Rating: 
Summary: Great Game!!
Review: Wow, Max Payne is an amazing game. It is essentially a third-person shooter. But it is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill shoot-em-up game. Nah, Max Payne is an outstanding game that incorporates a huge storyline with phenomenal game-play. You are Max Payne, a Narcotics cop whose wife and infant are killed by trigger-happy junkies. Max Payne sets out on a crusade to find the source of the drug that the junkies were using, and to get answers as to why they chose his house. The storyline isn't as simple as it sounds. Max Payne's storyline is set as a graphic novel, in which the "cinematics" that most video games use are replaced by a comic book. The language that Max Payne uses is highly symbolic and strangely chilling. I would say that the best part of Max Payne is its storyline. Now, I don't mean to say that Max Payne isn't fun to play. No, the game-play is enormously fun and engrossing. There is a facet that sets Max Payne apart from all other shooters: bullet time. You can slow down the game speed with a click of a button, and do flips to avoid bullet fire. This was obviously inspired by the Matrix, and was pulled off briliantly. When you turn on bullet time, you can dive through the air while spraying with two Ingrams, or jump backwards while firing with a Pump-Action shotgun. There is also a multitude of levels, so you won't finish this game quickly. Parts of the game are actually scary, as you travel through Max's nightmares and drug-induced paranoia. Overall, I believe Max Payne to be one of the best games I have ever played. The only downside is that there is no multiplayer, but it is easily made up with incredible game-play, an intriguing storyline, and bullet time. For any fan of shoot-em-up games, THIS IS A MUST-HAVE GAME! Even if you aren't a fan of shooters, you might wanna buy this game. It might make you into a fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Great storyline, excellent engine, no strategy
Review: The storyline in this game is very thrilling from the whole Valkyr story to the blood trail dream phases, and the graphics are pretty decent, nothing spectacular. This game's 2 big features are the graphic novel scenes instead of fancy cutscenes, and the Matrix, er, Bullet Time slow-motion shooting and the instant replay when you give someone a bullet to the head. There is a nice variety of weapons, though it's a little odd how Max can carry so many at once. Sounds like a 5-star game, huh? The major problem comes in when you realize, hey, there's little to no strategy or decisionmaking involved here. The levels are depressingly straightforward. There are all sorts of doors that make it look like you have a thrillingly complex level, but when you approach them they make a little shaking noise, as if you're trying to open them, but you have to move on to the doors that the emenies have so nicely left unlocked for you. Occasionally, you'll have to figure out a way to get beyond a door, but that's usually just a few steps back. Basically, there's barely any choices that you can make. You just sit back and kill people until the next graphic novel scene comes on. Basically, this game would have made a better graphic novel. Unless, of course, you love mindless shooting games with souped up animation.
Rating:
Summary: Worth It
Review: So if you have't gotten this game yet get it now. It does have certain drawbacks the game is realativly short and the acting just BAD. Any and all short commings are made up by the great gameplay and a new concept BULLET TIME probably the coolest thing to come out in the last five years, with the exception of Max Payne 2. Overall-The moral of this story is don't try to kill this guy you will just piss him off.
Rating:
Summary: Oh my goodness
Review: I just finished playing this game, and I'm telling you, you are going to be completely blown away by Max Payne. You've all heard about the fabulous graphics, the innovative and kick-... bullet time, the story and what not, but you simply have to play the game in order to really apreceate how well everything is tied together and how well it all works. I've heard from people that you have to have amazing system specs to run this game, but I only have 16 MB 3DfX Voodoo Banshee Card and 512 MB of DDR RAM, and I run everything on "high" setting without ever having a problem. The thing that really blew me away while playing MP is how well the story really is connected to the plot. You will never find yourself doing anything for no reason. It is all trying to accomplish you one single goal of finding out the truth about what happened to your family. The few cinematic cut scenes that there are fit in very well with the story predominently told in a graphic novel style. The washed out look of the pictures provides a stark but well recieved constrast to the increadably detailed graphics and attention to detail. If you shoot a machine gun at the wall, you can actually right words in the bullet holes that are PERMANENTLY left on the walls. That's right. Stray bullets that find ANYTHING STAY there for the entire time you're on that level. So do bodies, shell casings, debris, and any other havoc that you can manage to wreck with the wide aray of guns that are available to you. Basically, what it all boils down to is that MP only really introduces one new concept in bullet time, but it does everything else so much damn better then almost any other shooter before it, it is worth your money hands down. I finished it and wanted to immediatly play it again, and with the now huge amount of Mods floating around, you can be sure that this game will provide you will many intense and enjoyable hourse of fun to come.
Rating:
Summary: Must-have title for action fans
Review: This is one hell of a shooter game. Max Payne belongs in every gamer's collection (well, at least fans of shooter games). The story is about a cop seeking revenge for the death of his wife and baby. The story is fast-paced, and gripping. Once I started this game, I didn't want to stop till I got my revenge. The ability to quick-save (F5 key) at any point is a pretty handy feature. Each level in the game introduces you to new characters, and clues that eventually lead you to the main villain. The Bullet-time feature - the ability to slow time around you, gives you a definite edge in some fight sequences. The enemy AI is sufficiently smart and effective. Pros:
Good graphics, gripping story, bullet-time feature, quicksave Cons:
Somewhat short, limited replayability, no multi-player support Other than a few complaints (cons above), this game is well worth your purchase. Max Payne is a MUST-BUY for action fans. So what are you waiting for?
