Rating: 
Summary: An incredible achievement...
Review: For now--the end of 2001--this game goes down on my list as the pinnacle of PC game development. Sure, its also been ported to other platforms, but the sensibilities are directly in the tradition of Castle Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem, DOOM, and Quake.Each of those games, in their time, brought a new "wow" factor to third person shooters. Because of the existing history of these games "Payne" is definitely derivative. Even the slightly cheesy writing, and occasionally hilariously inappropriate casting of people who are obviously developers or spouses of developers in bit roles is part of that tradition. But there aren't so many of this genre that the mere fact that it is derivative detracts from its greatness. Payne delves deep into the secret desire we all have to blast away bad guys (this time Mafia enforcers and drug dealers) and explodes it into ridiculous (but fun) proportions. Max is a NY city cop with a young wife and a new kid. Inevitably, a bunch of crazy junkies end that dream by stumbling into his house and murdering his family. Max accepts a job offer with an undercover arm of the DEA and goes after the baddies. Make no mistake... for all the cheese-factor this game really does try to put you "in the game". You are thrust directly into Max's discovery of his family's fate--not in "story" mode, but in the same third-person perspective as the action of the game. After Max joins the DEA he spends years undercover (told in story mode) and you see his only friend in the DEA (and the only one who knows he isn't really a criminal) get murdered in the same third person mode. The bulk of the game follows the aftermath of THAT murder. Max is a fugitive from the police, and has lost his last bit of restraint in going after criminals. In the middle of the "worst blizzard in NY city history", he wanders around a version of NYC which looks like a circle of Dante's Hell and caps everyone in sight. The most vaunted feature of "Max Payne" is the adoption of a Matrix-like "bullet time" feature which slows the action down and allows you aim in real time while everything moves in super-slo-mo. Let me say that this is NOT just a gimmick. It works in this game and works well--in fact it has to be used strategically to have a prayer of finishing the game. The game is very linear--a classic failure of many First Person Shooter games--but in the case of THIS FPS it is handled very smoothly. The transition and boundries between territories makes perfect sense, and as much as we want to mock the writers for some of the cheesy dialog, they wrote the transitions wonderfully. The game takes a full 3/4 of a gig hard drive space, but it will keep you glued to the screen. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: I just finished...
Review: ...Max Payne, and all I can say is....wow. I'm more of a fan of strategy games than action games, but this is like no ordinary action game. Where do I begin the praise for this title! The graphics, the audio, gameplay and detail....everything is un-be-lievable. Max Payne also adds innovative ideas such as "bullet-time" (the ability to instantly switch to slow motion with one right click even in the middle of a gunfight!) and a solid storyline (something that most games don't have). It' almost like you are placed in control of a film-noir-gangster-kung-fu flick. The weapons are all fun to use (handguns, uzis, sniper rifles, shotguns, assault rifles, grenades, etc.), almost everything in your environment can be damaged, and it's as fun to look at as it is to play. MY ONLY COMPLAINTS: You can blast through the whole game fairly quick, and it leaves you wishing that the sequel was already out. Also, the writing/dialogue is so over the top cheesy sometimes, it can make you want to vomit. I realize that they were trying to be "noir-like" and that they may have very well wanted it to be this campy for a laugh. I don't know. Some of the writing is just terrible. THE VERDICT: If you do not yet own Max Payne, buy it. I don't care what kind of games you normally play and are a fan of, it'd be hard to find someone that didn't like this title. I just can't wait for the sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Max Payne - Payne to the Max for other Games!!
