Max Payne 3

Get Ready for More Payne

As the name suggests, Max Payne 3 is the third instalment in the popular first person shooter saga. Read on to find out if Max Payne three is as exciting as the games that have gone before or if playing it is a Payne-full experience.

Max Payne has been through a lot over the years and it would seem that his trials are far from over. Not only does he remain traumatised by the death of his child and wife that happened nine years earlier, he now faces new dangers as he moves into the shadowy underworld of São Paulo and tries to clear his name once again and prevent being taken out by his enraged bosses.

Players will have the chance to guide Max Payne through the streets of São Paulo as well as a series of hedonistic nightclubs. The main aim of the game is to discover who kidnapped Fabiana Branco while evading the bad guys or spotting them in time so you can put them out of the picture before you end up just another corpse for the local morticians to take care of.

The well defined game locations are given an extra touch of glamour and glitz with the use of cinematic effects. A number of professional actors provide the voices for the characters in the game and the dialogue is so engaging that players can easily become engrossed and look forward to these breaks in the action. This instalment truly beings the game up to date and comes complete with lots of modern features that many gamers will have been looking forward to.

However, this is s first person shooter game and it really is the shooting that players will have joined the game to enjoy. There are plenty of shooting scenes in the game which are both well varied and satisfyingly savage. In the original game Max Payne seemed to be made of steel and it was almost impossible for him to get injured. Things have been tweaked considerably this time and the shooting scenes are not much more challenging. Of course, some players may find it a little tough, bit this adds a sense of realism to the game and is sure to keep players pushing on to hone their skills and take on the challenge of taking out the trash.

There are lots of layers to the game that helps it to stay interesting. Although the scenario and the locations are quite different, there are plenty of nods to the original game that players who joined Max Payne at the beginning of his journey will enjoy. there are plenty of twists in the plot to keep players guessing and although some elements may seem a little obvious to experienced gamers, it is very easy to get caught up in the fun of exploring the grimy underworld of São Paulo and simply have fun with the game.

Max Payne 3 really delivers with its interesting storyline, great graphics and savage action. Gamers who are fans of the other Max Payne games are sure to be satisfied with this instalment, while people who are new to the world of Max Payne will find that the story and instructions are detailed enough to allow them to dive straight in.

Pros

• The gunplay is tight and ideal for the PC
• The storyline and voice acting are very engaging
• The environments are detailed and just waiting to be destroyed

Cons

• The plot can feel a bit predictable at points
• The shooting mechanics can be a little awkward