User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3066 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Jul 23, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed playing Max Payne 3 single-player style. The visuals were incredible. The arsenal was varied. The controls were responsive and easy to use. The linear, cinematic format worked well. It was like an interactive action movie with a linear plot and constrained environment. I can see where people who are looking for an open-ended shooter might be disappointed by this and by theI really enjoyed playing Max Payne 3 single-player style. The visuals were incredible. The arsenal was varied. The controls were responsive and easy to use. The linear, cinematic format worked well. It was like an interactive action movie with a linear plot and constrained environment. I can see where people who are looking for an open-ended shooter might be disappointed by this and by the numerous cut-scene interruptions of action. It didn't disappoint me. I was enthralled and didn't want to stop playing. I would have given it a 10, but I agree with what many others have said that the player should be able to skip cut scenes if they want to. Overall, though, I liked the game so much that I am now looking for another game with a similar style. Expand
  2. Aug 7, 2012
    9
    The best 3rd person shooter I have ever played. The action is breathtaking and violent, writing is superb (I've never heard such great dialogues in a shooter game, some quotes are just genius), every single detail is perfected. I already completed this game twice, and gameplay still offers a challenge.
    Why 9, but not 10? Even though the story is totally awesome, maybe Rockstar gone to far
    The best 3rd person shooter I have ever played. The action is breathtaking and violent, writing is superb (I've never heard such great dialogues in a shooter game, some quotes are just genius), every single detail is perfected. I already completed this game twice, and gameplay still offers a challenge.
    Why 9, but not 10? Even though the story is totally awesome, maybe Rockstar gone to far with an amount of cut-scenes.
    Despite this, Max Payne 3 is flawless.
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  3. Jul 31, 2012
    9
    Max Payne 3 is a great addition to the Max Payne series. Do not let these other whiny reviews ruin your hopes for Max Payne. The biggest complaint I'm seeing from people is about cutscenes - well, had any of you actually played the old Max Payne games, you would realize that Max Payne was told through dozens and dozens of comic book style noire frames, as well as lengthy cutscenes. TheseMax Payne 3 is a great addition to the Max Payne series. Do not let these other whiny reviews ruin your hopes for Max Payne. The biggest complaint I'm seeing from people is about cutscenes - well, had any of you actually played the old Max Payne games, you would realize that Max Payne was told through dozens and dozens of comic book style noire frames, as well as lengthy cutscenes. These ARE Max Payne, and the cutscenes, while lengthy and numerous, are *extremely* well done. Everything from the voice acting to the animations are top notch quality, better than nearly any game on the market, and the developers did an amazing job of telling Max's story. The game play is - very much like the old Max games - extremely intense and fast paced action, broken up by the ability to bullet time, and cutscenes to give you a breather. The only fault I can give this game is the MULTIPLAYER - it is absolutely terrible on PC, and clearly designed for console gamers. While it looks good, and has some nifty features, the entire experience is marred by a complete lack of balance (the most powerful pistol in the game is a .32 revolver, doing nearly TWICE as much damage as a .50 cal desert eagle.....) Any fun that *could* be had in a multiplayer game is immediately ruined when someone high enough level to have unlocked either of the 2 sniper rifles joins the game.Both are 1 shot kill, semi automatic, and one can even hold 20 rounds. Its literally a 1 shot killing machine with 20 bullets and little to no recoil, even a finger shot will kill someone. Not to mention the fact that games that allow people to go into third person and hide behind cover are cheesy enough to begin with, pair that with the superior aiming ability on PC platform and you have a recipe for disaster. All and all, Max Payne is a superb game, and worth every bit of the 39$ I paid for it on steam summer sale, the single player is phenomenally well done, and is a MUST play for any oldschool Max Payne fans out there!

