Max Payne 3

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3066 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,142 out of 3066
  2. Mixed: 604 out of 3066
  3. Negative: 320 out of 3066
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  1. M_Alex
    Jan 31, 2013
    4
    I'm so happy I got this on the steam sale. Max Payne 3 is one of those games that make you clear one area, and after this you move on to the next. If you get killed, you have to start over again. Sometimes the 'areas' turn out to be much larger than one would have thought and after completing a challenging part of a level, you move on, looking around (more about this in a second) only toI'm so happy I got this on the steam sale. Max Payne 3 is one of those games that make you clear one area, and after this you move on to the next. If you get killed, you have to start over again. Sometimes the 'areas' turn out to be much larger than one would have thought and after completing a challenging part of a level, you move on, looking around (more about this in a second) only to get shot and restart something that you already did. I know there are people that like this kind of thing: if that's you, you might like the game. But that's not the only shortcoming of the game.

    I normally love games with a good story. Max Payne attempted to be cinematic, but it failed miserably. The way they created his character is just cheesy. You've got an ex-cop, who's a pill-popping alcoholic, who takes a bottle of pain killers and chases them down with a bottle of vodka or whiskey or whatever is his poison. All that Max does is complain about being a failure, monotonously. His wise-cracks are just like he is as a character: miserable and predictable. And, always banging on the same drum, ultimately boring. I know that sometimes protagonists of video games are supposed to be stereotypical, but its hard to find something less enthralling than a whining alcoholic. Other characters aren't much better. There also is a small technical plot hole. If you're bent on finding somebody, and time is of the essence, the game should encourage you to charge, or at least try to get to your goal ASAP. But it doesn't. Oh no. It does everything to discourage you, it even award you for not doing so. You have to find clues and parts of golden weapons as bonus objectives (remember when bonus objectives were a real part of games that made you do a level 5 or 6 times to get everything right?) Here its just the opposite. You have to canvas entire areas looking for something that might be a clue, or a weapon part. Which can be ludicrously hidden at times. Again, this isn't something new, and games such as Black had this.

    The game also has too much cliches. You have the favellas bit (Fear 3, Modern Warfare 2), escaping a burning building (EVERYTHING last year)... What it lacks is innovation. And being fun.    … Expand
  2. kartana
    Jun 1, 2012
    4
    The problem with Max Payne 3 is, that it is not Max Payne. Cover: Max Payne doesn't need cover. The bullet time IS his cover. Taking cover is also way more effective than bullet time due to the narrow environments. Effects: the Kane & Lynch aesthetic is terribly distracting. Controls: clunky and unresponsive. Graphics: ok, but nothing special, the animations are awful especially inThe problem with Max Payne 3 is, that it is not Max Payne. Cover: Max Payne doesn't need cover. The bullet time IS his cover. Taking cover is also way more effective than bullet time due to the narrow environments. Effects: the Kane & Lynch aesthetic is terribly distracting. Controls: clunky and unresponsive. Graphics: ok, but nothing special, the animations are awful especially in multiplayer. The 16 player matches are a clusterf* because of bad player spawn placement.… Expand
  3. Extant
    Jun 4, 2012
    4
    Is the shooting fun? Yes. Are the graphics nice? Yes! Do I wish I could play for more than 30 seconds without being interrupted by cutscenes? YES! When I am playing, it is enjoyable, I think, but the action comes in such short bursts between cutscenes I can't get involved in the game. It's a perpetual game of "just the tip," never letting me go too long on my own. The first two Max PayneIs the shooting fun? Yes. Are the graphics nice? Yes! Do I wish I could play for more than 30 seconds without being interrupted by cutscenes? YES! When I am playing, it is enjoyable, I think, but the action comes in such short bursts between cutscenes I can't get involved in the game. It's a perpetual game of "just the tip," never letting me go too long on my own. The first two Max Payne games perfectly melded gameplay and storytelling, whereas this does so incredibly clunkily. I am taken totally out of the game, and can't enjoy what I think is actually pretty good gameplay. Not to mention the visual "style" of the cutscenes is so blatantly trying to be "cool" it makes me literally nauseous. The saving grace is that the multiplayer is quite robust and enjoyable (and not interrupted by cutscenes!), so I think that's where I'll be spending my $60 worth of time.… Expand
  4. Doniazade
    Jun 7, 2012
    4
    It's just another generic shooter with the Max Payne name slapped on it to sell copies. Poor sequel to the excellent MP and MP2. Cutscenes and cover, cutscenes and cover. Blah. Skippable.
  5. kazmodan
    Jul 8, 2012
    4
    I played the PC version of this game. The graphics are very good for the PC version, but the game is very tedious and boring. The dialog is boring (a group of guys with fake accents), the story is boring (dude meets spoiled rich girl, dude tries to save spoiled rich girl), the shooting mechanics are boring (all weapons sound almost the same and handle the same). Apparently it isI played the PC version of this game. The graphics are very good for the PC version, but the game is very tedious and boring. The dialog is boring (a group of guys with fake accents), the story is boring (dude meets spoiled rich girl, dude tries to save spoiled rich girl), the shooting mechanics are boring (all weapons sound almost the same and handle the same). Apparently it is possible to kill guys at long range with 1 shotgun blast :(. I first tried medium difficulty and then I lowered the difficulty to easy, muted the volume so I could finish it and toss it in the trash can. I tried single player and multi-player. Both are extremely boring. The fact that cut-scenes cannot be skipped is a joke. They are the most boring part of the game. The game would be more interesting without them. This game is not worth $60, and also not worth $30. There is a good chance that this game will be in the bargain bin in 6 months for $20 with no multi-player community to speak of.

