Grave Gamer News & Views — max payne

Max Payne 3 (PC/PS3/360 - May 15th)

Rockstar’s resuscitation of the Max Payne name (because Marky Mark almost killed it) is out in little over a week.  Industry analysts already posit that MP3 will outperform some of May’s other weighty contenders the likes of Dragon’s Dogma and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.  The real clash in sales will be between Rockstar’s sequel and another oft delayed threequel by the name of motherfuckin’ Diablo III.  We’re talking about bullets versus swords; noir versus fantasy.  Whichever game comes out on top, wins all of May.  Not that that matters.

I’ll say this about Max Payne 3 –  and it should very much be noted that if you hear me say the following about a game it means you’re probably mistaken because I never say this about a game – but the multiplayer is drawing me in more than the story campaign.

Oh, I’m definitely anticipating the hardboiled melodrama of Max’s depressingly brutal world (and who looking for a good time wouldn’t be?), but Rockstar’s take on cooperation in a versus setting, which includes vicious tug o’ war matches where you fight to hold onto territory, or steal it, might be the most promising multiplayer offering this year has seen yet.  Peep video proof hereabouts.

Max Payne 3’s Multiplayer Vignette: Online Gunmen Wanted

You’d almost think Rockstar had been pushing and delaying the return of gaming’s noir hero just to solely work on the multiplayer portion of the game because, well, it’s looking rather friggin’ good. I called bullshit the moment I heard the developer intended on implementing the series’ staple Bullet Time mechanic within multiplayer but...

Max Payne 3: Mini-30 Rifle

The Mini-30 is perfect for situations where you find yourself needing to kill as quickly and loudly as possible.  Mini-30 protip: don’t get shot by a Mini-30.

Max Payne 3 - Solving Dilemmas with Bullets

James MacCaffrey reprises the titular role of New York’s most beat down cop.  With Max Payne 3, taking the cop out of New York doesn’t necessarily mean you can take the surgically-precise killer out of the cop…Or something to that effect.  Watch Rockstar’s new trailer, ‘Going After the Girl,’ and you’ll see what I mean.

The trailer also comes tagged with...

Max Payne 3 (PC/PS3/Xbox 360)

“I think the challenge of nostalgia is a profound one, because one thing about videogames is your memory tends to remove the horrendous.  (The games) become these great, perfect experiences…It’s definitely a challenge to get the right pitch when you want to appeal to the fans of the original and bring in a new audience.”

Dan Houser, Max the Third’s writer (as well VP of creativity at Rockstar Games), speaking with Variety.