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Max Payne 3: Difference between revisions
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[[File:MaxPayne3-Max.png|thumb|right|350px|Max Payne]] | [[File:MaxPayne3-Max.png|thumb|right|350px|Max Payne]]Max Payne is a series of multi-platform games following ex-cop Max as he fights to unravel the criminal underworld as his life collapses around him. | ||
Max Payne is a series of multi-platform games following ex-cop Max as he fights to unravel the criminal underworld as his life collapses around him. | |||
In April 2012, [[Rockstar Games]] invited [[User:gboyers|gboyers]] and a number of webmasters from other GTA-related sites to [[Liberty City|New York City]] to exclusively play the new '''Max Payne 3''' before its release in May. In fact, we were the first people to play a huge chunk of the game, and the first to play all the multiplayer modes - a great privilege! | In April 2012, [[Rockstar Games]] invited [[User:gboyers|gboyers]] and a number of webmasters from other GTA-related sites to [[Liberty City|New York City]] to exclusively play the new '''Max Payne 3''' before its release in May. In fact, we were the first people to play a huge chunk of the game, and the first to play all the multiplayer modes - a great privilege! | ||
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{{quote|This game just does not stop, even for a moment.}} | {{quote|This game just does not stop, even for a moment.}} | ||
[[File:MaxPayne3-PC.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Max Payne 3 on PC]] | [[File:MaxPayne3-PC.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Max Payne 3 on PC]]As I said above, the mouse on a PC made free-aiming so much easier that often bullet-time wasn't even necessary. However on Xbox, this was a challenge for someone that doesn't play FPS-style games every day. There is option for 'soft lock' which pulled your mouse towards the nearest target when you partially-held the aim button, and 'hard lock' which forced your reticule onto a target. I chose soft-lock as I found free-aim tricky with the controller, although this resulted in many, many crotch shots. (Dude, you don't shoot a guy in the dick!) The game even had the audacity to point this out to me! | ||
As I said above, the mouse on a PC made free-aiming so much easier that often bullet-time wasn't even necessary. However on Xbox, this was a challenge for someone that doesn't play FPS-style games every day. There is option for 'soft lock' which pulled your mouse towards the nearest target when you partially-held the aim button, and 'hard lock' which forced your reticule onto a target. I chose soft-lock as I found free-aim tricky with the controller, although this resulted in many, many crotch shots. (Dude, you don't shoot a guy in the dick!) The game even had the audacity to point this out to me! | |||
The AI was seriously brilliant. Gone are the days of NPCs running into walls or taking ridiculous routes to get to you. Now, they think about the best path to get into cover to get the best vantage point to shoot you. If you hang around in cover for a while, you'll find they start ganging up on you, so you need to keep moving. With my limited combat experience, this felt incredibly realistic for a shooter. | The AI was seriously brilliant. Gone are the days of NPCs running into walls or taking ridiculous routes to get to you. Now, they think about the best path to get into cover to get the best vantage point to shoot you. If you hang around in cover for a while, you'll find they start ganging up on you, so you need to keep moving. With my limited combat experience, this felt incredibly realistic for a shooter. | ||
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The menus were all straightforward but quite well-designed. You could design your own character for each opposing faction of each type, selecting clothing and hair etc; and for other games pick one of a selection of characters, pedestrians and special models. You could specify a number of custom loadouts for everything you carried, including the weapons and slots for extra items such as painkillers, sutures (to heal more quickly), extra ammo etc, and addons such as armour. | The menus were all straightforward but quite well-designed. You could design your own character for each opposing faction of each type, selecting clothing and hair etc; and for other games pick one of a selection of characters, pedestrians and special models. You could specify a number of custom loadouts for everything you carried, including the weapons and slots for extra items such as painkillers, sutures (to heal more quickly), extra ammo etc, and addons such as armour. | ||
[[File:MaxPayne3-Multi.png|thumb|left|350px|Multiplayer tactics]]The interesting twist is that everything you carry added a different amount to your total weight, which in turn affected your speed in game. You could choose to pack heavy guns, armour and several accessories, but run the risk of being caught in fire; or you could carry little and hope you can run away quickly if you get in trouble. One small issue I had was that grey unselectable options looked too similar to white selectable options, and you could still hover over them, which was quite confusing until I strained close to the screen to be able to tell the difference. | |||
[[File:MaxPayne3-Multi.png|thumb|left|350px|Multiplayer tactics]] | |||
The interesting twist is that everything you carry added a different amount to your total weight, which in turn affected your speed in game. You could choose to pack heavy guns, armour and several accessories, but run the risk of being caught in fire; or you could carry little and hope you can run away quickly if you get in trouble. One small issue I had was that grey unselectable options looked too similar to white selectable options, and you could still hover over them, which was quite confusing until I strained close to the screen to be able to tell the difference. | |||
