Review: Max Payne 3 (360)

There are so many third person shooters on the market. Some are good, while others make me wonder what the developers and publishers were thinking when they decided to create such awful games. Adding to the already large list of third person shooters is Rockstar Games’ latest entry in the Max Payne saga, Max Payne 3. Max is back for a grand adventure, and quite a lot has happened since the last time we saw him. With everything he’s gone through, I can understand him not giving a rat’s ass anymore. Though it’s yet another shooter in a shooter-saturated market, Max Payne 3 was very enjoyable.

Is it worth buying now, or should you wait for the price to go down? Read on and find out.

We start our grand adventure with a Max Payne who is a far cry from the man we once knew. This Max pops pills and drinks away his sorrows. It’s been a few years since the last adventure, and Max Payne 3 finds Max in Brazil, serving as protector to a very wealthy family. As with any Max Payne title, however, the shit soon hits the fan. Most rich families have enemies, whether from fellow family members or from rival families, and the family that Max protects is no different. Everything is going fine until one fateful day when all hell breaks loose and the family is attacked. I won’t go into too many details of the story from here on out, but it entertains. When it comes down to it, Max Payne 3 offers a solid storyline with an entertaining pace. On top of the single player campaign, Max Payne 3 features competitive multiplayer. Co-op would have been a welcome addition for mission completion.

I never played any of the past Max Payne titles, but after playing Max Payne 3, I’ve definitely become interested in playing them. The gameplay is very solid, as I’ve said before. From the moment the game starts, it’s straightforward and entertaining. As you progress, you’ll learn more about Max and the events that lead him to living in Brazil. Being a Max Payne game, you’ll get your fill of action, gunfights, and unique experiences. With bullet time returning, the game is as fun as any of its past iterations. There’s nothing like diving off of a ledge in slow motion to land a few headshots! Bullet time is well implemented in both single player and multiplayer. Being new to the franchise, the controls took some time to learn, but were easy to grasp.

The audio and visual aspects of Max Payne 3 were well done. Music was appropriate and came in at key points. When you needed to feel the suspense of a massive shootout in a deeper way than the gameplay presents, the music comes in and sends a chill down your spine. On top of the music, the voice acting in the game was very well done.

Overall, I’d say that Max Payne 3 is a solid game. It does have a few flaws, but they are easily overlooked. The game is definitely worth buying, and you’ll absolutely get your money’s worth from both the single player campaign and multiplayer. After beating the game, I kept going back to the multiplayer to play against or with friends. The graphics are good, the audio in terms of music and voice acting are good, and the way the game plays out like you’re in a movie is brilliant. I wouldn’t change a thing about this game besides including co-op.

A copy of Max Payne 3 was provided by Rockstar Games for review purposes. For more information on Max Payne 3, please visit Rockstar Games.