Max Payne
- This item comes with no original case, box, sleeve or artwork. Media ONLY. Discs, tapes and games will ship in clear generic case. This item MAY have been a previous rental.
Rating: 5 of 5
A FANTASTIC ACTION TITLE 9.25 OUT OF 10
Rating: 5 of 5
Great game
This game was better on the PC, but the Xbox version was really fun as well. I loved the action sequences & the storyline is top-knotch. I did not care 4 the ending, & the part where you are drugged up & have 2 walk through the maze is a miserable experience 2 say the least. Other than those incidents, this game is incredible. Enemy AI is great, & the graphics are fantastic. You MUST experience the 'bullet-time' 2 appreciate this game in its fullest.
I highly recommend this game if you are looking 4 something that is different than just "shoot 'em up."
I highly recommend this game if you are looking 4 something that is different than just "shoot 'em up."
Rating: 4 of 5
Awesome! Satisfies your New York Minute Cop Videogame addiction
Max Payne & its bullet time was the first game 2 allow the gamer 2 experience this innovative concept! What a breath of fresh air! I love the comic book picture storytelling & the linear story. Like reading a detective novel. Very interesting.
Rating: 4 of 5
Lacking in depth, but not in substance
The best thing Max Payne has going 4 it is a tremendously effective immediate atmosphere. From moment one, you feel like you're a part of this gritty, grimy, underground world. You're convinced that drippy, rusty pipes & dirty snow are the only constants in your own life, & all of that helps 2 make the central character, Max himself, much more understandable & sympathetic. All of the little things work together, from the graphics 2 the storytelling 2 the various ambient sounds 2 the characters themselves, 2 paint this immersive picture of a city overflowing with criminals, corrupt cops, self-centered politicians & very few true good guys. Even Max himself is far from a squeaky clean do-gooder, & seems more like a comedically poetic Punisher than a Superman as he fires out one overly wordsmithed sentence after another like so many dirt-encrusted bullets. Really, Max only distances himself from the guys on the receiving end of his wrath through an admirable drive 2 discover the truth & a tragic origin, & this lack of any true, identifiable hero works toward that aforementioned greater good, delivering a more realistic setting & allowing the story 2 take some liberties with its subject that would have otherwise been taboo.
Max's tale plays like a solid motion picture; you come in just as the action gets interesting (a rookie cop living the "American Dream" comes home one night 2 discover a set of intruders in his house, & fails 2 gun them down before they slaughter his wife & infant child) & hang around as the anti-hero quickly loses his inhibitions & his mind, accepting an undercover job that predictably goes bad & leaves him cut off in the middle of a criminal underworld that feels he's betrayed them. The story is compelling, & is always laid out in one of two ways; either through a live-rendered cutscene in between scenarios or by way of a series of narrated, graphic novel-reminiscent storyboards. It's nothing new 2 see a game featuring speaking parts in the middle of a mission any more, but the paneled storyboard work that serves 2 bookend each sub-level is an interestingly novel concept that somehow manages 2 avoid the cheesiness you'd think it would be drowning in. Although the frames themselves are obviously based off of source photography, & that photography looks like nothing more than a half dozen programmers & their friends out goofing off on the streets & occasionally shooting stills 4 a game they happen 2 be working on, there's a certain charm 2 these pages that helps the player 2 further identify with the events that are going on within. It's a nice break from all of the tense, blood & guts action of the rest of the game 2 sit back & take in a quick comic book-based scene, even if that scene does happen 2 involve just as much blood & violence as the gameplay.
As Payne slowly begins 2 lose friends & brain cells, he also begins 2 lose his focus on reality & slides into several amazing, if frustratingly tedious, hallucinogenic nightmares & fantasies. These are the scenes that really help 2 set the storyline apart from its peers, while at the same time dragging its gameplay a notch or two below that universal standard. The world spins hazily & blurrily around you, your field of vision is always clouded by a sort of dizzying grey cloud, things seem 2 move just a little bit too fluidly, & time slows 2 a crawl... they really are some of the best in-game visualizations of a dream-like state I've ever seen, & are crawling with the same sort of bloody, twisted, hopeless tone that fills the rest of the game. You'll hear the last wails unleashed by Max's wife & the occasional wounded scream of his child off in the murky depths, & the first three or four times they'll send shivers down your spine. Once you're on your sixteenth jaunt through the area, they'll grow more than a little annoying. Still, if it weren't 4 these little bits & pieces of horror, the game would tread dangerously close 2 straight action, with no respite.
