A behind closed doors look at ‘Max Payne 3′

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

At the New York Comic Con, I got the chance to check out a special, behind closed doors look at the upcoming Max Payne 3. So will Rockstar’s next big thing be indeed their next big thing? Yes. Yes it will.

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Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get my hands on the controller, nor could anyone else. It was strictly hands off, eyes only for journalists. The game is still in the midst of production, and Rockstar wanted to make sure we saw what they wanted us to. Given how over-reactive the games press can be sometimes, I suppose I can’t blame them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a sold feel of how far along the build I was looking at was, but it seemed to be fairly feature complete.

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Instead, I just sat back and watched two different scenarios play out, right before my eyes. The first was early on in the game, in which Max is visited by a pal, who asks him to join his less than noble ranks. Not sure what the story; the plot is one of many things that has yet to be clarified, until Rockstar’s ready. It’s basically just the aforementioned pal, commenting on what a mess the place is and how much Max has let himself go. Everything’s chill until some bad guy big boss swings by as well, along with his boys, to shoot up the place. Which thus necessitates Max to swing back into action.

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Right off the back, the visuals are absolutely phenomenal, perhaps the best yet for Rockstar (which is saying a lot, I realize). Pretty much every little thing was overflowing with details and nuances, primarily the virtual actors. While the facial animation was not quite on the level of LA Noire‘s, it was still mighty impressive. And more importantly, it felt more in place with everything else. As opposed to in Noire, in which everyone’s faces were meticulously detailed, but everything else was just “there”. Character and camera movements during cut scenes were also quite nice, though a tad bit sluggish. But again, its a mid cycle build and stuff is always optimized at the very end.

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Gameplay-wise, I was immediately reminded of an old friend: bullet time. It’s a mechanic that we’ve gotten practically numb to, to the point of forgetting where it originated. I’m not 100% certain if Max Payne 1 was the very first to employ bullet time, but it’s certainly up there. Anyhow, as before, it helps one pinpoint critical areas one a foe’s body, which is supremely necessary due to the fact that, in another old school nod, Max does not regenerate health. He has to get healthy the old-fashioned way: popping pills.

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I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it was here in which another one of Rockstar’s true strengths came shining through; characterization. Their games are filled with all sorts of oddball, yet well defined characters, and Max Payne 3 is no different. As evidenced by the wacky neighbor who unexpectedly lends some assistance in the heat of battle. Though it is the “hero” of the game who is the most fleshed out and fascinating. After the shoot out, we leave his NYC digs, to the streets of São Paulo, where he’s grown a scraggly looking beard and shaved his head.

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I have to admit; I wasn’t fond of the look in the trailer, but it makes total sense. First, he’s obviously undercover, and a drastic change in look makes total sense. Again, despite not only being ignorant of this particular game’s tale, but forgetting his two previous jaunts, all that needs to be known is instantly conveyed via his hulking mass, less than pretty body, and just the stories being told via the rugged skin. This is characterization at its finest, in video game form.

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Oh, so the one thing I did remember from the very first game was its narrative style. Basically the comic book presentation; I assumed it wouldn’t be returning, and wondered what, if anything, would be replacing it. Well, in its place is some of the sexiest motion graphics ever in a video game, period. I was completely blown away by the camerawork and use of type. The thing is, what I love most about video games, is whenever it isolates the stuff that I like in something, but without having to deal with the whole.

Not to mention a completely different game, but I am still in love with Split/Second and its very Jerry Bruckheimer-like set pieces, but without the need to deal with his otherwise crap filmmaking. And I love the look of overall style and presentation of many movies and shows today, the in your face graphics, the liberal does of neon blue scan-lines, zoomed in about a thousand degrees. But I’m generally bored by the content that’s attached. So here it is, in video game form.

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Anyhow, back to the game: in act two, we see Max trying to protect a girl… the sister of the pal from before… my best guess is that he’s dead, and his dying wish is for you to protect her. Otherwise, why else would he put up with her constant whining? Unfortunately, either him or her, perhaps both, are the targets for some men with guns, so we get another gun battle.

It’s also here in which there’s another great contrast with the previous games showed itself. Those always took place in the dead of night, or just in the dark. Here’s the sun is up, bright, and almost oppressive. But also like before, that last shot in a particular scuffle goes into slow-mo, and the last hit is illustrated in vivid details.

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Rockstar made sure to point out to all the reporters of the technical chops of the game yet again. Thousands upon thousands of hours in the green-screen room, supplemented with just as much time from computer animators, were spent to give Max definite presence. Every little step he took illustrated actual weight. When walking, Max’s body simply ain’t going through the motions, and his feet just sliding around. The man’s actually walking. Most impressive of all was how, when he was was on the ground, wherever his gun was pointed at on screen, his body accurately followed suit like a real person, not some bizarre mannequin.

Anyhow, Max Payne 3 when it hits early next year will be, at the very least, a technical marvel. Though I have a strong feeling the story will be up to snuff, and that no one will mind the grand return of bullet time in the year 2012.

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