    I seems that Rockstar tried to emulate call of duty in 3rd person. I can honestly say that this game gets my vote for the most disappointing game of 2012 so far. I am giving the game a 4 out of 10 simply because of the graphics. The game has nothing else going for it.    … Expand
  6. keskejesuis
    Jun 7, 2012
    4
    A big expensive movie with sometimes a couple of fights.
    Impossible to save your progression as wished or as needed, it's btw a console game.
    Max dies every 30 seconds, nearly impossible to accurately aim, even with laser help.
    This game is exhausting and upset me. When you just start to feal immersed, a cut scene ruins the experience.
    50 â
  7. jonasion
    Aug 19, 2012
    4
    I've played 1 and 2, and both were fun, challenging and had a good story to them. This, is basically a movie and that can be great, but it is so one-sided shoot-em up that it is a bore. Once you've shot your first 1500 bodies, the grind begins to set in.

    What happened to the surprising and challenging puzzles? There is ONE thing in this game and that is shooting, all others have been    I've played 1 and 2, and both were fun, challenging and had a good story to them. This, is basically a movie and that can be great, but it is so one-sided shoot-em up that it is a bore. Once you've shot your first 1500 bodies, the grind begins to set in.

    What happened to the surprising and challenging puzzles? There is ONE thing in this game and that is shooting, all others have been removed. The story is so-so, but passable, but really the challenge is gone. Point, click, push left-mouse button, at times, you use space for picking them off easy. Boring.    … Expand
  8. EE061003
    Jun 25, 2012
    4
    Firstly to the haters.If anyone of you havent experienced or played max payne game before then to be literal YOU WONT LIKE THIS A BIT because max payne games have always been linear and in service of narrative cinematics while retaining dark atmosphere.I have been playing max payne since its original release 2001 and still do with lots of awesome mods created by fans specially for MaxFirstly to the haters.If anyone of you havent experienced or played max payne game before then to be literal YOU WONT LIKE THIS A BIT because max payne games have always been linear and in service of narrative cinematics while retaining dark atmosphere.I have been playing max payne since its original release 2001 and still do with lots of awesome mods created by fans specially for Max Payne 2.Max Payne 3 didnt feel like a max payne game at all to be honest and die hard fans might agree with that.ITS JUST A LINEAR AND OVERSCRIPTED GTA IV TO BE SPECIFIC.NOIR STYLE,DREAM SEQUENCES,DARK ATMOSPHERE,FEELING OFMAX PAYNE CHARACTER ALL ARE GONE.in the first two games we actually felt the resonance of the tensed situations and feel of a max as a character.To be specific Max Payne 3 is a sheer disappointment.Remedy will regret the loss of such iconic character by rockstar and its GTA fanbase.PROS:Terrific voice acting and level design,,great shoot outs CONS:Not in any way feels like a max payne game.even the story is cliched with predictable outcome,no dream sequences,no character feeling,Mona Sax is completely forgotten in the latest installment.Overall IF I WERE NEW TO MP SERIES THEN I WOULD HAVE RATED IT 9 BUT AS A DIE HARD FAN OF THE SERIES FOR A DECADE I AM DISAPPOINTED.SAME THING HAPPENED TO SPLINTER CELL SERIES WHEN CONVICTION WAS RELEASED AND NOW MAX PAYNE.START WORRYING ABOUT 47… Expand
  9. kippy32
    Feb 22, 2013
    4
    Cutscene, shooting gallery, bulletime. Rinse and repeat. The story was average, and so was the game play, and the fact that if you couldn't get past one point you could just restart it with full health and a couple extra painkillers really bugged the hell out of me, it took away the challenge.
    The one redeeming feature is that it's not a terrible PC port.
  10. raidet
    Jul 12, 2012
    4
    Pretty and polished, but extremely frustrating. The devs seem to think "challenge" and "frustrate" are synonymous. They are not. Other reviews have already talked about the constant cutscenes, switching to pistol, shooting in the back etc, so I'll leave that and say THIS GAME IS A RAIL SHOOTER. There is absolutely no freedom - even in the manner you clear the waves of attackers -Pretty and polished, but extremely frustrating. The devs seem to think "challenge" and "frustrate" are synonymous. They are not. Other reviews have already talked about the constant cutscenes, switching to pistol, shooting in the back etc, so I'll leave that and say THIS GAME IS A RAIL SHOOTER. There is absolutely no freedom - even in the manner you clear the waves of attackers - everything is scripted and you must respond as required or die and try again. This is Dragon's Lair with a gun.… Expand
  11. Vex
    May 13, 2014
    4
    This game is so monotonous, linear and boring, words can't even begin to express. There are only 3 mechanics in the game: shooting, examining trivia and pushing buttons/pulling levers. The game throws waves upon waves of enemies at you, which not only kills any semblance of realism, but also makes sure you get frustrated for having to replay the same section/hangar/floor for the n-th timeThis game is so monotonous, linear and boring, words can't even begin to express. There are only 3 mechanics in the game: shooting, examining trivia and pushing buttons/pulling levers. The game throws waves upon waves of enemies at you, which not only kills any semblance of realism, but also makes sure you get frustrated for having to replay the same section/hangar/floor for the n-th time after getting killed in the stupidest way possible. It is not possible to approach problems stealthily, use tactics or any kind of planning; instead the game will often do the stupidest thing - Max will open a big door to a room full of enemies (big surprise) and literally throw himself in the midst of them, trying to shoot them up using slo-mo instead of staying where he is and taking them out from there.

    The only saving grace of this game is nice graphics and really good voice acting. It appears as though Rockstar wanted to make a movie instead of a game. It plays like a half-baked shooter from 1998.