You could also select your special enhancements, which activate a set of bonus effects after you kill certain numbers of opponents. Some of the good ones here included the abilities to start bullet time (for everyone in your view), use "paranoia" to confuse enemies maps, and a whole host of others. If you get an organised team, it would be best to spread these abilities throughout your team to build up an effective selection. As many of these enhancements affect your whole team (or the whole enemy team), it's pointless having two of those on the same team. Also, many of them can be cancelled out through other enhancements your enemy can select, so it pays to be aware of what the opposing team are choosing. Of course for the non-team modes, it's every man for himself! | You could also select your special enhancements, which activate a set of bonus effects after you kill certain numbers of opponents. Some of the good ones here included the abilities to start bullet time (for everyone in your view), use "paranoia" to confuse enemies maps, and a whole host of others. If you get an organised team, it would be best to spread these abilities throughout your team to build up an effective selection. As many of these enhancements affect your whole team (or the whole enemy team), it's pointless having two of those on the same team. Also, many of them can be cancelled out through other enhancements your enemy can select, so it pays to be aware of what the opposing team are choosing. Of course for the non-team modes, it's every man for himself! | ||
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The thing that I most loved about Max Payne 3 was that when I died, which happened a lot, I didn't even care. I got to play that area again, try a different tactic, experiencing a different style of opposition. I wasn't set back to the start of the whole level, I didn't have to redo half an hour of identical gameplay, I didn't have to watch all the cutscenes all over again - I just stepped back and tried again. This is the least frustrating shooter I have ever seen, and it's constantly a pleasure to play. | The thing that I most loved about Max Payne 3 was that when I died, which happened a lot, I didn't even care. I got to play that area again, try a different tactic, experiencing a different style of opposition. I wasn't set back to the start of the whole level, I didn't have to redo half an hour of identical gameplay, I didn't have to watch all the cutscenes all over again - I just stepped back and tried again. This is the least frustrating shooter I have ever seen, and it's constantly a pleasure to play. | ||
[[File:MaxPayne3-Playing.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[User:Gboyers|Gboyers]] playing Max Payne 3 with Rockstar in New York]] | [[File:MaxPayne3-Playing.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[User:Gboyers|Gboyers]] playing Max Payne 3 with Rockstar in New York]]The game will be released on Xbox 360 and PS3 on May 15 (US) or 18 (Rest of World), and soon after for PC on May 29 (US) or June 1st (Rest of World). I played mostly on Xbox 360, which took some getting used to, but I think was a more immersive and challenging platform. PC looked a lot easier, with the accuracy of the mouse making enemies just a click away, but it was so easy you didn't benefit from shootdodge and bullet time and the scry experience that some of the fights were. After much thought, I think despite me not being particularly good at it, I'll choose Xbox as my platform for this game. | ||
The game will be released on Xbox 360 and PS3 on May 15 (US) or 18 (Rest of World), and soon after for PC on May 29 (US) or June 1st (Rest of World). I played mostly on Xbox 360, which took some getting used to, but I think was a more immersive and challenging platform. PC looked a lot easier, with the accuracy of the mouse making enemies just a click away, but it was so easy you didn't benefit from shootdodge and bullet time and the scry experience that some of the fights were. After much thought, I think despite me not being particularly good at it, I'll choose Xbox as my platform for this game. | |||
Best of all, I can't wait to see this technology and some of the mechanics come into [[Grand Theft Auto V|GTA V]]. We already know that the multiplayer clans system will be in GTA V, and I have a feeling that we're going to see a bit more of this game in there too! | Best of all, I can't wait to see this technology and some of the mechanics come into [[Grand Theft Auto V|GTA V]]. We already know that the multiplayer clans system will be in GTA V, and I have a feeling that we're going to see a bit more of this game in there too! | ||
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You might think [[Rockstar Games|Rockstar]] just concentrate on GTA games and everything else is just filler. Make no mistake - this is not a run-of-the-mill shooter that Rockstar's studios are pointlessly pumping out just to keep the orders coming in until the next GTA. This is a real priority for them, with a huge amount of thought, care and attention-to-detail put into this, and it shows. The result is an immersive, challenging and rewarding experience which keeps you engrossed no matter your skill level or attention span. In terms of gameplay, this is, by far, the best shooter I have ever played. | You might think [[Rockstar Games|Rockstar]] just concentrate on GTA games and everything else is just filler. Make no mistake - this is not a run-of-the-mill shooter that Rockstar's studios are pointlessly pumping out just to keep the orders coming in until the next GTA. This is a real priority for them, with a huge amount of thought, care and attention-to-detail put into this, and it shows. The result is an immersive, challenging and rewarding experience which keeps you engrossed no matter your skill level or attention span. In terms of gameplay, this is, by far, the best shooter I have ever played. | ||
{{quote|The result is an immersive, challenging and rewarding experience which keeps you engrossed no matter your skill level or attention span. In terms of gameplay, this is, by far, the best shooter I have ever played.}} | |||
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