Preview from vg247.com [translation]

Hard Boiled: Rockstar Shows Off Max Payne 3

Stace Harman, 10.06.2011.

Max Payne, the most cynical anti-hero in the world, has been sitting on the sidelines while Rockstar has crafted stories about car thieves, cowboys, and corrupt cops. But now it's his time. A bitter former cop and ex-narcotics agent has seen a lot in his life. The deaths of his wife and daughter, for example. He is almost broken and finds solace only in strong drinks and lengthy conversations with himself.

Arriving at Rockstar's office in West London, I encounter a friendly and energetic woman who asks if I’d like something to drink. It's a bit early for whiskey, so tea it is. Black. No sugar. After signing a paper mandating that I keep my mouth shut for the next thirty-one hours or risk my health, I'm escorted to a tidy lounge. A friendly PR manager talks about how great it is to work on Max Payne and how nice it is to meet me. Yes, yes, chatty, but let’s get down to business, shall we?

First, he shows me a black folder filled with photographs from São Paulo, where much of the game's action takes place. I suppose that's meant to demonstrate how carefully the developers approached the choice of setting. They really went above and beyond, poor souls. Who wouldn't want to travel to São Paulo at company expense just to snap some photos?!

However, this is not just an album of “Guys on Vacation”: luxurious rooftop pools, sun-drenched hills, and carnival girls coexist with armed police, graffiti-covered concrete walls, and victims of street crimes. The Rockstar team takes this seriously.

My reflection is interrupted again, this time by a speech about how the game will retain the spirit of the first installments while modernizing itself. At the same time, my second escort picks up an Xbox 360 controller that I won’t get to use, as I'm only allowed to watch the demo.

Seriously considering the idea of hitting him over the head with a candy jar, knocking the other one against the glass table, and taking control of Max myself to describe sensations rather than impressions, I ultimately decided that such a move wouldn’t please either Rockstar or my editor, so it’s better to keep my inner Max in check and behave.

The Rhythm of New York

At the beginning of the game, Max is at home in New York. Outside, a fierce blizzard rages, while inside, the real pain will begin. For now, he is in his apartment à la den: fast food boxes and bourbon bottles are artfully strewn about. If there’s one thing Max is bad at, it’s being a housekeeper.

It seems our hero is also a bit reckless: he accidentally shot the son of a local mobster. So while entertaining his Brazilian friend, who is trying to convince Max to trade his dirty little apartment for a job at a private security agency, Max answers a call from someone named Anthony DeMarco. The mobster has dropped by for a cup of tea and is displeased that Max doesn’t have any tasty éclairs. Judging by Max's face, there will be a lot of shooting!

As Max races down the hallway, eloquent red dot sights dance on the walls. The time-slowing meter fills as Max enters combat, although this could still change before release, as it has many times over the past few months. They might switch to a more