    What a waste of time. Avoid.    … Expand
  12. Budget_Security
    Feb 4, 2014
    4
    An ok game that might have lived up to its predecessor if not for the overly long unskippable cutscenes, terrible checkpoint save system, and nauseatingly overdone 'TV interference' screen effects. Its not the worst console port, but its still a port. If you load an earlier level, your progress is not saved. The story is decent though, and the various locations looks authentic. TheAn ok game that might have lived up to its predecessor if not for the overly long unskippable cutscenes, terrible checkpoint save system, and nauseatingly overdone 'TV interference' screen effects. Its not the worst console port, but its still a port. If you load an earlier level, your progress is not saved. The story is decent though, and the various locations looks authentic. The graphics are good (its a huge 31GB download). Some of the set pieces feel like any bland console shooting gallery (on-rails section complete with inaccurate overheating machine gun and unlimited ammo). Flaws aside, Rockstar has made a decent game that still has enough 'Max Payne' in it, but I cant help but think Remedy (who made the first Max Payne games, and the excellent Alan Wake) could have done better. Worth the steam sale price.… Expand
  13. ChosenOne
    Sep 29, 2012
    4
    If you want to play GTA4 without cars and without open world - Max Payne 3 is for you. If you want good old Max Payne - don't bother. This is another game. Almost nothing in common. It is something like Kain & Linch, but shorter and with looooonger loadings/cutscenes.
    I can't say it's bad. It's almost OK. It is interesting that the main character is old drunk, and at least a first half of    If you want to play GTA4 without cars and without open world - Max Payne 3 is for you. If you want good old Max Payne - don't bother. This is another game. Almost nothing in common. It is something like Kain & Linch, but shorter and with looooonger loadings/cutscenes.
    I can't say it's bad. It's almost OK. It is interesting that the main character is old drunk, and at least a first half of story is pretty solid average action movie scenario (don't know about other half). But you'll get something about 1 hour of real gameplay for a singleplayer, I think. And game mechanic is total crap for PC version.    … Expand
  14. taintedbloop
    Jun 6, 2012
    4
    There are so many cutscenes that the game feels more like a movie. The game takes control away from you throughout the entire game. You get about 3 minutes of playtime and then another cutscene. In addition, the plot is terrible. Its another "damsel in distress" but you dont care about the people you are trying to save at all. In fact, they seem to do their best to make you NOT like theseThere are so many cutscenes that the game feels more like a movie. The game takes control away from you throughout the entire game. You get about 3 minutes of playtime and then another cutscene. In addition, the plot is terrible. Its another "damsel in distress" but you dont care about the people you are trying to save at all. In fact, they seem to do their best to make you NOT like these people. The cheesy camera effects were really annoying and the combat system is clunky and doesnt feel right. The cover system is pretty bad - it feels a lot like the shooting from L.A Noire. Basically, theres not much variance in the gameplay AT ALL. All there is to do is shoot guys the same exact way except in a different setting with tons of cutscenes in between. There just isnt ever anything different. Its insane how many cutscenes there are.… Expand
  15. RuneZero
    Jun 1, 2012
    4
    I've played about 5 hours worth at this point, and here's my initial impression:

    PROS: Visually, it's a very pretty game. The physics are good, the killcams are sweet, and the graphics are amazing. That's it. CONS: I'd just like to start by saying that I'm a HUGE fan of the Max Payne series. It might actually be my favorite. So, I REALLY had my hopes up for this one. Maybe this is a    I've played about 5 hours worth at this point, and here's my initial impression:

    PROS:
    Visually, it's a very pretty game. The physics are good, the killcams are sweet, and the graphics are amazing.

    That's it.

    CONS:
    I'd just like to start by saying that I'm a HUGE fan of the Max Payne series. It might actually be my favorite. So, I REALLY had my hopes up for this one.

    Maybe this is a personal problem on my end, but I was under the impression that I bought a GAME, not a damned MOVIE. Having a cut scene after every minor firefight isn't fun, it just slows down the pace of the game. Making most of them un-skippable is just torture. This is made even worse by the fact that every out-of-game cut scene is rendered at lower quality than the game itself.

    On that note, my initial impressions that I made 2 years ago when I saw the first screenshots were correct: This is not Max Payne. This is **** Man on Fire. Which would be fine, a Man on Fire game sounds fun. Except this game is not called Man on Fire. It's **** Max Payne 3. Having every cut scene look like a segment from a Tony Scott film is NOT **** noir. Also, I'm not deaf, I don't need random subtitles flying at me every 10 seconds for two words of unimportant dialogue.

    The controls on PC are a horrible mess, because this is an obvious console port. A **** flywheel for weapon selection? Are you serious? A flywheel that doesn't even WORK half the time? Max also changes the camera position randomly, bullet-dives into random objects far too often, goes prone for no damned reason when I press crouch... ugh. Add mouse accel into the mix, and it's just God damned unplayable.

    I'm taking a break and coming at it again tomorrow. I'm only up the the part where Rockstar decided they wanted to try and make a Splinter Cell game, so maybe it's just that the beginning isn't that good. But my hopes have been thoroughly crushed.

    Remedy, I miss you. Come back, please.    … Expand
  16. RobertoMoir
    Jun 2, 2012
    4
    I'll preface this review by saying I only care for single player gaming, so I've not tried the multiplayer and I don't care if that is supposed to be a game's redeeming feature. I'm all about the single player experience.

    And on that score, I'm disappointed by Max Payne 3. As a product, it's bloated (4 DVDs? Really?), wrapped up in far too much DRM and requirements to jump through hoops -    I'll preface this review by saying I only care for single player gaming, so I've not tried the multiplayer and I don't care if that is supposed to be a game's redeeming feature. I'm all about the single player experience.

