Max Payne 3: Kingdom of the crystal skull (a rant/ review)

[Gaston]

So I just finished the campaign of MP3... and I found the game to be greatly disappointing. Now as game it's not awful or really bad by all means, but there were a lot of questionable decisions of design in both game play and especially the writing. Before I dissect my opinions about it here are some things I liked about the game.
+I liked how the game looked graphically especially compared to Max from the 1st game.
+I also liked the destructible structures that you or enemies can cause.
+Some of the music was really good
+I liked the visual style that replaced the comic book cut scenes (it did its job well)
+Last level and ending was satisfying.
+It's great to see Max back... but that soon changes
Now for my dislikes that apparently (well for me anyways) people glare away from... especially people who played and loved the first two games.

#1-The Max Pain Retreat of: Why Brazil?

I never fully understood the idea of Max going to Brazil... especially in the mind of a dev. MP was a cop for NYPD or in this game an ex-cop. Why bring in a new character that claims to "have a relationship" with Max back god knows what and god when to be a bodyguard, especially in the state that Max is in now anyways. I still don't know the transition and reason behind Brazil, it's not like this series' setting was so stale they had to do something about it. Oh and not to mention the "motivation" for MP to agree and leave. It is because a mob boss wants him dead. -_- ' ' ' '
It wouldn't be the first time something like this has happen to our dear old tragic detective. Hell that's even more of a reason to have the game take place in New York. But no he's in South America helping people who are as likeable as rich party boy stereotypes are and most of the goons and dialogue between the world are in a different language (with no subtitles might I add). I guess they wanted to be authentic in way that it makes the relationship easier between Max and the player, but holy crap some these cut scenes with these goons go on for so long. It gets down right irritating.

#2- Max Payne and oh sh*t I forgot I was playing: In game cut scenes are a Payne

Speaking about long drawn out cut scenes I hate where some these in-game cut scenes leave the player at. Especially the long ones, where it starts right along a firing squad. "Wait a minute" you may ask to yourself. You see them coming why don't you do something about it. Well there random person I would love to do something about it, but the time you get control of Max is when they start firing at you. It's really pain in the butt when you take damage because you ran out of bullet time before hand and that you can't aim fast enough to kill the 3+ enemies scattered in the area. So as a result you are guarantee damage (10%-35% of your HP). Continuing on about the annoyances of in-game cut scenes, I really hate how Max switches to weapons that have no ammo or drops your primary gun for a non-plot scene. What were they thinking!!! In fact looking back at it, kinda so bad it's hilarious. I love it when Max pulls out his pistol of choice at an enemy and then switches out to the player only to realize there's no ammo in the gun. 10/10
But no in all seriousness I don't mind losing a weapon or getting another gun if it's explained well. I.E. an explosion launches Max losing his weapons or he was captured and etc.
Other than that it really feels like a really poor design.

#3 The Realistic adventures of Max Butter Fingers Payne Mcgee: Since when was this series realistic?

So Max Payne can only carry 3 guns. Why you may ask? So the f*ck would I liked to know. In the third game there's a constant theme of "HARD BOILED-NESS" and "REALISTIC!" Oh Max can't just carry an assault rifle and a sniper weapon, he must choose. My favorite scenario is when I accidently selected the duel wield option Max just drops his third gun. WHY! It's so inconvenient. Remember back in 2 where you can duel wield without losing everything else, hell remember when you melee (and no I'm not making any note of the multiplayer) and throw grenades? MP3-Fanboys:"No."
Well I remember and it was f*cking awesome, this game makes it annoying as hell to manage the weapons of choice. I was even more baffled how Max never has ever thought of carrying an extra strap to hold more weapons! This could have been an awesome design choice so the devs can give a quick sample in the beginning and come end game for Max being a gun wielding bad-ass. But no it never happens; Max is forever holding an assault rifle in one hand while he shoots his secondary like a dumb-ass. On top of constantly dropping his third gun when duel wielding. Agh...

#4 Max's adventure of exploring a big empty field, starring the teleporting enemies.