    Graphics - 10
    Gameplay - 8 (the weapons are TOO accurate in single player, makes the game too easy)
    Sound - 10
    Voice Acting - 10 Multiplayer - 3
    Replayability - low

    Overall I give it a 9/10
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  4. Aug 3, 2012
    9
    This is the most fun I've had in a game in a while. The graphics are great, and so is the gameplay. The story wasn't by the same people as Max Payne 1 and 2, so you can expect different. They story was excellent in my opinion. Multiplayer is fine, but if you aren't that great at Max Payne you might die a lot. The same goes for singleplayer. The game is a bit difficult, but the checkpointsThis is the most fun I've had in a game in a while. The graphics are great, and so is the gameplay. The story wasn't by the same people as Max Payne 1 and 2, so you can expect different. They story was excellent in my opinion. Multiplayer is fine, but if you aren't that great at Max Payne you might die a lot. The same goes for singleplayer. The game is a bit difficult, but the checkpoints are plentiful. Expand
  5. Aug 21, 2012
    9
    This is one of those games that pays great attention to storytelling and game technology. I love how Max moves, the animations are top notch, and the game puts heavy emphasis on realistic combat, which puts great difficulty in, but I love it, especially when performing a shootdodge and taking out all the enemies in bullet time, which is very satisfying. I love how it runs on my PC (Core i3This is one of those games that pays great attention to storytelling and game technology. I love how Max moves, the animations are top notch, and the game puts heavy emphasis on realistic combat, which puts great difficulty in, but I love it, especially when performing a shootdodge and taking out all the enemies in bullet time, which is very satisfying. I love how it runs on my PC (Core i3 2100, 4GB DDR3, Nvidia GT 430) on high settings. The story could use some work though. They REALLY should bring back Sami Jarvi on the next iteration of this series, because I want to feel the more noir feel like the first 2 games, unlike the writing put in by Rockstar, which feels like GTA-ish. But I applaud their efforts, and I feel that the game benefited from a huge amount of development time, even though the engine is familiar ( can't help the feeling, because I loved playing Red Dead Redemption too.). Though I don't play multiplayer, because I'm more of a single player type guy, this game is one of the most fantastic third person shooters out there. What I loved about the PC version is it's well optimized, good FPS, even though the recommended specs are demanding. A very good port (Unlike Ghost Recon Future Soldier (PC) which sucks in terms of FPS.) Rockstar did a very good job with this game, and I'm looking forward for their next development (GTA V). If you loved the first two, GET THIS GAME. All I can say is; Welcome Back Max. Expand
  6. Jan 5, 2013
    9
    Max Payne 3 is a game featuring natural and entertaining shooting mechanics, however this is not where the game shines its brightest. It contains some of the best writing I have seen in a video game. It immerses you in a story with a memorable setting and with deep and complex themes that will keep you thinking. The game plays out in a book form, with Max Payne narrating. This is somethingMax Payne 3 is a game featuring natural and entertaining shooting mechanics, however this is not where the game shines its brightest. It contains some of the best writing I have seen in a video game. It immerses you in a story with a memorable setting and with deep and complex themes that will keep you thinking. The game plays out in a book form, with Max Payne narrating. This is something that must be understood before someone plays the game. If they expect a typical game with constant action, they will be bored quickly. There are a lot of cut scenes. To many this is an issue, but I felt the cut scenes played an important part in making the game a story-like experience. Apart from the writing, technically this game is a masterpiece. The animations for the characters make the shooting satisfying and add to the immersion of the game. If you are prepared for a very linear but perfectly crafted experience, than May Payne is perfect for you. Expand