    And on that score, I'm disappointed by Max Payne 3.
    As a product, it's bloated (4 DVDs? Really?), wrapped up in far too much DRM and requirements to jump through hoops - why do I have to click through page after page of EULA? Why do I have to sign up to idiotic ideas like the "social club" when all I'm interested in is the single player game? As for game play - Why is it so full of bugs? funny freezes/pauses, poor controls, un-skippable and over-acted cut-scenes that appear all too often and are concealing really really appalling load times do not a pleasant gaming experience make, Rockstar.

    Once you look past that, you will get to experience an average shooter, that's quite nice looking and a bit too much tied to rails for my liking. There are some nice touches, like the player only being able to carry a few guns and having to drop some if you want to do things like dual-wield guns - this is both handled nicely and realistically and brings a touch of thought to how you play the game.

    But... I'm not sure it's actually a Max Payne game. Sure, someone's stuck the name "Max Payne" onto the player's character, and its clearly the Max Payne character's voice in the cut scenes, but the actual game doesn't *feel* like Max Payne to me.

    I loved the first two Max Payne games so I really wanted to love this too, but I can't. If it was presented as a first person shooter in its own right instead of claiming the Max Payne heritage and getting it wrong then I might be happier to accept the game on its own terms - and for all the faults there is an average FPS with good graphics here.    … Expand
  17. random2001
    Jun 27, 2012
    4
    Giving a score this low to max payne was incredibly hard for me and really depressing. There are just too many problems: the combat controls are terrible (most likely due to it being a **** console port), the shoot dodge system ends up causing more deaths than it saves due to the absurdly long time it takes to get up again, the cover system has the standard sticky-glue type thing where youGiving a score this low to max payne was incredibly hard for me and really depressing. There are just too many problems: the combat controls are terrible (most likely due to it being a **** console port), the shoot dodge system ends up causing more deaths than it saves due to the absurdly long time it takes to get up again, the cover system has the standard sticky-glue type thing where you attach yourself to cover, except that a lot of the cover is destructible so you just end up turning into an immobile target, the game is basically a movie with small linear corridors and billions of quick time events, bullet time runs out so fast its barely enough to get a couple shots off, and I could go on and on and on about the mechanics, but whats really important, as max payne fans know, is the story. The game has always been a semi-interactive story in which the player acts out the fatalistic actions of a man who knows hes going to die. The first game was so over the top that it was memorable. Rockstar tried to capture that spirit, but just ended up with a bland story with a main character who to me just came across as an arse. If the story was good, I could of forgiven everything else, but since the story is horrificly bad, it is hardly worth playing.… Expand
  18. Indrigis
    Jun 3, 2012
    4
    I wanted a new chapter in the Max Payne story, but all I got is a generic grade B TPS. The Good: As everyone agrees, the graphics, physics and whateverics are great. And that's about it. The Bad: Triggers! Triggers everywhere!!! You open that door - three guys SPAWN behind you. Blam, reload. You kill that last guy - congratulations! Cutscene! Reinforcements arrive, take your women, razeI wanted a new chapter in the Max Payne story, but all I got is a generic grade B TPS. The Good: As everyone agrees, the graphics, physics and whateverics are great. And that's about it. The Bad: Triggers! Triggers everywhere!!! You open that door - three guys SPAWN behind you. Blam, reload. You kill that last guy - congratulations! Cutscene! Reinforcements arrive, take your women, raze your village and fart in your general direction. Ok, cutscene is over - you're in the middle of the room, hidden behind the flimsiest object around. Oh, and you're