You might be tempted to write off Marcelo, the youngest brother in the wealthy Branco dynasty Max is hired to protect, as the shallow playboy he often appears to be. Other characters, too, reveal a surprising humanity.
Max reveals a complexity here not seen in earlier games, as he hits rock bottom and must either stay there or face his demons head-on and make himself anew. It’s hard to stay ambivalent once you see the horrors being suffered by the innocent here, and you’ll likely want to see Max’s quest for vengeance through to its conclusion just as badly as he does. Though the details of the plot add up to your typical story of conspiracy and corruption, of the rich and powerful preying on the poor and helpless to become even more rich and powerful, the writing, acting, and presentation elevate this tale well above a boilerplate video game crime story. Fleeing his New York life to take a job working security for a wealthy family in Sao Paulo, the hard-drinkin’, pill-poppin’ Max finds that his demons come along for the ride. It’s a truth Max Payne knows better than anyone. With its gripping narrative, brutal violence, and fantastic implementation of Max Payne’s bullet-time ability, this is a distinctive and outstanding game through and through, and it’s easily a worthy successor to the Max Payne games that preceded it. Yet the addition of this contemporary element doesn’t mean that Max Payne 3 plays like every other third-person shooter. Today, reflecting modern sensibilities and perhaps his own age, Max takes things slower and makes judicious use of a new cover mechanic. When Max Payne last appeared in a game in 2003, he blasted his way through countless enemies with reckless abandon, aided by his signature ability to slow time and deal graceful death. With savage gunplay and an absorbing personal story. Max Payne 3 is an exhilarating shooter that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go.