Max Payne 3: 28GB worth of Pain Killers

If you have not been following Max Payne 3, it was just recently released on PC on June 1, 2012 and is now available on Steam or your nearest game store for a standard price of USD59.90 (around RM190)

Buying the DVD will save you a lot of downloading time as the game is an astounding 28GB in total file size. Yes, you saw it right, 28 crazy GBs. Even with high speed broadbands, it will take quite a while to download.

But worry not as the game is worth the money and download time taken as it pays homage to Max Payne 1 and 2 well enough. As a worthy successor, the game brings back good memories filled with Bullet Time and Pain Killer addictions.

Much like the previous titles, there is certainly no shortage of slap stick comments when Max is involved and the game is filled with awesome quotes from Max that could easily fill up a phone book. While being showered with bullet fire from all directions, grenades and molotov being tossed at him or even while shooting out of a chopper, Max will surely keep you well entertained with him snarky remarks.

Like before, the game provides max with an assortment of guns (Max almost always starts of with a pistol in the beginning of any map) to choose from for massacring his enemies. Coupled with a decent dose of Bullet Time, the day almost feels complete as you land bullet after bullet into squishy heads.

Now to move on with the newer stuff that has been introduced along with this game:

• You are playing a movie, not a game.

• Max Payne 3 introduces a new concept of gaming that ties in player gameplay with seamless cinematic cutscenes making the it a "movie playing" experience instead of the usual 3rd person gun shooter.
• It is done very well with no loading time between stages/chapters and transition between gameplay and cutscene. This seamless experience is a pure winner.
• However, I do feel that the cinematic cutscenes are a little too much as it feels like I am watching the story of the game unfold more then me actually playing max and killing baddies. Some may like this but some might find it a little less tasty. 
• But all in all, it is something new from the gaming world and I give them credit for pulling it off rather well.

• It is like a walk in the park, filled with armies of thugs ready to kill you.

• If you though the previous Max Payne titles were tough on the harder difficulties, then Max Payne 3 on Hard just brought up the notch a few more levels up.
• Not too sure about Easy and Medium difficulty, but playing on Hard will surely get your blood flowing as you will easily die from 1 bullet right to the head (Yes, the AI aims for your squishy brains and Yes, they hit it often enough too).
• The AI is relatively smart as they know how to flank and take cover, have decent accuracy and will know when to swarm you.
• You might have seen some Youtube videos of people finishing the game on Hardcore, but don't forget it is on console with auto-aim or aim assist that makes it sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much more easier.

• Pain Killer Addict

• I guess Panama isn't treating Max too well even with a hefty paycheck as players barely get a couple of Pain Killers at any point of time per map.
• Most of the time you start out with 0 to 2 Pain Killers and there are a couple of them to pick up around the map but it is nothing like before where you can easily complete a map hording Pain Killers and not using any.
• With the enemy scoring head shots rather often on Max's seemingly extra large head (and body), only a Pain Killers can save you by granting Max a few seconds to kill the person that dealt the mortal shot to Max. Successfully killing that enemy lets Max rise up again to continue slaughtering. (this process consumes a Pain Killer and puts Max lying on the floor but still able to aim)

• Out of shape and short on Bullet Time.

• Why is Max's hair gone? Well this is explained in the game
• Why is Max fat now? Booze, Pain Killers and Chinese take outs.
• Why is there less Bullet Time? Cause Max needs to work out.
• With seemingly less Bullet Time compared to Max Payne 1 & 2, players will have to use it more strategically, knowing when to turn it on and off once you are done to not waste it. Even the regenerating of Bullet Time is seems slower then before.

• Max Payne, the new cover guy.

• This sequel introduces the use of cover to help Max survive long enough to put a bullet in every head.
• Hiding behind waist height walls, corners of the wall or behind barrels, it provide the seemingly more vulnerable Max with that extra sustainability.
• However, the enemy uses this too so it creates a new dynamic of "trench fights" which is rather fun. 
• Oh, and you can do blind fire behind cover too.

• And everything else

• Max gets to aim down sights for increase accuracy but reducing move speed.
• Diving into objects stops your dive and stutters your aim (gets you kill easily if you dive recklessly)
• You can still shoot 360 degrees after landing on the floor from a dive.
• A lot of things explodes and are great for killing groups of baddies so keep an eye out of those well colored yellow/red barrels/propane tanks.
• Time to bash some skulls! Max can now punch the daylights out of enemy if you go near enough and click attack before they do punching them to the ground (does not work on all types of enemies)
• Why keep switching to my pistol?!!??! Every time you are about to enter a cut scene, you will pull out of your pistol. When you continue fighting after a cut scene, it defaults your armed weapon as the pistol instead of what you held before entering the cut scene... This is quite irritating when you need to start popping heads right after a cut scene.
• Don't worry too much about lower Bullet Time as there are quite a number of special, free, lengthy Bullet Time events that lets you enjoy those special moments.

That is all for now as I have yet to finish the game and have not got a chance to try out the Multiplayer. My final verdict will be posted later on once I get a more detailed feel of this bullet filled madness.