Gameplay itself is slick & easy 2 master, with the first few levels acting as a great primer 4 what's 2 come. There's no real "lock-on" mechanism, as is so prevalent in similar games, but there is Payne's infamous "bullet time" function, which makes the process of aiming precisely at a moving target a bit less hairy. If you've seen The Matrix, then you probably already knew what I was talking about when I said "bullet time" & thus don't need a more detailed explanation, but 4 those who haven't; Max leaps into the air in some sort of dramatic, gun-wielding swan dive, & from the moment he leaves the ground until the moment he touches dirt again, time slows 2 a crawl. It's the same sort of thing that was employed previously in Conker's Bad Fur Day & made you groan when you saw a CGI cow performing it in the trailer 4 Kung Pow a few years ago, but is actually handled with some restraint so that it doesn't feel all that gimmicky & truly blends in as a helpful new gameplay element. You get a limited amount of "bullet time" 2 dole out, (exactly how much depends upon the difficulty level you've chosen) so you're not doing it over & over & over again, & you're given enough control of your actions in the middle of a dive 2 keep it from being an easy, surefire kill every single time.
Payne's graphics have long been hailed as a measuring stick of sorts 4 the Box, & while I'll certainly agree that they're far above the standards set during the N64-PSone war, they haven't aged all that well as this generation's battles near their end. The textures & character animations have become almost run-of-the-mill over the years, & while that may say a thing or two about the game's long-lasting impact on the industry & the trends it may or may not have set, it doesn't necessarily come across that way when played 4 the first time today. The characters themselves have always appeared 2 me as though they lacked real weight & mass. They look like scarecrows, especially in profile, with regularly-sized heads & hands, but stick arms & bodies with thick clothes just draped over 2 give the illusion of substance. The facial textures, while beautiful, don't look particularly professional & feel more like user-submitted skins wrapped around the same body several times over. The constant smirk adorned by Max himself only serves 2 further reinforce this sensation. The environmental textures that wow you from the ground level don't carry over as the skyscrapers near the roof level, & while that's not something you'll notice in the game's first few levels, later stages take place almost exclusively atop high rises & warehouses, where the poor walls are featured, front & center. Building interiors are sufficiently varied, with little bits & pieces of black humor thrown in like a porno poster on the wall or a hidden video camera facing the bedroom behind a false wall in a seedy hotel, but occasionally distract you with sealed doorways that look identical 2 the doors you'll need 2 be breaking open or casually pushing aside as the game progresses. This isn't a bad looking game, but I wouldn't say it's deserving of excessive praise, either. It's close, but the effort & attention 2 detail seems 2 drip away as you reach the later levels.
The sound, especially the voice-over work, is very well done. Although the majority of the game is merely accompanied by ambient noise, (and, more often than not, screaming & gunfire) you'll occasionally run into some music or white noise that is particularly effective in setting a mood or getting a laugh. The programs running on the few functional televisions you'll discover are especially funny, & smack of the kind of comedy you'd expect from the various radio stations in modern chapters of Grand Theft Auto. When somebody's speaking, which is really quite often, the voices suit the situations almost shockingly well. Payne himself sports a deep, gritty, exceptionally noir-detective baritone, & pounds out the game's sometimes over-the-top dialogue 2 terrific results. Sometimes I have trouble discerning whether this game was meant 2 be a revival of the noir genre or a parody of it, as the acting varies from extremely camp 2 chillingly effective, & that's a fun line 2 walk as the events progress.