  7. Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Wow, kudos to Rockstar. Seriously, It's like you had Croteam advise you on how to resurrect a franchise. I was a big fan of the original Max Payne's nail biting, "did I use too many painkillers?", get the first shot game play, and that is exactly what Rockstar gave me. This game is well optimized for the PC, and looks and feels great. I cracked into the old MPs like a week or twoWow, kudos to Rockstar. Seriously, It's like you had Croteam advise you on how to resurrect a franchise. I was a big fan of the original Max Payne's nail biting, "did I use too many painkillers?", get the first shot game play, and that is exactly what Rockstar gave me. This game is well optimized for the PC, and looks and feels great. I cracked into the old MPs like a week or two before this came out, and the game play transition from playing old to new felt natural, which is a great sign. This game might have garnered a perfect score from me were it not for minor things, like inability to control the flow of cut scenes, some excessive load times and the sometimes frustrating nature of Rockstar social club's utility. These can all be corrected with a single patch, however, that I have seen. Those people giving this game a 0 solely based on the cut scene annoyance really need to stop and separate their anger from reality before they review something. Sure, it's a glaring flaw, but it's not game-breaking. Game play is solid, story is still total Max Payne, graphics and features are tight, added multi-player is a blast....where are these scads of 3PS's that in their eyes were done better? That is in fact Rhetoric.....because they don't exist. We could use a patch or two, but still, great job Rockstar, and I highly recommend this game to any old fan of Max Payne, or anybody who really likes a challenging third person shooter. (It's also one of the harder shooters to come out lately) MAX PAYNE IS BACK!! Expand
  8. Oct 14, 2012
    9
    Una buena historia, aunque sale totalmente de lo que fue el Max Payne 1 y 2, muy buenos graficos, y muy bien optimizado para pc,
    Sonido:9
    Graficos:10
    Jugabilidad:9
    Historia:9
    Contenido:7
    Disfrute mucho pasando el juego, me parece uno de los mejores del 2012.
  9. Nov 6, 2012
    9
    Excellent attention to detail (I was really impressed), great plot, amazing gameplay and the perfect dificulty. Also, it's long enough and the replay value is significant. The only problems are the long loading times and the unskippable cutscenes in subsequent playthroughs. Most of the game might take place during the day, but it still feels like Max Payne.
  10. Jan 26, 2013
    9
    I love this game. Although the gameplay is a some what repetitive, the story is amazing and the graphics beautiful. Bullet Time is better than ever and you will need it to stay alive, because this game is hard. The only thing that's wrong about the story is that almost everyone dies, but the rest of the story is perfect. I also think that this game has one of the most underratedI love this game. Although the gameplay is a some what repetitive, the story is amazing and the graphics beautiful. Bullet Time is better than ever and you will need it to stay alive, because this game is hard. The only thing that's wrong about the story is that almost everyone dies, but the rest of the story is perfect. I also think that this game has one of the most underrated multiplayer modes of all time, it's extremely deep and fun. Too bad almost no one plays it. If you like crime movies, good stories, slow motion and just a well made game, pick this one up. Expand
  11. Dec 7, 2012
    9
    Max Payne 3 is a great game but its not for everyone. I loved the game, the action is great but the game feels like one long action movie where you play the shooting scenes and I can see some people having a problem with this. Once again rockstar succeeds with the story from Max Payne 3 even though it is not as dark as the previous two titles. Max Payne is also a beautiful game, this helpsMax Payne 3 is a great game but its not for everyone. I loved the game, the action is great but the game feels like one long action movie where you play the shooting scenes and I can see some people having a problem with this. Once again rockstar succeeds with the story from Max Payne 3 even though it is not as dark as the previous two titles. Max Payne is also a beautiful game, this helps when watching the cutscenes (unskippable). Personally I loved Max Payne 3 and fans of the series should play it the gameplay is much the same with a new cover feature, so it you like slow motion action look no further. Expand
  12. Apr 17, 2013
    9
    great game!! i'm italian and when the enemies speak portoguese, me and max seem the same man!! thanks Rockstar!!
    After i finished this game, my next destination is Brasil!
  13. Feb 11, 2013
    9
    The gameplay is good, but the camera confuses you sometime. The best part of the game is the story. The narrative in the game does not let the story vague. The voice of the Max demonstrates his loneliness.
  14. Jan 11, 2014
    9
    Max Payne 3

    One of the best TPS games i've ever played. His wife and daughter's gone and became a killer contracter in Brazil, San Paulo. He find himself trapped between the vast culture of American - Brazillian. Unable to understand their language and things turning bad on him. Pros: 1. Good story plot and twist. Intense action. 2. Controls that feels smooth. 3. Great
    Max Payne 3

    One of the best TPS games i've ever played.

