An old horse doesn't spoil the furrow. Review of Max Payne 3

The presentation of [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) in Moscow three months ago left me with exclusively positive impressions. There was plenty of information and a lot of Max (drunken and sober, bald and hairy), drastically changing from chapter to chapter. Journalists asked questions, and the representative from Rockstar Games, Federico Clonfero, kindly answered them. As you remember, the material gathered was enough for a full-fledged preview, despite the fact that no one had the chance to play – Mr. Clonfero firmly held his gamepad in his hands, cautiously stepping aside.

"I'm armed, and I'm drinking"

"In a ridiculous shirt, with a lousy haircut"

"I spent about three hours in this bar, or maybe five years"

- Revelations of Max Payne

Since then, almost all of spring has passed, and the console version of [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) has already been released, while computer enthusiasts eagerly clenched their fists, waiting for the game’s June release. Not wanting to wait for the pleasant summer, I decided to evaluate this project right now, especially since a press version for PlayStation 3 came up.

[Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) grabs you by the soul from the very first cutscene. The unshaven protagonist, clad in a sweat-soaked yellow shirt, wanders around his apartment, nervously smoking cigarettes and greedily gulping cheap whiskey straight from the bottle. Along the way, he swallows handfuls of pills, washing them down with the same alcohol. It’s a thankless life of a man who has hit rock bottom. Hating himself for his wretched state, he begins to smash the apartment, trying to destroy everything that reminds him of his past. Grabbing a frame with a photo of his wife and child, the enraged Max smashes it with ferocity. Shards of glass, an overturned photo on the floor, Max with trembling hands and a grief-stricken face, sitting in the place of his personal crime. Gently stroking the photo, he trembles in sobs.

Yes, iron Max lets loose his feelings, but only when no one is watching. Situations like this happen repeatedly in [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3). The apartment is positioned as a purgatory, where Payne's restless soul is flailing about. References to the unsuccessful assassination attempt on the photo are present later on as well. When the office of Rodrigo Branco, Max's employer, is subjected to another gang raid, some madmen smash the stand with a photo of Branco's wife, Fabiana, into tiny pieces. Wounded Max, ignoring the danger, carefully collects the shards and retrieves the picture of Fabiana, despite the fact that he despises Branco's wife with every fiber of his being.

At work, Max Payne transforms, becoming a hardened cynic and a roughneck. Protecting his employer and his family, he seizes every opportunity to take a swig from his drink, so he spends most of his time in a semi-drunken state. He is repulsed by the people around him, which he often expresses to Raul Passos, his friend and partner who pulled Max out of a jam in New York. Of the three Branco brothers, he only respects Rodrigo. He regards Victor with suspicion, while the “golden boy” Marcello literally makes him sick. Nevertheless, this doesn’t prevent him from defending one of the richest families in São Paulo, and doing so well. However, what can one man do if the string of assassination attempts doesn’t cease? In yet another attack on the family, Max fails to save Rodrigo’s wife, who is kidnapped by gang members for ransom. “I was too drunk when she was taken” – lamented Max, pouring his heart out to the only person close to him – Raul. A turning point comes in Max's life, which literally pulls him into a whirlpool of intrigue, hatred, grief, and the worst human qualities.

[Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) is a very brutal, even cruel game. It contains many frank, unvarnished, and even horrifying scenes. What do you think the infamous kidnapping bandits might do to a pretty blonde girl? According to the heroic genre's canon, they would take her to some hidden place, tie her to a chair, refuse to feed her, and make terrifying faces, from which the girl would break into a terrified scream. Naturally, a handsome prince will soon appear to rescue her from the clutches of these scoundrels. But what happens in [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3)? As in life, in harsh and real life. Play it, and you will understand everything for yourself. The level of authenticity in the game is such that you want to imagine yourself as Stanislavski and endorse every chapter, every dialogue, or cutscene with a word “I believe.” In [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3), everything seems alive and real, even in just one chapter. Boys play football on the streets of dirty favelas, suspiciously glancing at the white outsider; adults, upon seeing the bald gringo, snatch their children off the streets and lock their doors, while just around the corner, half-naked bandits with AKs are awaiting, racking the bolts in anticipation of easy money, trendy sunglasses, and expensive watches. What did you expect, favelas – they are like that.

The game is divided into three parts and 14 chapters, taking place not only in São Paulo but also in New York and even in one of the Central American countries. The main storyline unfolds in Brazil, while everything else represents Max's memories, from which the narration takes place. Sometimes, important hints and clues are hidden in the protagonist's stories. I would have never thought that an inconspicuous truck on the ferry could conceal a whole arsenal of various weapons, but old Payne didn't let me down, giving a very subtle hint. Max's stories can hide not only clues to hideouts and caches but also keys to unraveling the unimaginable insanity surrounding him. Nonetheless, most of the surrounding space has to be explored on your own. During the chapters, various items that may interest Max can be found: newspaper clippings, old photographs, and various artifacts that shed light on many mysteries regarding individual characters and the situation as a whole.

