Max Payne 3 screens and story info


View Photo Gallery

New in-game shots, and details of the game's setting and story. Bring. It. On.

Max Payne and its sequel are seminal PC shooters. Rich with story, blessed with cutting edge (for the time) graphics and physics, and with a main character that's more noir than a bar full of drunk LA private eyes. We're expecting the third in the series this summer, and at last we're getting an idea of what this new episode will be about, and what the game's going to look like.

Max Payne 3 is set 12 years after the last game, and Max has moved on from his dark past. Moved on all the way to Sao Paolo in Brazil, where he's doing bodyguard duty for a wealthy local family. He's spent the years acting as a security consultant and odd-jobs man - and getting kinda old, as you can see in the pics.

He's fallen about as far as an ex-cop can fall, but as the game opens he's about to discover that trouble still follows him like a lovelorn dame.

The game's going to feature Rockstar's RAGE engine, along with Natural Motion and a new particle physics system to deliver deadlier than ever combat and more natural environments. Dual-wielding is looking to be more flexible than ever, and the game will even boast an intelligent cover system; Max? Cover? Yeah, we don't think he needs it either.

And the painkillers are back, too. Wouldn't be Max Payne without 'em.

Rockstar's chosen Sao Paolo as the setting as it wil deliver some unique combat environments, and because of the city's long association with crime and excess. From the screens, it looks as though a lot of the action will take place in the sprawling slums of the city, and we've no doubt we'll also see shining drug mansions, corporate enclaves (what's a Max Payne game without corporate intrigue?) and more.

We can't wait to see this game come to release. It'll be out this summer, on all major platforms. Check out the gallery above in the meantime!

Want to check out the first Australian review of Final Fantasy XIII? We got in this month's Atomic!

Plus HD projectors, Napoleon: Total War, Intel's new six-core processor, PC upgrading guide, and a whole lot more.

ON SALE NOW!

Ads by Google

17 Comments

Thoughts on this article? Add a comment below.

tantryl Jun 24, 2009 8:42 PM	Interesting. Doesn't look remotely noir, though.
G-relk Jun 25, 2009 12:14 AM	this isnt max payne. even IF it turns out to be a good game, it wont be another max payne game to me. why cant game devs think up some new IP, all we are getting of late is {game name} X : {bi-line that shouldnt exist} and its really shitting me off. /rant
Fat_Bodybuilder Jun 25, 2009 12:51 AM	Uhhh the only reason they're bringing this out is because they see the a profit to be made. The same reason the matrix 2 and 3 came out. Even if it's good, it's just a crap idea because of some money-hungry mofo.
tantryl Jun 25, 2009 9:18 AM	I think that's a bit excessive. However the taking-cover function is a clear indication it's going to be console focussed so probably not that good for PCs, and the skilled flying headshots of the original are probably out of the question - probably some sort of locking on aiming mechanism like all console shooters. I hope the story telling is at least half decent... but this has me worried.
hectorbustnuts Jun 25, 2009 9:39 AM	I'm sorry, but it's just too damn sunny. Looks like RE5 without the zombies. Payne was all about the noir...and noir this aint.
Hawkeye Jun 25, 2009 9:41 AM	Yeah, I must admit, while this fresh setting could be very interesting, Max Payne without the sleazy LA streets is like ... like a Vegas roadtrip without hallucinogens. But I've spoken to the local Rockstar types a bit about this one, and I know they're fans of the original, and still very excited about this. You gotta expect a certain amount of PR spin, of course, but I'm still pretty hopeful. These guys are certainly aware that fucking up Max Payne would be a mighty fuck-up indeed! - DH
plaztik Jun 25, 2009 9:46 AM	Since when has Mac Payne been built like Jason Statham?
nukejockey Jun 25, 2009 10:26 AM	He looks fat and old, awesome. Hope they get the same voice actor, and graphic novels. And I hope that daytime bit is just 1 level of the game, it needs to be dark. I'm not really that excited about this, I wish they would wait for remedy to finish with Alan Wake and get them to do it, they obviously want something to boost their sales for that particular part of the year. Anyone else feel that it might be a bit rushed? Some games that get rushed are alright, but when the best part of a max payne game is the story and the level of detail in environments etc. I think this will fall short... like far cry 2 short.
thylacine Jun 25, 2009 10:33 AM	Ehhhhh doesn't look like 'our Max'... game looks too Splinter Cell...
Hawkeye Jun 25, 2009 10:50 AM	I can confirm that the comic book cutscenes will be there :)
hectorbustnuts Jun 25, 2009 11:17 AM	I'm not saying this isn't going to be a decent game...I've no idea how it'll play out. But changing the setting and style completely and slapping the "Max Payne" moniker on it is just lazy. Turning the whole setting and vibe on its head and throwing a couple of gimmicks (admit it...they were, albeit well done) from the original doesn't bode well. Make it a new IP or make it a "Max Payne" game.
Hawkeye Jun 25, 2009 11:25 AM	All fair comments, but what I'm hoping - and this is pure speculation - is that the game might start in Sao Paolo, but that it leads Max back home. I mean, let's face it. Max is down and out when the game starts, literally and geographically. I'd really like to see him have to face his demons and his past, and head back to LA for some epic final reckoning.
hectorbustnuts Jun 25, 2009 11:36 AM	Yeah...I can see that working and with only a handful of screenshot available, perfectly doable. Given the heavy emphasis on this new sunny locale in what HAS been released though, one can only speculate that the majority of the game will take place in Sao Paolo.
pinecoffin Jun 25, 2009 1:11 PM	This really doesn't look like it has the character of a Max Payne game. Looks like a cool game, but it should be called something else not related to Max Payne.
nukejockey Jun 25, 2009 4:33 PM	It looks like it might be FarCry 2 all over again lads. Old Fat Dude gets a Tan might be a more appropriate title for it, either that or Skin Cancer Simulator. Fuck.
silencer95 Jul 15, 2009 8:16 PM	I like Max Payne and couldn't wait for the 2nd one when it was released. The day it was released I got it home and played it till it was done. While the graphics look great from the screenshots it doesn't have the same noir feel which is something I liked about the series. But I will look for the game when it is release out of intrigue rather excitement to see what they have done to Max Payne.
waylander232 Jul 16, 2009 6:04 AM	I agree, there is a lack of noir. Far too much sunlight. (Though thank goodness they haven't gone noir overboard and made Max emo lol) God, this better be a pretty linear game. I'm sick of sandbox games that fail to deliver on storyline, and thats a huge reason we love Max, great storytelling.

Editor's Choice

Area 53

Atomic Magazine

Issue: 111 | April, 2010

Atomic is a magazine aimed squarely at computer enthusiasts, gamers, and serious PC upgraders.

Every month we bring you the latest reviews of new technology and PC components, in depth features on everything from overclocking to console hacking, and gaming previews and interviews.

What's in this issue?