    His wife and daughter's gone and became a killer contracter in Brazil, San Paulo. He find himself trapped between the vast culture of American - Brazillian. Unable to understand their language and things turning bad on him.

    Pros:
    1. Good story plot and twist. Intense action.
    2. Controls that feels smooth.
    3. Great performance (on PC) and doesn't feel like a poor console port. Frame rate is generally better than other titles from the same game developer studio (e.g. GTA IV).

    Cons:
    1. Playthrough is too short, 5 hours for me on medium difficulty.
    2. Sometimes, cover is too unlimited. Ubsurd spawn of enemies near staircase and areas with cover. Tests a lot on stealth and agility.
    3. Extremely huge file size for a single game, probably due to the large amount of cutscenes (Don't get me wrong, the cutscenes looks amazing).
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  15. Mar 7, 2013
    9
    I liked every single aspect of the game except the cover system....it is very lame...u h to be very precise bfor coming out or sum1 wil shoot u... the gameplay is totally awesome bt the cover system is the only reason i hv given it a 9...
  16. Feb 7, 2014
    9
    i really enjoyed this game , the development of max payne's character along with the story is well done ,and the gameplay is fun as ever making the best use of bullet time , as we were used to in the previous games , and in my opinion this is the best max payne game for me
  17. Mar 31, 2014
    9
    Over the top blatantly stupid and hilarious. Pure fun.
    Now - to get this straight - this game isn't for anybody and especially the first hour is painful because there is pretty much nothing but cutscenes. And this pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the game.
    Where's the fun in it? The game is basically a satire of Man on Fire (plotwise) with an over the top **** up Max Payne
    Over the top blatantly stupid and hilarious. Pure fun.
    Now - to get this straight - this game isn't for anybody and especially the first hour is painful because there is pretty much nothing but cutscenes. And this pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the game.

    Where's the fun in it?
    The game is basically a satire of Man on Fire (plotwise) with an over the top **** up Max Payne talking nothing but garbage and how miserable everything is. This all however in a voice that makes it seem like they were being serious.
    While the game's self-awareness might be subtle at first glance it becomes pretty clear the more you progress in the game constantly getting close ups of you being killed, enemies being killed and exponentially raising the body count.

    This however is a lot different to the atmosphere of the first 2 installments of Max Payne - but those were different times and afaic it would have felt outdated if they sticked with it.
    Instead we get a satiric approach to the action game genre with the main focus on story telling.

    Now to the bad parts:
    Last shot feature often **** up and you hang in there for 15 seconds waiting until you can finally hit continue
    Shooting from cover sometimes **** up
    Quite a few times you get thrown into enemies shooting at you literally half a second after the cutscene is finished and you not being in cover.