Despite the unimaginable level of authenticity, all the locations in [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) are completely linear. Only occasionally can you approach the goal via two different routes, but the path will still be one. Nevertheless, every new corner can hide a lot of useful things: parts of golden weapons, clues in the form of items, weapon caches, and pills that Max uses for both prevention and treatment.

Max Payne still knows how to stand for himself; age has not affected his agility. The infamous bullet-time can be activated at any moment when the situation demands it. The energy level gradually fills over time, but activating slow motion here and there to take out one or two enemies shouldn't be done. A situation may arise when a dozen various enemies pile on Max, and then trouble is inevitable. Bullet-time can be activated both while moving and in the air. It’s an effective and beautiful thing – Max goes into a long flight amidst floating bullets, aiming to kill as many scoundrels as possible. These scoundrels, by the way, represent quite a wide range. Max has to fight various criminal groups, mercenaries, and corrupt cops, as well as North American thugs and mafia clans. Some of them can be taken down with a few shots, and with a well-placed headshot, one bullet is enough.

If he encounters seriously equipped enemies, then it can take some effort. Bulletproof vests significantly reduce bullet penetration, while helmets and headgear provide good protection against instant death. A downed enemy might grumble and get back up to continue the fight, so never leave a foe behind. Additionally, an opponent can be seriously or lightly wounded. A slightly wounded enemy falls with a crash, but you can shoot while lying down. Serious wounds, on the other hand, practically take the enemy out of action. A severely wounded opponent rolls on the floor screaming, clutching at the spots he has been shot.

Every last kill is executed in a cinematic style. We can observe the bullet’s flight and then the enemy's death. Interestingly, at this moment, you can continue shooting, sending bullet after bullet at the unfortunate one. Enemies die in various ways, sometimes spectacularly, sometimes not so much, but always realistically. A dead enemy can still squeeze the trigger of an automatic weapon and release an entire magazine while falling, potentially wounding or even killing the main character.

Max knows how to take cover behind various obstacles, shooting both with precision and blindly. Sometimes finding the right cover is the key to survival, because a dense hail of enemy fire can tear Max's body apart even in slow-motion mode. If Max takes cover, for instance, behind an office desk, pieces of paper, shards of glass, pens, and other office items generated by gunfire will rain down on him. There's no total destructibility, but this is compensated by design decisions and realistic special effects. Some complaints have also arisen regarding the penetrating ability of objects. For example, a heavy wooden box can be shot through, injuring an enemy hiding behind it, while an iron mesh with wide openings becomes an impenetrable barrier for a bullet.

Many received the news with sadness, or even indignation, that [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) would not feature the traditional comic panels familiar from previous games in the series. How could they do this? One of the main features of [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3) has been completely cut. Nevertheless, the developers did not abandon this system but instead improved it. Instead of static images – dynamic cutscenes divided by frames. At one moment, the motion stops, a message appears, and there you have it, a comic, gentlemen. The same goes for Max's death. During the game or when Max interacts with other characters, key words and phrases (place names, names, codes, addresses) are displayed on the screen.

Max's health does not restore over time (just like his nerve cells), so he has to use painkillers. They are scattered throughout all locations, but even on the easy difficulty level, they are catastrophically scarce. Enemies shoot extremely painfully, using every available weapon. There are a lot of weapons in the game, but there are no repetitive types. Max can carry two small firearms (pistol, revolver, submachine gun) in holsters while holding an automatic or rifle. As before, he can shoot with both hands, but then the main character has to discard his primary weapon – there’s no place to put it.

At each new stage of the game, players are offered to collect golden weapons. These are the same guns that already exist in the game, but... golden, with unique characteristics. Their parts are scattered throughout the level. For the golden pistol, for instance, you only need to collect three components, while for the grenade launcher – six or seven. Some parts lie literally at your feet, while searching for others can be problematic. Sometimes you need to check every corner, or even the walls - under some painting there may be a safe.

Multiplayer features five main modes. The first is “Team Deathmatch.” A standard mode where two teams try to annihilate each other and score as many points as possible. The second is “Shootout.” There are no teams; each fights for themselves. The third (initially closed) is “Street Wars.” The fourth is “Pain's Assassins.” Players are divided into two unequal teams, one consisting of Max Payne and a partner, and the other made up of various criminals and haters eager to eliminate Max. While the second team relies on numbers, Payne's team capitalizes on quality – excellent weaponry, a chance to activate bullet-time, and unique perks. The fifth mode is “Gang Wars.” To participate, one must register an account on the Rockstar website. Players are divided into two teams that will face each other for five rounds. Scenarios are drawn from the single-player game, and depending on which team wins or loses, subsequent rounds will be shaped accordingly. It’s no wonder the Gang Wars mode is also referred to as the narrative multiplayer, where players determine their fate and make choices themselves.

In the multiplayer of [Max Payne 3](/games?search=Max Payne 3), there are all possibilities for customizing characters – from choosing appearance to clothing styles. Moreover, players can switch to the side of cops or mercenaries, select a class, or recreate their own from scratch. In the online game, various perks can be found – from the ability to heal teammates to the sly changing of the color scheme of your nickname. In general, the multiplayer is not just a pathetic addition to the single-player game but a standalone, extensive, and meticulously worked-out game mode.

In conclusion, I want to say that the