Max Payne 3 review: New video game brings noir back in gritty style
(CBS News) It's been nine long years since Max Payne last graced us with his particular brand of slow motion gunfights and melodramatic narration. Bringing any franchise back after such a time can be a hit or miss endeavor. Many fans were skeptical from the start, after the title's transition from developer Remedy Entertainment to Rockstar Games - particularly with the nightmare that was "Duke Nukem Forever" still fresh in mind.
Fans shouldn't worry though - Max is still the same guy he always was - just with a few more miles on the odometer. He's Jack Bauer, John McClane and Martin Riggs all rolled into one. He's self-loathing, has nothing to lose and is more than a little crazy with a possible death wish. The perfect hero for a dark noir tale about the worst of humanity and finding purpose in a life lost.
The Max Payne series has always been heavy on the melodrama, but with a nice counterpoint of humor. "Max Payne 3" takes things a bit darker, delving into the psyche of what makes a man like Max - and those far more removed from society's norm than he - tick, and keeps its humor grimly tongue in cheek.
As has come to be expected from Rockstar, the story here is handled with the utmost maturity and extreme care for character and depth. Visual distortions and split screen effects help illustrate Max's shattered emotional and psychological state. As violent as the game becomes, all of the absolutely horrifying things he comes to witness are never gratuitous, but serve to advance character and plot development.
That's not to say the game is devoid of fan service. Let's not forget that - hot on the heels of the success of "The Matrix" - this is the series that defined "bullet time" in video games. "Max Payne 3" doesn't reinvent the series' trademarked gameplay, but it does manage to make one or two additions that bring it up to speed for modern gamers - primarily the inclusion of Rockstar's stapled cover system. The slow motion combat lends itself surprisingly well to "Max Payne 3's" online multiplayer. Triggering "bullet time" will only affect yourself and any enemies in your line of sight, leaving other players on the map to run and gun normally.
As groundbreaking as multiplayer was in "Red Dead Redemption," Rockstar has truly outdone themselves this time around. The single player campaign's style and narration carry over to your online game giving it a sense of cohesion with Max's world.
The heartfelt and character driven story and over the top action manage to balance each other harmoniously. What could have been a simple and soulless slow motion action romp manages to be something worth being experienced.
Max Payne 3 is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. It is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.