    Personal Overall score: 93%
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  18. Jun 21, 2013
    9
    This Max Payne series is one of the best series and this Game is only epic.
    This has very good Graphics, awesome Gameplay and one of the best stories ever.
    The brazilian settings are perfect.
    But the Multiplayer has much hackers and this is sh*t.
    But the Arcade Mode is a good idea and good implemented.
  19. AWG
    Jun 4, 2013
    9
    The last chapter of one of the most epic trilogies in the entire history of videogames and a huge comeback. I have nothing more to say but a huge THANK YOU to Rockstar Games for this game, a truly perfect ending for the Max Payne story arc.
    Also, intriguing scenarios and beards.
  20. Jul 21, 2013
    9
    One of the best games I've played in a while. The narrative is one of the best in any game I've played and I understand that for the younger audience, a public that will always be desperately pressing some button to cut the cutscenes every time they begin, the game will be very frustrating indeed. The game does it's loading times during some of the unskippable cutscenes, that according toOne of the best games I've played in a while. The narrative is one of the best in any game I've played and I understand that for the younger audience, a public that will always be desperately pressing some button to cut the cutscenes every time they begin, the game will be very frustrating indeed. The game does it's loading times during some of the unskippable cutscenes, that according to some, constitute the majority of game time, which isn't true, but anyway, next time Rockstar will have learned it's better to leave a black loading screen instead.
    But if you are not a part of that group of people them I highly recommend this game. The game's a very, very challenging shooter, that requires you to really be accurate in your decisions and with your aiming. You can't rush in, you got to use cover very well and the "bullet time" needs to be wisely utilized. The game has a nice story with some interesting characters and although the gameplay in itself is repetitive, the situations Max Payne has to go through always present a new challenge. He has to face snipers, has to deal with new, has to deal with some armored thugs that seem to be invulnerable and keep getting hit with seemingly no effect, there are parts where Max will be inside a boat or inside a helicopter and will have to be deadly accurate to shoot missiles and granades being thrown at his vehicle.
    There is a really large variety of settings where the game takes place. There is a nightclub, an airport, inside a favela which is an amazing part of the game to me, rich in detail and very accurate to the real thing although always a bit secluded, there are no true open areas. Rockstar really did something different from it's usual here, but the previous Max Payne games were also like that, it's not a game where you'll explore the scenery, it's a straight-forward shooter.
    The voice acting for Max Payne is as great as ever, but I'd say this time it's even better. Max Payne has many, many memorable quotes. The games soundtrack is a great one as well, there are some songs that will stick to your mind, besides the theme song ever present in the Max Payne franchise.
    I really like mature-themed games and games with a realistic presentation, although Max Payne is far from being realistic, it's main character and story is believable, if you care to include the amount of foes a single man can kill by himself as only a gameplay tool to make it a game and not a movie with a few shooting scenes.
    The fact that the game of The Walking Dead got such a great approval from the public and the way some of the recent games like Tomb Raider and Far Cry 3 have been produced, as far as voice acting, story, theme and challenge, I'm very optimistic about the video games actually maturing, going away from the strictly nerdy audience and become recognized as a type of entertainment as respected as movies are, that they aren't something that only people with no life do, showing some qualities that will be recognized and appealing to a lot of people, of all ages.
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  21. Jan 6, 2014
    9
    Clearly a good follower of the series.
    Rockstar did a good job with this game.
    Max's voice is present, as well as interior monologue.
    Locations great, furious action, slow motion much better implemented. And last but not least, great optimization.
    Also there are several locations that will delight the nostalgic
  22. Jul 26, 2013
    9
    Good game, Great story true to the heritage. I enjoyed playing it, the shooting was classic, graphics great, story very interesting glimpse into the social strata of brazil and its criminal underbelly. It uses what made the original great and adds a depth to the character that shakes off the bad comic book feel of the first 2.
  23. Dec 17, 2015
    9
    Gameplay : 9
    Graphics : 9
    Story : 9
    Sound : 9
    **********************************************************************************
    Overall : 9
  24. Oct 27, 2013
    9