Playing a game of Max Payne is like owning a passably good movie on DVD. It's not great, it won't be bringing home any Oscars & it isn't quite my definition of an epic, must-see production; it is solid entertainment 4 a couple of nights. You'll pop it in once in a while when you don't want 2 have 2 think about anything in particular, & it'll deliver a fun time. It's got just enough depth 2 keep you motivated throughout a long session, but momentarily entertaining enough not 2 demand your time in huge, six hour bunches. I can see how those who rushed out 2 pick up their copy on release day were disappointed... this isn't substantial enough a game 2 justify a full fifty bucks. It's short, relatively easy & overly linear. There's no immediate replay value, despite the ability 2 unlock a few new modes of gameplay, because they're all essentially applying questionable new rules 2 the exact same game. It introduced a few new gameplay elements & represented itself strongly in both visual & audio, but just doesn't have that undefinable "it" factor 2 push it up & above the rest of the pack. Every time the story would take a step forward, the gameplay would take a step back, & vice versa. At this point in its lifespan, & 4 the price you're likely 2 discover it 4 today, I'd say Payne is worth the expense, but I can see why some of my running buddies felt betrayed by it back in '01 when they were expecting another GTA, which is pretty much what it was advertised as, & got a straightforward noir-era third person shooter.
Max's tale plays like a solid motion picture; you come in just as the action gets interesting (a rookie cop living the "American Dream" comes home one night 2 discover a set of intruders in his house, & fails 2 gun them down before they slaughter his wife & infant child) & hang around as the anti-hero quickly loses his inhibitions & his mind, accepting an undercover job that predictably goes bad & leaves him cut off in the middle of a criminal underworld that feels he's betrayed them. The story is compelling, & is always laid out in one of two ways; either through a live-rendered cutscene in between scenarios or by way of a series of narrated, graphic novel-reminiscent storyboards. It's nothing new 2 see a game featuring speaking parts in the middle of a mission any more, but the paneled storyboard work that serves 2 bookend each sub-level is an interestingly novel concept that somehow manages 2 avoid the cheesiness you'd think it would be drowning in. Although the frames themselves are obviously based off of source photography, & that photography looks like nothing more than a half dozen programmers & their friends out goofing off on the streets & occasionally shooting stills 4 a game they happen 2 be working on, there's a certain charm 2 these pages that helps the player 2 further identify with the events that are going on within. It's a nice break from all of the tense, blood & guts action of the rest of the game 2 sit back & take in a quick comic book-based scene, even if that scene does happen 2 involve just as much blood & violence as the gameplay.
As Payne slowly begins 2 lose friends & brain cells, he also begins 2 lose his focus on reality & slides into several amazing, if frustratingly tedious, hallucinogenic nightmares & fantasies. These are the scenes that really help 2 set the storyline apart from its peers, while at the same time dragging its gameplay a notch or two below that universal standard. The world spins hazily & blurrily around you, your field of vision is always clouded by a sort of dizzying grey cloud, things seem 2 move just a little bit too fluidly, & time slows 2 a crawl... they really are some of the best in-game visualizations of a dream-like state I've ever seen, & are crawling with the same sort of bloody, twisted, hopeless tone that fills the rest of the game. You'll hear the last wails unleashed by Max's wife & the occasional wounded scream of his child off in the murky depths, & the first three or four times they'll send shivers down your spine. Once you're on your sixteenth jaunt through the area, they'll grow more than a little annoying. Still, if it weren't 4 these little bits & pieces of horror, the game would tread dangerously close 2 straight action, with no respite.
Gameplay itself is slick & easy 2 master, with the first few levels acting as a great primer 4 what's 2 come. There's no real "lock-on" mechanism, as is so prevalent in similar games, but there is Payne's infamous "bullet time" function, which makes the process of aiming precisely at a moving target a bit less hairy. If you've seen The Matrix, then you probably already knew what I was talking about when I said "bullet time" & thus don't need a more detailed explanation, but 4 those who haven't; Max leaps into the air in some sort of dramatic, gun-wielding swan dive, & from the moment he leaves the ground until the moment he touches dirt again, time slows 2 a crawl. It's the same sort of thing that was employed previously in Conker's Bad Fur Day & made you groan when you saw a CGI cow performing it in the trailer 4 Kung Pow a few years ago, but is actually handled with some restraint so that it doesn't feel all that gimmicky & truly blends in as a helpful new gameplay element. You get a limited amount of "bullet time" 2 dole out, (exactly how much depends upon the difficulty level you've chosen) so you're not doing it over & over & over again, & you're given enough control of your actions in the middle of a dive 2 keep it from being an easy, surefire kill every single time.
