Max Payne Returns [Update]

Max Payne 3 has now been given an official release time: Winter 2009 set for release in early 2010 with the rest of Rockstar's games. Previous sources had it pegged for November 30, 2009. Let just hope this time will just add some polish to Max's newly bald head.

Max Payne 2: A Retrospective

Continuing my slow-motion dive (pun intended) into the world of Max Payne, I tried out Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. This darker sequel to Max Payne doesn’t stray too far from the original in terms of story or gameplay.

The story is once again told as flashbacks leading up to the finale. Max has returned to the NYPD, following his exoneration by Alfred Woden. Mona Sax returns, seemingly from the dead, as Max’s love interest (don’t act too surprised – she’s on the damn box art and title screen, if that didn’t give it away). But, hey, who can blame him? Sure, this fatal attraction to a hot female assassin isn’t highly original, but it works (Besides, you totally get to see her boob in the graphic novel). The story gets a bit more complicated after that, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before.

Max Payne: A Retrospective

Breaking away from the monotony of current generation games, especially first-person shooters, I picked myself up a copy of Max Payne. An action game presented entirely in third-person, Max Payne channels a gritty film noir feel that is heavily influenced by action cinema. The game also emulates the style of John Woo, whose name and work is referenced in the game.

A Double Dose of Payne

Being some of last generation's games that I missed out on, I recently purchased both Max Payne and Max Payne 2 to play through this summer. Expect reviews similar to my Morrowind Retrospective soon. Currently, I'm still waiting on Max Payne 2 to arrive in the mail. In the mean time, I'm playing through the first game on higher difficulties and such.

For those of you who don't know, Max Payne 3 is set to come out this winter 2009.