Review: Max Payne has got to be one of my all time favorites. For those people who love John Woo action shoot them up with two pistols, The Matrix type action with Oozies or Sincity/Frank Miller Comic Books - this game is just that! With a brilliant Frank Miller type storyline and action that makes many action movies look bad, this game is a must own for any die hard action fan. This is a third person view type game though, but it does makes sense in that it would be the only way to see all the action in a cinematic movie viewpoint. This is the first game to introduce the new concept of bullet time. Bullet time is the idea where when the action gets so involved and gritty that the motion of the battles goes into slow motion mode (example: Neo in Matrix when he dodges bullets in slow motion) You actually see the bullets fly passed you as you jump back with two pistols blazing and scraping the enemy just as his bullets carves away paint on the walls. The graphics for this game surpasses any other game - even surpasses games such as Half-Life and Alice. There were several instances during gameplay that I forgot that everything wasn't real and that it was 3D sculpted. Perhaps most of the graphics are created in 3D Studio Max - which gives the game its realistic Hollywood movie look. Gameplay is excellent and there are many weapons to choose from (Single and twin Baretta's, single and twin Ingram Oozies, Pump action shotgun, Sawed-off shotgun, Sniper rifle, grenade launcher, molotov bottles, grenades, machine gun rifles, baseball bat, etc...) The game even features mods that you can make yourself and levels that can be designed by you. I believe there was a mod at (website address) that has a Face/Off level with speeding boats and face off shootouts in churches; and another mod with the Matrix lobby shootout with Neo and Trinity blasting away guards. This mod has even twice more the weapons than the game ordinarily has - including a kung-fu feature where you can do Backflip kicks, kung-fu roundhouses and kicks, and jump kicks all while holding your weapon. For people who are thinking - "but this is a third person view type game like Resident Evil!," think again - there is a mod that can be downloaded that enables you to play in first person view/shooter much like that of quake and unreal (You can even have picture in picture of both views at once) This game is definitely for people who cannot get enough of cool John Woo and Matrix type action movies. If you even thought about taking on the entire mafia mob all by yourself - Max Payne does just that! Buy it!!!!!
Gameplay = 9/10
Graphics = 9/10
Sound = 8/10
Value = 8/10
Rating:
Summary: Rethinking the shooter
Review: I recently played the red faction demo, which I enjoyed, but I found myself wishing for bullet time; the feature which slows Max's perception of time so he can wreck havok. While Max Payne may not be as inventive as others in terms of scripted sequences, charecter animations and A.I. it has made all other shooters feel like random click fests.The graphics are beautiful and the combat is much more satisfing than most other shooters. This is one of the few games I will problaby replay at least once.
Rating:
Summary: a MUST BUY for All Gamers
Review: I'm going to start with the positives:
This game is simply the most advanced game I've played to date. Not only are the graphics something out of the future, the story is what keeps you playing the game. It's like your walking through a movie, and YOUR the main character. If your sick of games with all shooting, and no storyline, this game is for you. This one WILL get you interested enough to keep playing it right to the end. The weapons aren't the biggest attraction to the game, but the "matrix" style slow motion is like nothing you've seen before in a PC game. The Negatives:
There's only ONE negative I can think of. That is that you better be running a damn good system if you expect to see and play this game up to it's potential. I'm running a P4 1.6 with a Geforce 3 TI series Accelerator, and that has something to do with why the graphics are so good, and there is no screen slow down.
Bottom line..if your system can take it, GO FOR IT.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun but...
Review: The graphics of this game are great, bullet time is awesome, but it is far too short. It took me three days to beat. I am not much of a gamer, the most recent game that I beat took me 1 1/2 weeks which was Deus Ex, which I think is better than this. All you have to do in Max Payne is kill everyone, the dreams were getting close to a puzzle but not quite. I like games like Warcraft and EverQuest so I expected this game to be a lot harder. Save yourself the (money) and buy Deus Ex
Rating:
Summary: Give 'Em Pain!