Payne's graphics have long been hailed as a measuring stick of sorts 4 the Box, & while I'll certainly agree that they're far above the standards set during the N64-PSone war, they haven't aged all that well as this generation's battles near their end. The textures & character animations have become almost run-of-the-mill over the years, & while that may say a thing or two about the game's long-lasting impact on the industry & the trends it may or may not have set, it doesn't necessarily come across that way when played 4 the first time today. The characters themselves have always appeared 2 me as though they lacked real weight & mass. They look like scarecrows, especially in profile, with regularly-sized heads & hands, but stick arms & bodies with thick clothes just draped over 2 give the illusion of substance. The facial textures, while beautiful, don't look particularly professional & feel more like user-submitted skins wrapped around the same body several times over. The constant smirk adorned by Max himself only serves 2 further reinforce this sensation. The environmental textures that wow you from the ground level don't carry over as the skyscrapers near the roof level, & while that's not something you'll notice in the game's first few levels, later stages take place almost exclusively atop high rises & warehouses, where the poor walls are featured, front & center. Building interiors are sufficiently varied, with little bits & pieces of black humor thrown in like a porno poster on the wall or a hidden video camera facing the bedroom behind a false wall in a seedy hotel, but occasionally distract you with sealed doorways that look identical 2 the doors you'll need 2 be breaking open or casually pushing aside as the game progresses. This isn't a bad looking game, but I wouldn't say it's deserving of excessive praise, either. It's close, but the effort & attention 2 detail seems 2 drip away as you reach the later levels.
The sound, especially the voice-over work, is very well done. Although the majority of the game is merely accompanied by ambient noise, (and, more often than not, screaming & gunfire) you'll occasionally run into some music or white noise that is particularly effective in setting a mood or getting a laugh. The programs running on the few functional televisions you'll discover are especially funny, & smack of the kind of comedy you'd expect from the various radio stations in modern chapters of Grand Theft Auto. When somebody's speaking, which is really quite often, the voices suit the situations almost shockingly well. Payne himself sports a deep, gritty, exceptionally noir-detective baritone, & pounds out the game's sometimes over-the-top dialogue 2 terrific results. Sometimes I have trouble discerning whether this game was meant 2 be a revival of the noir genre or a parody of it, as the acting varies from extremely camp 2 chillingly effective, & that's a fun line 2 walk as the events progress.
Playing a game of Max Payne is like owning a passably good movie on DVD. It's not great, it won't be bringing home any Oscars & it isn't quite my definition of an epic, must-see production; it is solid entertainment 4 a couple of nights. You'll pop it in once in a while when you don't want 2 have 2 think about anything in particular, & it'll deliver a fun time. It's got just enough depth 2 keep you motivated throughout a long session, but momentarily entertaining enough not 2 demand your time in huge, six hour bunches. I can see how those who rushed out 2 pick up their copy on release day were disappointed... this isn't substantial enough a game 2 justify a full fifty bucks. It's short, relatively easy & overly linear. There's no immediate replay value, despite the ability 2 unlock a few new modes of gameplay, because they're all essentially applying questionable new rules 2 the exact same game. It introduced a few new gameplay elements & represented itself strongly in both visual & audio, but just doesn't have that undefinable "it" factor 2 push it up & above the rest of the pack. Every time the story would take a step forward, the gameplay would take a step back, & vice versa. At this point in its lifespan, & 4 the price you're likely 2 discover it 4 today, I'd say Payne is worth the expense, but I can see why some of my running buddies felt betrayed by it back in '01 when they were expecting another GTA, which is pretty much what it was advertised as, & got a straightforward noir-era third person shooter.
Rating: 4 of 5
Fun!!!
This game is highly original & really fun. I'd have given it 5 stars but the beginning wasn't very fun & the sequences where you have 2 get through that maze & when you have 2 walk on that rope & follow the screams were pointless, tiring, frustrating & stupid. But besides that, it was awesome! The bullet time shooting & dodging is great. The guns rock as do the molotov cocktails! Once you play 4 around 1 hour, the game gets so frickin' fun!!! At the halfway point, when you're in the mansion, it's some of the most fun that I've ever fun! The shootouts & dodging around corners in slo mo while unloading on some punks never gets old! The end's great as is everything! You'll absolutely love it & it's worth a buy but believe me, it can get hard 2 get through that maze. I hate that part!!! That wasn't fun at all!