    I don't really know why people are hating on this game, it's way better then let's say COD which sucks donkeys, the gameplay is fun and very nice, the graphics are just beautiful (Maxed out settings), the story is exciting, bullet time is just epic, the only thing i don't like about this game is terribly long unstoppable cut scenes. I actually never played Max Payne before, and i'm veryI don't really know why people are hating on this game, it's way better then let's say COD which sucks donkeys, the gameplay is fun and very nice, the graphics are just beautiful (Maxed out settings), the story is exciting, bullet time is just epic, the only thing i don't like about this game is terribly long unstoppable cut scenes. I actually never played Max Payne before, and i'm very excited for the next game. Expand
  25. Nov 8, 2013
    9
    Rockstar really did his job with this...the game is just like the precedent titles I mean awesome...An wonderful gameplay and story.The graphics are cool and the title comes with a lot of new stuff and improvements and with the first max payne multiplayer.
  26. Nov 10, 2013
    9
    Why do they say: "it's not Max Payne", "it's not the game but the movie", "it's boring"? Just why?
    It IS Max Payne like the previous parts, we have an angry gringo dealing with the whole army of enemies and not dying after infinite shots on him. We have our favourite PayneKillers, our Favourite Bullet Time, our favourite dismal hero who likes to comment his every step. And it is great,
    Why do they say: "it's not Max Payne", "it's not the game but the movie", "it's boring"? Just why?
    It IS Max Payne like the previous parts, we have an angry gringo dealing with the whole army of enemies and not dying after infinite shots on him. We have our favourite PayneKillers, our Favourite Bullet Time, our favourite dismal hero who likes to comment his every step. And it is great, don't you think?
    Yes, it IS like a movie. And what about two previous parts? Especially MP2 was similar to a good film every time I played it. So now instead graphic novels we have cinematographic cut scenes which make all the game being like a movie and this movie is much more interesting than plenty of real movies. And it is interactive. It is just an evolution of previous parts, and it is well done. What's wrong with it? If you want just to shoot, go play Counter-Strike. Besides, I can play and replay MP and MP2 without any attention to the story: I can just skip novels and go on killing bastards. Here I at least know what was all this about.
    And now, if we're speaking about the story... Is it really boring? Or maybe previous plots were so amazing that if they are made as books their author will definitely win the Nobel Prize for them? No. If you think MP3 has the dull scenario just give up your grumbling and make a descent one.
    Oh, the gameplay, of course. Don't you think it is greatly improved? We have much more realistic weapons (and more of them, at last). An interesting and useful "last chance" mode. Max even started to use covers (awesome improvement) and enemies even have slim rudiments of AI. Add here a well done multi-player with many game types. Is it really so bad as you speak about it?..
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  27. Sep 9, 2014
    9
    I love this game. Not only is Max the grizzliest, most metaphorical detective to grace the gaming world, but his third game is amazing. Gunplay - fantastic; the tightest third person shooter I've probably ever played. Plot - gripping; seamless transition from gameplay to cutscenes, and a well-thought out political drama which Rockstar pulled off in the weirdest setting - Sao Paulo, Brazil.I love this game. Not only is Max the grizzliest, most metaphorical detective to grace the gaming world, but his third game is amazing. Gunplay - fantastic; the tightest third person shooter I've probably ever played. Plot - gripping; seamless transition from gameplay to cutscenes, and a well-thought out political drama which Rockstar pulled off in the weirdest setting - Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    You have to play this on PC to get the full experience - 60fps and max settings make this a gorgeous, slick, and smooth as **** ride to get through. Seriously, I didn't even care about the complete linearity of the game, because I wanted to stay on the beaten track so much.

    James McCaffrey nails it once again as Max Payne. 9.4/10.
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  28. Dec 23, 2013
    9
    In my opinion May Payne 3 was the best computer game in this genre. Because the graphics was very good (it was released in 01. Juni 2012) and the game play too. I liked the location in brazil a lot. Rock on!

    9/ 10 because you can skip the cut szenes.
  29. Mar 30, 2014
    9
    The best Third Person Shooter i've ever played. It was kinda hard to complete some parts of the game but thse story, graphics and controls are just awesome! I really recommend this game (Even if you haven't played other "Max Payne" games.
  30. Mar 10, 2014
    9
    Loved it, nice action, nice graphics, story is good, it's like a movie, forget about been super realistic, it's more like a novel, loved it. Also as a multilingual person, I loved how Portuguese sounded through the whole game, much like Elite Squad, Spanish was ok, but that gave the game an extra touch of immersion. Very nice game, totally recommending it.
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. 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]