Publisher: Rockstar Games, www.rockstargames.com
Ages: Mature only
Parental Advisory: Dark and violent game with lots of brutal action.
Rockstar Games' incredible Max Payne is a compelling third-person shooter that offers superb graphics and action, and an amazing ability to immerse players into a story and set a mood. While Max Payne is a critically acclaimed game that kids want to play, its ultra-violent and bloody nature makes it mostly off limits for youngsters. In the game you play Max, an undercover cop who has been framed for the murder of his wife and baby and is being hunted by the police and the mob. The setting is a gritty New York City during the century's worst blizzard.
The shooter-style controls are straight-forward: move forward and backwards, strafe left and right, and look around. The big innovation in this game is something called "bullet time." Activate "bullet time" and your on-screen character moves or jumps in slow motion as you aim and shoot at the bad guys, just as the characters did in the movie, "The Matrix." This visual effect is awesome.
As in any action game, there are lots of weapons that range from pistols to rifles to grenades, and more. Unlike many action games, Max isn't super human, and, as a result, can be taken out with a single, well-placed shot. A plus, the bad guys here are fairly smart and put up a good fight.
The graphics on the Xbox are excellent, as they were on the PC. The gloomy and gritty New York settings offer lots of realistic details that include graffiti, working objects, and more.
Overall, it doesn't take long to finish Max Payne when compared to the career one can make out of many first-person shooters, but the experience here is compelling and fresh. While the game offers no multi-player modes, they're not necessarily missed.
For action, graphics, and experience, Max Payne is one of the best shooters that I've seen. Mature gamers won't want to miss this one.