holding a pistol. Enjoy the epic gunfight. Speaking of cutscenes - there's more than enough of them (unskippable, to boot) to confuse you for the entire game. "Why am I doing that?!", "Errr, shouldn't I be shooting him instead of staring?", "Why am I not moving? Oh, cutscene over, right. Better press something.", "Goodness gracious! Why did I just lock the door behind myself right after I wandered outside in plain view of six mooks?". And if you're still willing to endure all that for the sake of good plot and characters - you don't get either. The plot is largely non-existent and amounts to "Where shall I kill today? Ah, right - in ". The characters around you give you no reason to care about them, they are there just to give you a reason for killing more brazilians. And there's one important aesop - it's ok to heavily drink on the job. No one seems to care, least of all Max himself. You drank two bottles of whiskey? No problem, your aim is steady as always.
    Maybe I'm too hard on the game. But it would've looked SO MUCH BETTER under the name "GTA: Sao Paulo" or, for lack of carjacking, "Brazilian Shooter 3D".    … Expand
  19. ShanghaiWall
    Jun 6, 2012
    4
    Things I've forgot to mention - a lot of times you will be placed in the middle of firefight behind the cover which only protect you from enemies in front of you, while other enemies will come at you from everywhere.
    Also, that stupid "kill the guy who shot you" camera is useless most of the times - the enemy is behind the cover or you out of ammo. Whats even worse - you can't load from    Things I've forgot to mention - a lot of times you will be placed in the middle of firefight behind the cover which only protect you from enemies in front of you, while other enemies will come at you from everywhere.
    Also, that stupid "kill the guy who shot you" camera is useless most of the times - the enemy is behind the cover or you out of ammo. Whats even worse - you can't load from the last checkpoint during this moments. So you have to sit through all of this, then get the chance to load the game.
    The game has no straight rhythm - you will be constantly slowed down by unskippable cutscene. Sometimes you're in the berserk mode after good action, you killed all the enemies and want to kill more, you rush into another room and... cutscene. What the hell?!
    Oh, and that stupid video effects! All this shaky camera, light flashes, double vision, words coming out on the screen - it may be appropriate in the beginning of the game, but NOT all the time! Also, I don't remember getting hit this much, or having to restart the checkpoint in original Max Payne.
    One more thing - no grenades! Enemies has them, but you don't. And I don't see any excuse for this. Why, Rockstar, why?
    Two years of disappointment - first Duke Nukem, and now this. I wonder how Hitman will turn out? But I'm almost convinced now that it's going to be bad. It's a trend.    … Expand
  20. ozorxoron
    Jun 6, 2012
    4
    The game has a FAIRLY solid single player, gets dull around the 6 hour mark as you've already done everything by that time and the long unskippable cutscenes will probably begin to grind on you by then. It's enjoyable through out most of it and that makes this game worth a rental or a buy when it's dropped at least half in price. The multiplayer is what really ruins this game though, ifThe game has a FAIRLY solid single player, gets dull around the 6 hour mark as you've already done everything by that time and the long unskippable cutscenes will probably begin to grind on you by then. It's enjoyable through out most of it and that makes this game worth a rental or a buy when it's dropped at least half in price. The multiplayer is what really ruins this game though, if you can't do it right, then don't do it at all. The clunky controls, the bad camera angles, the awful feedback from the weapons and the terrible map design just make this a horrible experience. The plus side is there is plenty of customization items and equipment to unlock, but I can't see people staying around long enough to see most of them. I would have rated this game higher had it been single player only, but I don't believe in overlooking something because it wasn't in the previous games in this series. I know people will probably disagree with my opinion as we're still in the hype phase of this game, which explains the 10/10 ratings.… Expand