Oh boy let's talk about questionable level design. So in this game Rockstar tries to modernize the series by adding a cover mechanic. Nothing wrong with that, it's good to try out new ideas that make sense. Unfortunately Rockstar really wants to hammer in the point of this mechanic so much that the level design is heavily dependent on it. What I mean by this is that most of the gun fights are in open areas. This is really annoying as sh*t when you constantly being flanked by enemies of higher levels/ grounds. Not to mention that the cover system is mediocre at best. I want to say that it's almost identical to GTA4's cover system. So now it's an aggravating sitting and waiting game to kill those enemies, and filling up your bullet time. But hey with bullet time for those open areas where there aren't high stationed enemies it's pretty easy to mow down and continue. Well then only for the game to say to its NPC to get on the stage. What I mean by this is that sometimes it's a bad idea to advance after getting the first wave of enemies. On multiple occasions I've plowed through the first wave and reaching the opposite side of the area to be locked out (plot purposes I suppose), and then get flanked by enemies from the back (fine whatever) or worse have enemies pop out of nowhere to you. Then you are dead and you have to restart back.
On a side note I really like clearing and area and seeing environmental traps that I assume the devs think I will use. Ops, sorry if I didn't slowly cover shoot my way up and then used the exploding barrel once it was in range (this also goes for most cover shooter games too).
Ok so you killed all the baddies and you are free to explore. Oh boy I can't tell back in the day how awesome it was finding secret areas or helping random people caught in the cross fire... and IT'S GONE. There's none of that in this game. I guess the closest thing was walking near a painting that just fell down for some reason revealing a safe behind it. Other than that there really wasn't anything like in the first two MP games. I guess breakable walls or off color windows that are breakable weren't very "realistic" for Rockstar. So what can the devs do so they can elude idea of the player walking in a big empty field or area? Simple, by adding useless stuff such as "clues" and golden gun parts. To me this really feels unsatisfying and makes exploration more of a chore. In fact let's look at the next number inline that also bothers me when trying to explore.

[b21993r]

İlk olarak Gaston tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak JoeCrow tarafından gönderildi:

Except it was. We've had two games in NY. Brasil is a great ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ to set the game in. Sure, sunshine is hardly "noir" but this just serves to illuminate the grim realities there. I believe Max even mentions this during his monologie as he wanders the favela.

Yes it's true that two games took place in NY, but it's been so long since the last game that making it again and set in NY would be alright (MP2 was release back in 2003, 9 years before MP3). I feel like having this reintroduction of Max back in the market would have benefited that. The folks down at Rockstar surely could make some really creative settings and places in modern day NY.
Now back to Brazil, the reason why I'm not feeling it is both "lacking of noir," and how poorly excused/ reasoned to come down there. Yes the place that Max goes especially the favelas is big sh*t-hole, and yes Max said at one point that it would be best go there to let the heat die down. To me it just feel all of a sudden, Passos come all of sudden for some dumb reason just to make Max the fall guy for an overcomplicated plan from the big bad., not to mention a complete change of tone.
Now I'm not going lie the setting looks pretty great but it just doesn't fit well with as a Max Pain game. Maybe if the story didn't go a non-linear route and explain a decent pace, just maybe the Brazil would be more acceptable for me.

Tried not to post but I have to say something for the last time:

First of all you talked about creativeness,and you rejected the biggest creative thought Rockstar pointed out in this game,which is moving to Sao Paolo,this is just contradictive.Rockstar handeled New Jersey extremely well in chapter 4 and 8,but that's not a reason which is good enough for Rockstar to makes their own Max Payne title,they wanted to show their understandings of Max,a rather different side of him but still keeping his core.And Sao Paolo is an exellent idea and matched what Rockstar wanted to do.The place can make the other side of him and his struggle stand out.It's not the place he is in that mainly sculpted him,and he is not the character that can only be iconic in New York with snow and rain blazing in the sky,that's just Remedy's way to describe Max,not Rockstar's.

Secondly Max himself is a so-called "noir" person,as long as his struggle continues,every place is dark and violent,and Sao Paolo ticked the boxes perfectly.James McCaffrey who voiced Max in all three games noticed that and expressed the same idea.The "tone" is not the element made Max iconic,it's his own struggle of not being able to moving foward mentally while chose to be a relentless person in action that made his stories fascinating,that's the core of him.Is Passos coming all of a sudden with poor reason?He is a fall guy that still has something to lose,and was caught in the crossfire of power and money which was more than he can handle,and the moment he came and triggered the gunfight with Max was just in time.Max is obviously a fall guy too,but he is with nothing to lose,already giving up on his life,just waiting for the moment to kill himself.when given a chance to earn some cash from a "easy gig" and also being chased by the mob boss whose son was just killed by him,what would he do?These were all explained clearly in the game,and it seems like you just didn't observe that at all,the plot was logically reasonable,and Rockstar knows how to write the right plot for themselves.