Review: Max Payne is a great game. Don't expect too much innovation, but a little. Max Payne is the story of a DEA agent whose wife and little baby are killed by drug addicts. He is framed for killing his partner. He is so far past the point of no return he doesn't even remember what it had looked like when he had passed it. He has nothing to lose. Essentially, Max goes through New York, killing mafia members, street thugs, secret organizations, cop-killing cops, and of course the people who made Valkyr, the new drug that has infested N.Y.C. and brought about the death of his family. The story is told through a graphic novel. The whole game is like a mixture of film noir and Hong-Kong action flicks. I personally like Max's noir sayings and have been integrating many of his one-liners into my everyday dialogue. The graphics in this game are awesome. the character are extremely detailed and all of the environments have great, realistic textures. There are subway station, a mafia mansion, Bronx slums, an old hotel, a dance club, and much more to go through. What is really cool about this game is the use of slow motion in two ways ways. you can use "bullet-time' to slow down time and shoot. You can use "shoot-dodge" to avoid getting shot by enemies by dodging in any direction you desire while shooting them. All of these effects are very cool to look at. They are also very useful. The game would probably be very hard to finish without them. Also, when you kill the last thug in an area, the camera circles around him in slow motion as he falls to the ground. Wow! The gameplay is simplistic. You get in. Shoot. Get out. You find various real-life weapons including sawed-off and pump action shotguns, a desert eagle, ingrams, a colt commando, etc. I enjoy the mindless, action in the game. I am not a gamer who despises thinking. I got this game after finishing four RPGs (Fallout, Fallout 2, Baldur's Gate, and Torment). Sometimes, it's fun to just shoot your way through a game. Why was and is Doom so popular? Max has everything that Doom had, with better graphics, a good story, and amazing features. Payne is generally very atmospheric and believable. The music is usually haunting and subtle, and sometimes it is pumping with action. The sounds are cool. The voice acting is some of the best I've ever heard. Max has a good, mono-tone, tough guy voice. People complain about the game's two nightmare sequences, I think that they are artistically done and even disturbing at times. In these sequences, Max runs around his own house (now turned into a maze) where his wife and baby were killed. You hear the baby cry, and your wife scream "Max, no, please Max, why?" I finsished the game on the first difficulty level in about 12 hours. I am still playing through the second one. The enemies are tougher and Max's life more fragile. I find it easy, since I know where all the enemies are going to be. This is not a problem though, because Max is an addictive game. At least that's how I find it. My only complaints are:
1. Your enemies do not suffer any physical damage, until they are dead. What I mean is, they are not wounded. There is lot of blood, but no gunshot wounds.
2. The comics are mostly, photographs digitally painted over. It would have been nice, if they had hired a good graphic novel artist like Milller (an expert on noir) or Mignola (his style of work fits Payne's twisted world). I easily look over my complaints though. Payne has a good story, great graphics, haunting atmosphere, and jaw-dropping slow motion features. Buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Its a Bomb!!
Review: This game is great. Every move is action packed.There are no puzzles which makes the game totally and i mean totally cool!!The language is a bit explicit and so are some scenes.But once youre in the groove of the game,there is no way out!!
Rating: 
Summary: IS THIS X BOX
Review: I PURCHUSE THIS GAME FOR X BOX AND IS JUST WAY DIFFRENT THAN THE PSX2 VERSION 1.THE STORY MODE IS TRASH2.THE CAMERA ANGLES IS FRUSTETED3.MAX PAYNE VOICE IS CHESSY4.SOMETIMES THE GRAPHICS LOOK LIKE A PC GAME ANS PC GAMES ARE TOO SLOW 5.LOTS OF LOADING TIMEMY FRIEND OWNS THE PSX2 VERSION AND ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN CHANGE1.STORY MODE IS WAY BETTER WITH CINEMATIC WIDESCREAN NOT JUST LIKE COMIC BOOK PICTURES.2.CAMERA ANGLES ARE BETTER.3.AND MAX VOICE IS GREAT I THINK IS THE SAME GUY THAT DID THE VOICE FOR METAL GEAR SOLID FOR PS1 THAT MAKES MAX MORE POWERFULL.4GRAPHICS ARE THE BEST THAT HAS.5.NO LOADING TIME ONLY DURING CINEMATIC TIMES SO DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS ONE.IF WANT AWSOME GRAPHICS TO SHOW OFF THE X BOX BUY HALO THAT IS THE BEST GAME X BOX HAS...
Rating:
Summary: No Payne, No Gain
Review: This is by far the best mindless game I've had ever played in ages. No puzzles. Very few of them. But if you are looking for great puzzles and side-splitting jokes, go play Escape from Monkey Island, which is the top of the janre. Max Payne is not for everyone. You should have some tolerance towards graphic violence. Even though the game is NOT about the puzzles, it has a solid story line. Play it for the second time. Then you will know what I mean. For all you games, just looking for good amount of bodycounts, this is the best game ever!
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