  21. Tarrak
    Jun 23, 2012
    4
    Ultimately enjoyable, no doubt. Had it been named "Run down bodyguard on a rampage" or "Man On Fire" then I couldn't fault it more than the horrendous decision to not be able to skip cutscenes, and the troublesome bulletime dodging. But this is a Max Payne game. Kudos for getting the right voice actor, kudos for trying to bring back the Noir. Trying is just not enough, when ultimately itUltimately enjoyable, no doubt. Had it been named "Run down bodyguard on a rampage" or "Man On Fire" then I couldn't fault it more than the horrendous decision to not be able to skip cutscenes, and the troublesome bulletime dodging. But this is a Max Payne game. Kudos for getting the right voice actor, kudos for trying to bring back the Noir. Trying is just not enough, when ultimately it fails to deliver the most important aspect of the Max Payne story experience. There are a few cases where the old Max pops up and I truly feel for him, but overall Max is reduced to a reluctant killer. Max was never reluctant to dish out righteous justice. Heck he even killed his only good friend in the name of justice.
    So ultimately, if you want to cash in on the brand name, you have to deliver on that name. And to me Rockstar certainly didn't.    … Expand
  22. Apethae
    Jun 13, 2012
    4
    Summary: Rockstar, in its latest breathless desperate attempt to come across as a trendy auteur filmmaker, has once again completely spoiled what could have been a pretty good game.
    Pros: Refreshing protagonist, fun gunfights, colorful level design.
    Cons: Abysmal save system, overlong unskippable cutscenes (the 'you can't skip them because you're loading' cop-out is false, since the    Summary: Rockstar, in its latest breathless desperate attempt to come across as a trendy auteur filmmaker, has once again completely spoiled what could have been a pretty good game.
    Pros: Refreshing protagonist, fun gunfights, colorful level design.
    Cons: Abysmal save system, overlong unskippable cutscenes (the 'you can't skip them because you're loading' cop-out is false, since the levels will load in seconds when you start from a checkpoint), unremittingly linear progression that means any clue or collectible missed past a checkpoint requires sitting through another long unskippable cutscene you've already seen once or twice before (you will want to beat your head against a desk at this), pretentious and overdone 'film effect' interjections seemingly trying harder to emulate 'b-movie made for cable cop action movie' than film noir, *constant* interjection of headache-inducing RGB-split video effect, plainly stupid text overlays of bad dialog meant to add impact but really only getting in the way.    … Expand
  23. GameMuch
    Jun 14, 2012
    4
    While the game stays somewhat true to the original Max Payne play style, RockStar
  24. fabbolous
    Sep 18, 2012
    4
    The story is great. So are the graphics. But unfortunately the gameplay isn't. I can't tell you in words, how f** frustrating it is to restart the game from a checkpoint that is set at the beginning at the level. The other bad thing is that you can't skip most of the cutscenes.
    And why do people and even professional magazines tend to rate a game by the quality of a conversion. When I    The story is great. So are the graphics. But unfortunately the gameplay isn't. I can't tell you in words, how f** frustrating it is to restart the game from a checkpoint that is set at the beginning at the level. The other bad thing is that you can't skip most of the cutscenes.
    And why do people and even professional magazines tend to rate a game by the quality of a conversion. When I play a PC game it's either good or bad and not well converted or bad converted. This one just is not as perfect as tests say. Sorry.    … Expand
  25. Expospeed
    Sep 28, 2012
    4
    The first playthrough was epic - fantastic gameplay and engaging story. However, subsequent playthroughs were frustrating due to the extremely long cutscenes. Multiplayer is mediocre. This game could be worth it if it were under $15.
  26. DuckleDick
    Sep 29, 2012
    4
    Where to begin.