Finally even Sam Lake admitted that although Remedy's approach of Max Payne would definitely be different,but Rockstar did well with their creative thoughts while still being a Max Payne game.And he even mentioned that if Remedy and Rockstar are mimicking each other,that's not the right way to do things.He is actually relieved to see Rockstar doing in a completely different way while keeping the core of Max.The more I played it,the more I felt he said was absolutely right.Maybe you can't accept it for certain so-called "tone" or "style" or "word"reasons,but the last suggestion I can give you is: Thinking about what made Max Payne such a stand-out character,his appeareance,the place he is in,the visual style of tha game he is in,or something much more essential?I'm not planning to post anymore,try to think about it.

[EnergyDrinkDrink]

İlk olarak b21993r tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Gaston tarafından gönderildi:

Yes it's true that two games took place in NY, but it's been so long since the last game that making it again and set in NY would be alright (MP2 was release back in 2003, 9 years before MP3). I feel like having this reintroduction of Max back in the market would have benefited that. The folks down at Rockstar surely could make some really creative settings and places in modern day NY.
Now back to Brazil, the reason why I'm not feeling it is both "lacking of noir," and how poorly excused/ reasoned to come down there. Yes the place that Max goes especially the favelas is big sh*t-hole, and yes Max said at one point that it would be best go there to let the heat die down. To me it just feel all of a sudden, Passos come all of sudden for some dumb reason just to make Max the fall guy for an overcomplicated plan from the big bad., not to mention a complete change of tone.
Now I'm not going lie the setting looks pretty great but it just doesn't fit well with as a Max Pain game. Maybe if the story didn't go a non-linear route and explain a decent pace, just maybe the Brazil would be more acceptable for me.

Tried not to post but I have to say something for the last time:

First of all you talked about creativeness,and you rejected the biggest creative thought Rockstar pointed out in this game,which is moving to Sao Paolo,this is just contradictive.Rockstar handeled New Jersey extremely well in chapter 4 and 8,but that's not a reason which is good enough for Rockstar to makes their own Max Payne title,they wanted to show their understandings of Max,a rather different side of him but still keeping his core.And Sao Paolo is an exellent idea and matched what Rockstar wanted to do.The place can make the other side of him and his struggle stand out.It's not the place he is in that mainly sculpted him,and he is not the character that can only be iconic in New York with snow and rain blazing in the sky,that's just Remedy's way to describe Max,not Rockstar's.

Secondly Max himself is a so-called "noir" person,as long as his struggle continues,every place is dark and violent,and Sao Paolo ticked the boxes perfectly.James McCaffrey who voiced Max in all three games noticed that and expressed the same idea.The "tone" is not the element made Max iconic,it's his own struggle of not being able to moving foward mentally while chose to be a relentless person in action that made his stories fascinating,that's the core of him.Is Passos coming all of a sudden with poor reason?He is a fall guy that still has something to lose,and was caught in the crossfire of power and money which was more than he can handle,and the moment he came and triggered the gunfight with Max was just in time.Max is obviously a fall guy too,but he is with nothing to lose,already giving up on his life,just waiting for the moment to kill himself.when given a chance to earn some cash from a "easy gig" and also being chased by the mob boss whose son was just killed by him,what would he do?These were all explained clearly in the game,and it seems like you just didn't observe that at all,the plot was logically reasonable,and Rockstar knows how to write the right plot for themselves.

Finally even Sam Lake admitted that although Remedy's approach of Max Payne would definitely be different,but Rockstar did well with their creative thoughts while still being a Max Payne game.And he even mentioned that if Remedy and Rockstar are mimicking each other,that's not the right way to do things.He is actually relieved to see Rockstar doing in a completely different way while keeping the core of Max.The more I played it,the more I felt he said was absolutely right.Maybe you can't accept it for certain so-called "tone" or "style" or "word"reasons,but the last suggestion I can give you is: Thinking about what made Max Payne such a stand-out character,his appeareance,the place he is in,the visual style of tha game he is in,or something much more essential?I'm not planning to post anymore,try to think about it.

Literally nothing you're saying makes any sense. You've clearly never done writing, film study, or basic plot analysis at any point in your life.