Rating:
Summary: One of the most original games of all time
Review: First of all, I'd like to say that one of the most important characteristics of a great computer game is having an awesome main character (with some exception, i.e. Battlefield 1942). Max Payne embodies every possible side of being awesome that anyone could ever comprehend. The plot is as follows: Max Payne is a cop whose wife and baby are murdered by some junkies. In his campaign of violent and ultimately holy justice, Max targets various nemeses, from low-level thugs to mob bosses, finally linking the death of his loved ones to a government figure. Instead of using traditional animation videos in which the computer characters interact to tell the storyline, the plot of Max Payne is told using comic strips in which the voices and background sounds are also heard. I heard that this approach was used because it was a lot more cost-efficient, but instead of simply choosing a cheaper story medium, the writers and designers stumbled onto one of the most brilliant plot presentations of any game ever. Of course one can't talk about Max Payne without mentioning bullet-time, the slow motion fighting style that was made popular by the Matrix. Though bullet-time is definitely the most dazzling aspect of the gameplay, I find it is also almost necessary to win many fights. The game can be fairly difficult, so being able to have an edge in the shoot-outs is definitely a plus.
Rating:
Summary: Game of the Year -- Hands Down
Review: Wow. Simply put, Max Payne is one of those games that makes you sit back and thank the heavens for your PC. From the brilliant opening sequence to the dingy corridors of Hell's Kitchen apartments and subway systems, Payne promises a feast of graphic delight, convincing audio, and a wealth of gameplay goodness. The game's depiction of Max's wife being murdered is harrowing, and from there, the story just gets better. Told in snippets of pulp fiction graphic novel, Payne's bent-on-revenge theme works to perfection. The locale of NYC is genuine, down to the ambulance sirens, mailboxes, and subway location signs. But where the game really stands out is its gameplay. Although Max is a conventional shooter, it is anything but. Using the brilliant "shootdodge" and "bullet-time" techniques, Max can essentially slow down the clock and dispatch enemies, despite overwhelming odds. How, you ask? By slowing the enemy's actions (including their bullets), Max remains in real time, essentially letting you squeeze off a few rounds before the bad guys even knew what hit them. When it's all over, you'll see foes somersaulting backwards, bullets and blood their last hurrah. The game's use of Max's heartbeat to slow down the action is unforgettable, and having to use it only in times of trouble is amazing. It never gets overdone. The action sequences are too good to be true. In fact, to believe it, you'll simply have to see it. Action camera angles are done seamlessly, and Max's comments during the game keep the story flowing. Cut scenes are meticulously crafted in grainy comic book action, and the style works, thanks to the story's key elements. With so many cool features and amazing gameplay, the only disappointment with "Max" is its length. Because after 10 to 15 hours of complete immersion, it's over. Still, with the included editor, game geeks from all over the world will be creating mods to further Max's bloodlust. Oh, and one other note: Payne works better on fast machines with updated graphics cards, so be sure you've got a 700 MHz or better unit running with some heavy RAM (128 or above; 256 is clutch) and a GeForce2 or above. So, if you're thinking about buying one game this summer, make it Max Payne. It's an instant classic that is sure to go down in PC history as one of the greatest. It's that good.
Rating:
Summary: COULD VERY WELL BE THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!
Review: Max payne was one of the most exciting fast-paced, not for the faint of heart game ever. It literely made me feel like i was in a john woo movie while i was playing it. The bullet time feature was just perfect. It realy kept the game alive cause without that the game would be difficult and not fun. Few games can deliver great action, while providing a chilling grimy plot as well. I look forward to Max payne 2 and more max payne in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Easily One of the Greatest Games Ever Made
Review: Imagine a John Woo Hong Kong gansta movie, with Chow Yung Fat diving into a room in slow motion with his twin berettas firing, and you will understand this game perfectly. You ARE Chow Yung Fat in this game. Anytime in the game, a press of a button will throw the action into bullet time, a la The Matrix, where bullets glide by you in super slow motion, and you can react to enemies faster than humanly possible. Not only does this look darn cool, but finally you can enter a room full of 10 bad guys with your guns blazing, instead of taking glazing shots from the corners and playing hide and seek. Shoot-em ups are finally FUN! The settings are all classic action movie settings, like the run-down hotel, New York streets, and boat dock, slick office buildings, and even a chase through a parking garage. The fire-fights are amazing, with or without bullet time, and the weapons are all unique and fun to use. The plot - so important for a game like this - is only marginal. All the twists are told through graphic novel-style comic book panels. While they look perfect and capture a wonderful mood, the story itself is cliched and the plot often jumps all over the place. The voice acting is great, but lonely college kids pose as models in the panels, and look ridiculous. Oh, well. The game is rather short, 15-20 hours, but the developers thoughtfully included all kinds of modification tools with the game, and already you can download all kinds of tweaks to the game, like Kung-Fu Payne and Terminator Payne. Buy this game NOW.
Rating: 
Summary: OVER-RATED
Review: Max Payne is DOOM with slo-mo and better textures.. everyone must be shot, the levels are even more linear than DOOM (if thats possible). Its "serious sam" set in new york.. the only thing fun about the game is the slow-motion moves, but after the 200th killing even they get boring. You can finish Max Payne in 10 hours or less, and then there is little replayability as the higher difficulty levels just provide less health and enemies that while being just as brain dead (have no ears, shoot through their colleagues) take more damage before dying. Has the PC game world lost their minds? the graphics need a ghz machine and a top graphics card to run at higher than 640 pixels and with all detail, yet they are just half-life quality with better textures. Mostly, though, my problem with Max is that the levels require no thinking and are totally linear.. along with the terrible enemy AI and achingly bad comic book lines (worse than any real comic book). I've completed the game (at least I got 10 hours out of it) but have no desire to run it again.. games like hitman, kingpin, serious sam, half-life offer much more innovation than Max does. Max has got people ga-ga for slo-mo.. a technically trivial thing to add to a game.. what did Remedy spend the other 3 years working on??
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