    I know
  27. Moogymutt
    Nov 25, 2012
    4
    My review is based on the PC version, NOT any console version!
    As a long time fan of the Max Payne series I have to say how disapointed I am by this drivel rockstar have seen fit to release. Lazy console port would sum this game up in short, but it would be unfair to label it thus without explaining why.
    Visuals first: Well, not too bad, But for a PC game I expect far more. I would have    My review is based on the PC version, NOT any console version!
    As a long time fan of the Max Payne series I have to say how disapointed I am by this drivel rockstar have seen fit to release. Lazy console port would sum this game up in short, but it would be unfair to label it thus without explaining why.
    Visuals first: Well, not too bad, But for a PC game I expect far more. I would have liked more graphical options. I would have liked to see some emotion in the faces of the characters, they all look so wooden. Everywhere you go or look just seems a little too empty. This is supposed to be a gritty dark game but it reminds me of the latest Duke Nukem in the way it looks.
    Storyline/acting: Not too bad as a story, sort of, but the acting is awful. Not hammy awful, just really crap awful. Even worse than Mark Wahlberg was in the film...If that is at all possible!
    Gameplay: Poor really. Too many interrupting cut-scenes. The cover system causes more problems and makes you just as vulnerable as standing out in the open waving a big "shoot me" flag. Many times I have been killed because an enemy flanked me while I was in cover and as I have turned to try and shoot them the camera has flipped around and I have ended up facing completely the wrong way. The camera need to see through pillars and walls when you are in cover and you turn, not whizz round disorientating you like it does now.
    There seems to be lots of weapons in this game, the only problem I have with the weaponry is that the targeting reticule is tiny and it can be hard to figure out where you are aiming in the heat of battle. I would have liked the option to have a cross-hair or larger, more visible aiming point. (unless there is one in the options menu somewhere that I have overlooked)? Controls: It feels like moving through quicksand sometimes. Camera placing issues aside, it feels hard to accurately target your enemies. The movement of your character seems sluggish and there also seems to be some form of inertia when you try and stop behind pillars or wall ends. I found myself overshooting and then over compensating on many occasions, not good when under heavy fire.
    Reliability: I'm not sure which Max Payne 3 some people are playing, but I have had many problems running this game. Several crashes. Screen lockups, jittering and stuttering. Running slow and then skipping to my death scene for no apparent reason (and yes all drivers are up to date, it's the game not my computer).
    Overall: If you can get this game cheap (I paid £8 for it) then it is worth all of the 4 points I have given it, and It might be worth persevering with. As for full price? I wouldn't waste your money...Unless some seriously good patches come out to correct the shonky camera, control, crash and bug issues.    … Expand
  28. zombieapocalyps
    Mar 7, 2013
    4
    In a word: disappointed. I’m a massive fan of the first two games and still play through them every now and them, but I have no intension of replaying Max’s latest adventure. Graphically the game is very good, but completely devoid of the noir that made the previous games so atmospheric. And where is the humour and the constant movie and TV references? It’s like it takes itself tooIn a word: disappointed. I’m a massive fan of the first two games and still play through them every now and them, but I have no intension of replaying Max’s latest adventure. Graphically the game is very good, but completely devoid of the noir that made the previous games so atmospheric. And where is the humour and the constant movie and TV references? It’s like it takes itself too seriously in a vain attempt to come across as “gritty”. The graphic novels have been replaced by lengthy and unskippable animated cutscenes that quickly become tiresome. And the story is dull and instantly forgettable. I managed to complete the game in two afternoons (for which I paid £30, so not good value for money). The action seems to have evolved into something more resembling COD and they have implemented a cover system that is crucial to survival. You spend most of the game crouched behind walls, popping out every now and then to take headshots. Bullet time is no longer centre stage gone are the dynamic and insanely fun fire fights of the previous games. The multiplayer is nothing special. It’s basically a 3rd person COD, with similar gamemodes, and a similar experience and perks system. The bullet time function is clumsy and doesn’t really work as all players in line of sight enter the mode with you when activated. In fact the multiplayer is already pretty much dead. After the dullness and dumbed-down experience of LA Noire and the mediocrity that was GTA IV, I strongly suspect that Rockstar has lost their way. It’s like they’ve forgotten what used to make their games so good.… Expand
  29. Danny83
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    average cover based shooter. completely agree with wilddeer's review below. save me writing one

