yourself for some action inside a moving boat, a moving bus, a steady yatch and also at an airport! And for those of you who miss the typical New York feel of the previous iterations, there are some chapters which take you back to New Jersey and NYC, with its typical landscapes and minor details. You start in a luxurious building in one chapter, then move to a football stadium in the next, visit a psychedelic neon-lit dance club, go cop-hunting in a police headquarters and also indulge in getting lost and finding your way through the maze that are the alleys of the Nova Esperanza favella (slum) in Sao Paolo. This can also get chronically addictive, we may add. This is one of the best aspects of the game as it really helps the gamer to engage with the game as you are constantly on your toes. You know you take control when the health and bullet-time gauge show up.Įvery chapter in Max Payne 3 is set in a completely different terrain. In every chapter, however, the cut-scenes and the actual game play transition very smoothly. Although we loved the cinematic representation, it may not live up to everyone's tastes. Max's state of health, thanks to alcohol abuse, is wonderfully represented by jittery, blurred and distorted video effects that make the gamer almost feel as if he is stoned. The game itself has its share of twists in the plot that keep you hooked. Third person narration and decently-long duration cut-scenes make this game seem like you are a part of some Hollywood film. There is no tribute to the character of Mona Sax. One also sees certain parts of the dialogue emphasized as text on the screen.
#Golden guns max payne 3 series#
Golden gun parts which extend your ammo per clip and increase gun damage.Īlthough the classic noir feel that was present in the original Max Payne series is missing along with the graphic novel panels, some tribute is paid to that tradition in the form of image panels as the game loads or during cut-scenes which are backed by dialogue, thereby taking the story forward. The game is sprinkled with clues which add value to the story. We wouldn't want to get into more details beyond this as it would involve revealing some crucial links to aspects that take the story forward and are best encountered through the gaming experience.

As the story progresses, one realizes that protecting Branco's family is just one aspect of the game and there are other facets involving a series of double-crosses between some prime characters. It starts off with a kidnapping in the family, which gets Max and Raul involved in a series of rescue operations.

The story starts off as a series of flashbacks and then switches to present day somewhere in the middle. This time Max teams up with his academy pal Raul Passos (who, like Max, is an ex-cop), and works as a private security for a rich Brazilian named Rodrigo Branco and his family. After endless delays, we got our hands on the latest edition of the franchise, simply titled Max Payne 3.Īs evident from the publicity stills which were in circulation since over a year, Max Payne 3 is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Max looks like he has gained some weight and has aged significantly from the last time we saw him in 2003. It has been a long wait - nine years to be precise - since Max Payne last hit the gaming shelves. If you are a third person shooter fanatic, the decision to buy this game is a no-brainer. Level design in varied terrains is a definite plus. The story, though not as layered as it was in the first two instalments, still offers the plot twists to keep you engaged. Gameplay, bullet-time, graphics and sound are brilliant. So, should you play this game? Hell yeah! It does not matter if you haven't been a follower of the Max Payne franchise, there isn't much in common except for the one chapter which takes us back to Max's past in NYC.
