So with the next Grand Theft Auto game now finally announced, teased and all that, I decided to take a look at a Rockstar franchise that I haven't yet had the chance to talk about. This trilogy of games was created by Remedy Entertainment in partnership with Rockstar. You may not be familiar with the name, but they are the ones that gave us the Alan Wake and
Quantum Break games with Microsoft, as well as
Control with 505 Games. So they have a knack for supernatural and science fiction games with a cinematic quality to them. But let's see if this early work of theirs, still lives up today as we explore the life of one Max Payne:
Max Payne
You play as former NYPD detective Max Payne (voiced by James McCaffrey) who is on a mission to find out the truth behind the death of his family as well as a mysterious new drug lord. All leading himself being caught in the middle of a large and complex conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical company, organized crime, a secret society and the US military. The game's story is told as if it was coming straight from a graphic novel, with a neo-noir style. Having some allusions to Norse mythology and the gameplay drawing heavy influences from Hong Kong action films and using "Bullet Time", a concept that The Matrix films, made popular. Max can use a variety of guns, some of which he can dual wield too, and uses painkillers to restore health when necessary. While this first game is far from perfect when compared to the likes of
Half-Life, it's actually not too bad of a game, and I love games with a particular style to them. It makes them really stand out from other games like it. It is a bit predictable and many areas of it, could've been worked on more. But for what it ultimately became, it's a pretty decent action game and one that I will probably come back to, later down the road, despite the lack of replayability value and all that. 7/10
The Fall Of
Set 2 years after the first game, Max (reprised by McCaffrey) has become a detective at the NYPD again. Despite having reoccurring nightmares of his past, Max is unexpectedly reunited with Mona Sax (voiced by Kathy Tong), a contract killer who needs his help in resolving a conspiracy filled with death and betrayal that will test where Max's loyalties lie. The game has you play as both characters in certain parts of the story, where every level has a difficulty that is adjusted automatically depending on how the player performs. You initially start out with a 9mm gun, but with more powerful weapons being unlocked as you progress. Max's internal monologue will help you determine your next move in the game. When the game is completed once, other difficulty modes become available, as are two separate modes that have you take on endless amounts of enemies. While the other throws Max into one of 5 scenarios that must be completed. Bullet time returns and is worked out in a way that is, I guess, a little easier than the first game as the tone is changed, and visual cues become available too among other things. Despite its shorter length than its predecessor, this sequel manages to do what most sequels can do well at, which is, improve upon the overall experience. Had it not be for the short length, I would be rating this a little higher. But for what it is, it's good, and I'll leave it there. 8/10
3
Nine years go by and once again former NYPD detective Max (reprised by McCaffrey again) finds work as a private security contractor in São Paulo in the country of Brazil. Once again, though, he finds himself in a quest filled with death and betrayal. Along with much of the gameplay elements from the previous games, new to the series is a thing called the "cover system" which gives players a tactical advantage and allows you to not be harmed by the enemies. Most of the cutscenes are interactive, which transition seamlessly into the continuing gameplay. Ultimately, making loading screens, non-existent in this game. Bullet time has a new mechanic in which if Max dies, you can kill the enemies before he dies to gain some health back, but at the cost of depleting most of your bullet time. Players can also shoot at any angle when Max is on the ground. This game, while made solely by Rockstar this time, is probably the weakest of the series. Not because it's bad or anything like that. But because of how distant from the other games it feels like. Its linear design isn't the best, but the overall style is OK if you don't mind that little inconsistency. So yeah, not the best game of the trilogy, and to be fair it can be difficult to even try to top two games many have called among the greatest games ever made. 7/10
Yep, my thoughts for this trilogy is pretty much how I feel most game trilogies go. One good game, an outstanding second game and a pretty mixed bag of a third game. But I had fun with these games, which is to be expected from the people that gave us some of the most critically acclaimed games in the last 3 or so decades. 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment