Max Payne 3 review

It has been almost 10 years since the last time we got to see Max Payne in action, running and gunning his way through the gritty streets of New York. This time around, Max has decided to take a change in scenery and relocate to the sunny city of Sao Paulo Brazil, where he is the bodyguard for a rich family named the Brancos. Max thinks it will be an easy gig, but little does he know things are about to go way south when his bosses wife gets kidnapped.

At first I was skeptical about the change in setting because I didn't think that Brazil was a good match for the grittiness that I have come to love from the Max Payne series. At first it may seem that way, but after a while you get use to the brightly colored environments. From the strobe lights and house music of the clubs you shoot up, to the brightly colored poverty stricken favelas, you can tell Rockstar Games really wanted to change the atmosphere of the first two. If you really like the dark, gritty atmosphere of the New York setting, there are still a few chapters that take place in New Jersey that give the game the same familiar Max Payne feel.

Cover system features blind-fire capability 

The attention to detail in the game is phenomenal as you see bits and chunks of debris flying as you shoot at enemies trying to hide behind cover as well as entry and exit wounds on your enemies after you send them to their graves. The game looks incredible, character models look extremely realistic and their movement is on point. Max's knees will bend when he walks up a flight of stairs and when he jumps to perform a stylish bullet-time dive. Doors will fling open when shot and enemies will flop to the ground after being killed, showcasing the capabilities of the RAGE physics engine. Lighting and shading effects are also executed very well and they should be, seeing that the game takes place in such a sunny environment.

The gameplay is probably more fun than that of any other title that has been released this year. There is only one way to play the game and it's guns blazing. You don't have the option to be stealthy, but that is Max Payne at the core and I wouldn't want it any other way. You are still able to enter bullet-time to slow down the action and dodge bullets while taking out multiple enemies in a matter of seconds. After a bullet-time dive, Max is left on the ground and can keep shooting from a prone position or on his back, depending on which way you dive. While on the ground, you can rotate Max's body 360 degrees so you can take out all enemies while lying on the ground.

BOOMstick 

There are also moments of brilliance during bullet-time sequences that developers put in for specific parts of the story. Usually there will be a cutscene in which Max does some kind of crazy stunt, then the player is given control, during an automatically triggered bullet-time sequence, to take out as many goons as they possibly can. These are some of the most exhilarating moments in the game and make you feel like Max is the ultimate action hero. The game also added a cover system which proves to be quite useful. Instead of running out and gunning down your enemies like a mad man, you can hide behind cover and strategically pick off each enemy. Pain killers are also still the only way to regain health and if you have one handy on you, bullet-time will automatically trigger when you lose all of your health and you will have to kill the enemy that last shot you, in order to stay alive.

The story is gripping and will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you never want to stop playing. The game gives you every detail of what is happening and why, and there are no plot-holes or unanswered questions. The story even provides flashbacks to explain to the gamers how Max wound up in Sao Paulo of all places. As with all of Rockstar's titles, the characters are memorable and lovable. Max is still Max, but in this game he really struggles with alcoholism and failure. He is extremely negative and hard on himself, but yet still extremely likable because he is always out to do what is right. The character of Max really progresses and so do his struggles as you get deeper into the story. Other characters fill out the story-line perfectly, especially Marcello, the youngest of the Branco brothers who is a typical rich party boy.

The multiplayer is surprisingly addicting. Unlike the past couple of attempts at online gaming made by Rockstar, this game actually provides a fun competitive multiplayer experience. The game plays just like it does in the story mode, allowing players to use bullet-time to slow down time and dispose of their opponents. Game modes such as Payne Killer and Gang Wars make the online experience different than your average online shooter. In Payne killer, two players control Max and his partner Raul Passos as the other players control normal henchmen. Max and Passos are pitted against all, but in order to preserve fairness they are given powerful loadouts and a plethora of pain killers.

Action shot of Gang Wars 

Gang Wars puts two teams against one and other in a narrative driven battle. The game will be set up by a narrative explaining why the crews are fighting each other and then the battle will begin. The objective is to take the duffel bags stuffed full of money back to the safe points. What I love is that the objective in the next round is based on what happens in the round before it, adding spontaneity to the match making it that much more exciting.

There really isn't anything negative to say about this game. I've finished the story twice now and have only run into one bug which wasn't a big deal because the game saves at every checkpoint. The music is awesome and suits the game perfectly. Load screens aren't much of an issue because the game loads during the cut-scenes which you wont want to skip because the story is so engrossing. The action never gets stale as enemies get more difficult as the story progresses, leaving you feeling satisfied after every bloodbath.

This game isn't just great, it is phenomenal. It is the best game in the Max Payne series and should be played by any fan of action/adventure games. The first two games aren't referenced much so you don't need to play the first two to understand the game, although I highly recommend that you do because they are also brilliant. Though people criticize the game for it being linear, comparing it to GTA and Red Dead Redemption, I feel like the linearity makes the game more fun. Though I love open world games, too many developers feel like they have to make games extremely open, causing them to feel overwhelming. Max Payne is a game that proves to the world that a game doesn't need to be open and expansive in order to be great.

More characters confirmed for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

It has been announced that there will be a few more important characters added to the roster for the upcoming fighting game PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The characters that have been added are characters that have been in games that have made PlayStation the elite gaming console that it is today.

The characters that were recently announced were Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series, Drake from the Uncharted series and Cole from the Infamous series. All three are characters from fantastic titles and were expected by most to appear in the game.

Level design looks beautiful... so does PaRappa.

One thing that I am interested to see is how these players will play in the game. We have already seen what Snake can do when he appeared in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, but it will be interesting to see how Sony Computer Entertainment take on Snakes fighting style differs from that of Nintendo.

I think that Drake will have strong hand to hand combat attacks as well as projectiles like guns. He will probably come equipped with a nice double jump as well.

Snake will probably play very similarly to the Snake from Smash Bros. He will probably have tactile explosives as well as guns for quicker projectile damage. He probably won't have a sentry drone for his whatever the PlayStation equivalent for an Up B is, so maybe he wont be so damn hard to knock out.

All levels will be a fusion of worlds from SCE made games.

Cole will probably be the Pikachu of this game. He will most likely shoot electricity at other players for his projectile attacks and then use his fancy electric melee weapon known as the Amp, to beat other characters senseless.



Characters that have already been announced include Radec from the Killzone series, Fat Princess, Kratos from the God of War series, Sly Cooper, Sweet Tooth from the Twisted Metal series and my favorite of them all, PaRappa the Rapper.

Being a big fan of Smash Bros, I am intrigued to see what SCE has to offer with a fighting game showcasing characters of their own. I am a bigger fan of Sony characters and feel like if this game is executed well, it could potentially be better than Smash Bros. We will have to see when it is released later this year.

Dead Space 3 to feature online multiplayer and more changes

According to an article by IGN, Dead Space 3 will feature online multiplayer. The game will allow players to drop in and out of others games to fight along sides and help the hosting player progress through the campaign. The character that joining players will control will be another man in an engineer suit with a scar on his face and glowing red eyes. The character is supposed to be Isaac's guide as he explores the snowy landscape that may or may not be Tau Volantis.

The cooperative story will mirror the single player campaign except for the fact that if players experience a cutscene together, both characters will appear in the scene instead of just Isaac. Players will also have to put their heads together and solve puzzles using their powers of telekinesis and other powers if required. Players will also be able to share ammo and heal one and other. Once someone is dead though, players will not be able to revive one and other and will be forced to start over from the checkpoint.

It has been rumored some weapons may have been tweaked for the new addition to the game. The plasma  cutter was only able to change between vertical and horizontal shooting in the first two games, but now it may have a new alternate fire that will knock enemies back. The pulse rifle might also  feature a new alt-fire, allowing players to shoot saw blades from it. These could possibly be the default loadouts for these weapons and they may be able to be expanded upon with the new workbench.

Other than featuring a sleek and shiny new rig, Isaac will also come equipped with new abilities. Isaac will now be abel to crouch, allowing him to take cover behind smaller objects. Isaac will also be able to roll evasively, allowing him to dodge enemy attacks more effectively.

Sexy

It is also rumored that there will be new, more horrifying enemy types. Necromorphs will not be the only enemy that Isaac has to dispose of on the snowy planet. Isaac will not have to fight actual human beings; soldiers that are heavily armored and equipped with guns and grenades. The evasive roll will prove useful when these guys are trying to take your head off with their rifles. The humans will also be susceptible to transforming into Necromorphs if they fall into their clutches.

The environment may prove to be an enemy as well. Walls will close in around Isaac and he will be forced to fight enemies from all angles in a cramped space. There is also a spinning drill like object that will slice players to pieces if they come in contact with it. A tough enemy shown was a spider like creature that will eat Isaac if he comes too close to it. Players must keep a distance and shoot the orangish sacks protruding in different spots on its body. There will also be gigantic enemies that are on the same scale as the colossi in Shadow of the Colossus. One enemy shown was a giant worm that explodes out of a cliff beneath Isaac.

 Hopefully some of these rumors will be featured in the game and hopefully they will be as exciting as they sound. We will have to wait until E3 to find out, when more information is released.

Max Payne 3 DLC revealed

Yesterday Rockstar Games announced their DLC plans for their much anticipated upcoming title, Max Payne 3. So far seven different DLC packs are planned to be released during the year, most of them being map packs. Apparently Rockstar is allowing players to buy all of the DLC in advance for 2400 Microsoft points, which comes out to be $29.99. They call it the "Rockstar Pass" and it will allow gamers that buy it to access all of the DLC when it is released and it comes out to a 35% discount if you buy the pass rather than buying the DLC individually.

The first package will be titled the Local Justice Map Pack and it will include a police precinct map. The map can be used to play game modes such as team deathmatch, gang wars, and Payne killer. The pack will also include two additional maps, avatar items and extra multiplayer challenges.

Fuck with me and get your caps peeled

The other packs have titles, but not much information has been released on them. The Local Justice Pack will be released in June, followed by Disorganized Crime Map Pack, Deathmatch Made in Heaven Mode Pack, Hostage Negotiation Map Pack and New York Minute Co-op Pack during the remainder of the summer. Then in the Fall, the Painful Memories and Trickle Down Economics map packs will be released.


There are no set prices for the DLC packs as of yet, but we will probably figure that out when Local Justice is released in June. It seems that Rockstar is really pushing players to play the multiplayer in Max Payne 3 because they really haven't promoted multiplayer this much in any of their past games. Although I enjoyed the multiplayer in GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, they didn't really feel like a complete multiplayer experience. I feel like Rockstar aims to change that with Max Payne 3 and I think it will feel like a more complete multiplayer rather than just a side feature that adds a little more depth to the game. We will have to wait until May 15th to find out if Max Payne 3's multiplayer will play as awesome as it looks.

New Hitman: Absolution trailer

A new trailer for Hitman: Absolution was released today, showcasing some actual gameplay footage of the upcoming title. The trailer is narrated by a woman who describes how the player has two ways to use the killing power of the world's most deadly assassin, Agent 47. What that means is that the player can play the game as they always have, like a gun slinging maniac, or like a silent assassin.

Get syringed n00b

The game is being developed on the Glacier 2 engine and it looks phenomenal from what I saw in the trailer. The lighting in different environments displayed in the trailer looks fantastic, casting perfectly rendered shadows. Character models also look much better from what I saw, actually looking like people instead of looking like they're made of plastic.

The gameplay looks like traditional Hitman styled gameplay but on steroids. The stealth kills looks brutal, one involving a fireaxe to the throat of a poor henchman that never saw it coming. The gun play looks very improved upon too with the addition of what seems to be a quick targeting mode where 47 is able to slow down time and quickly pivot and blast enemies surrounding him. Environmental hazards seem to be a big part of this game as well seeing that Agent 47 kills enemies through shooting explosive objects a few times in the preview.

Agent 47's version of a spinal tap

One thing I really like in the preview is how Agent 47 will actually act the part of the people he dresses up as. In the trailer, he kills a police officer and steals his uniform so he can blend in with the officers at what looks to be a crime scene. As he walks through the hall of officers, he tilts his hat and changes his mannerisms to match that of a police officer. It really beats the old games in which 47 will just boringly walk into a new area without reacting to his environment. The preview also show 47 walking through a giant crowd of people and displaying good crowd movements similar to the ones in Assassins Creed. 47 will gently push people out of the way, or NPCs will try to avoid bumping into 47, adding a sense of realism to character movement.



I have been a huge fan of this series since I played Hitman 2 back when I was still in elementary school. I have never been more excited for a title in this series and I really think that this could end up being the best one of all. We will have to see when the game is released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime this year.

God of War Ascension multiplayer preview

It hasn't even been two weeks since Sony Computer Entertainment released the news of a new title in their acclaimed series God of War and now we already have a look at the multiplayer gameplay.

The game pits two teams of up to four players against one and other while they brutally attack one and other. Players will be allowed to brutally finish their enemies in classic God of War fashion by splitting them nearly in half with their sword, amongst other finishers not seen in the preview.

Split in half much?

The combat is just as faced paced as the single player in the previous titles in the series, allowing players to land quick combos on one and other by slashing, throwing, and even using magical abilities. Despite poor rendering (probably due to the fact that the game is in development still), the game looked fantastic. Character movements are fluid, the arena looked nicely detailed and fairly large, and the backdrop looked beautiful, showing off the mountains of ancient Greece.

Group finisher on the cyclops

The game mode in the preview showed two teams of 4 beating each other senseless while a giant cyclops squirms in the background, bound down by chains. Apparently once the team controls the point of the map that is being fought over, the giant becomes weakened allowing the team to come together and obliterate the cyclops in a magnificent display of gore. The finisher looks to be a traditional button sequenced finisher that has become a staple in the God of War series, so I'm interested to see how they incorporate that in a team effort.

Though I never cared whether or not the God of War series had multiplayer, this preview has me even more excited for this game which I didn't think could be possible. The game is set for a Spring release, but I wish it could come sooner.

Here's a link to the preview provided by Gamesradar.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHtt9sUtw4