But, believe me, buy or rent this & you'll be in 4 some great shootouts & nonstop fun. A must have!
But, believe me, buy or rent this & you'll be in 4 some great shootouts & nonstop fun. A must have!
Max Payne is a man with nothing 2 lose in the violent, cold urban night. A fugitive undercover cop framed 4 murder, he's hunted by cops & the Mob. Max is a man with his back against the wall, fighting a battle he cannot hope 2 win. Prepare 4 a new breed of deep-action game. Prepare 4 pain.
Max Payne's wife & baby daughter were slain by junkies hopped up on a dangerous new synthetic drug. For three years, Max has worked undercover 2 find the source of these drugs, and, just when he's almost got it figured out, somebody ices his superior & pins the murder on him. Now it's payback time as Max faces off against the Mob, the police, & much, much worse. Max Payne has jumped from the computer screen 2 the PlayStation2 & there's going 2 be hell 2 pay.
Max Payne uses extremely realistic graphics 2 showcase a gritty film-noir-inspired New York City. Payne stalks subways, tenements, nightclubs, & even government installations as he takes his vengeance out on a horde of gun-toting bad guys. Taking a page from the visual style of famed director John Woo, as well as The Matrix, Max Payne lets the player launch into a slow-motion mode generally known as "bullet time," which makes dodging enemy fire & dishing out your own return fire a breeze, all while leaping side 2 side. While this looks extremely cool 2 do, it also evens the odds & can only be used 4 limited amounts of time, making it a strategic as well as aesthetic option.
And speaking of aesthetics, the game is packed with exciting moments, weapons, & locations, even if the enemies get a little redundant after a while. The level design ranges from inspired (a multilevel parking garage) 2 humdrum (a warehouse) & several levels actually take place in the twisted wonderland of the hero's warped psyche. The introduction scenes consist of painted photos presented in graphic-novel style, which is a stylistic choice that pays dividends, even though the writing is hilariously bad & the voice acting is, if possible, even worse.
Needless 2 say, all this is violent, disturbing, & not at all 4 the kids. Pay attention 2 the Mature rating; it's not there 4 decoration. --Bob Andrews
--This review refers 2 the PlayStation2 version of the game.
Pros:
- Photorealistic graphics
- Fantastic cinematic action
- Terrible writing
- Even worse voice acting
Max Payne is a stylish, urban, revenge-driven action game based in New York City's grimy underground. A groundbreaking rendering engine allows 4 heart-stopping, photorealistic visuals & breathtaking, movie-quality effects as Max Payne fights his way 2 uncover the truth. The game combines elements from Hollywood action thrillers with the latest in video game technology 2 deliver a highly original gameplay experience.
($2.50)
Buy Max Payne Now!
WHAT THE GAME IS: You are Max Payne; a cop whose life has gone down the crapper because of the murders of his wife & baby, & now he's being accused of murder of a cop. So you must take out mafia & gang groups with a large arsenal weapons & descend into the New York underworld of crime, while solving clues & avoiding capture.
GRAPHICS: Time has not been kind 2 this game, it was released 6-7 years ago & the graphics don't look good, but rather blocky.
SOUND: Shooting, explosions, dying screams of enemies, & fairly good voice-acting.
MUSIC: The music is barely present, but luckily you'll hardly ever notice this blemish because of how much adrenaline will be in your system when playing this game.
GAMEPLAY: Character movement could use a little work, but the gun controls work great. Platforming is a little sticky. The gameplay is fast & feels like its on crack especially during the huge gun battles of dozens of enemies or more. This game is absolutely wonderful, though some low points are some sticky movements & the dream sequences Max Payne has are kinda difficult because they require you 2 go through maze-like environments.
OVERALL: This game could easily be enjoyed by any fan of action titles because of the great gameplay, interesting story, comic book-style cutscenes, a great selection of weapons (molotov cocktails anyone?), & the awesome slow-motion feature which would later be used in games like F.E.A.R.
THE GOOD: Fast bullet-spraying gameplay, interesting story, cool weapons, & the innovative slow-motion feature.
THE BAD: Some sticky controls & platforming sequences, & ugly graphics. Though most of these problems are easily ignored.