    Shooting gallery, cutscene, shooting gallery, cutscene, nothing, cutscene, shooting gallery, painfully long cutscene. Max, may i open that door? No, cutscene will do. Max, may i enter the room and shoot the bastards? No, cutscene will enter and choose the most stupid cover for you, and you    average cover based shooter. completely agree with wilddeer's review below. save me writing one

    Shooting gallery, cutscene, shooting gallery, cutscene, nothing, cutscene, shooting gallery, painfully long cutscene. Max, may i open that door? No, cutscene will do. Max, may i enter the room and shoot the bastards? No, cutscene will enter and choose the most stupid cover for you, and you will do the shooting. Max, may i look around through the sniper rifle scope while nothing happens? No, cutscene will look around for you.    … Expand
  30. galeonico
    Dec 22, 2012
    4
    Juego de pasillos donde los enemigos van saliendo por oleadas, no te da nada más, ni puedes hacer nada más, imposible salirte del guión establecido, todo marcado con checkpoints, muero, reinicio, muero, reinicio, avanzo 10 metros, otra oleada, historia clásica.
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PC Game of 2012
9
#9 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
10
#10 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 13, 2012
    87
    Max Payne 3 feels like a PC original, in a very good way. [Aug 2012]
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Aug 31, 2012
    91
    Its deviation from the mood instilled by its predecessors might annoy some purist fans, but Max Payne 3's undisputed quality standards in all accounts will make them look the other way and enjoy the game as it is. [July 2012]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 29, 2012
    90
    Max Payne is god and it really doesn't matter that he is not the fair one. He is the most interesting action character these days and the game itself is one of the best you can get. [July 2012]
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