70%PC

I enjoyed it.

95%PC

One of really good game with original gameplay

100%PC

The game where rain is best.

75%PC

I had a lot of fun with this. There are a lot of really great level design decisions here. My only criticisms are the inconsistent weapon damage and those unchoreographed scripted moments like a grenade down the stairs while rounding a corner or a door blasting off the hinge into you. Thankfully, save states made them bearable.

95%PC

It's 2012, and I'm still impressed.

Good

- Great story. Max Payne is on a journey to take a down a big hierarchy starting from the bottom.

- Very fun gameplay. Bullet-time ability is well implemented.

- Intuitive shootdodge mechanics. There is this one part where you have no ammo, and enemies are right around the corner. What you have to do is jump out in matrix style, grab the pistol, and shoot them, all in one action. It is very epic.

- Reasonable difficulty

- Good placement of cover objects

- Interesting graphic comic cutscenes

- Good voice acting

- Intense and poetically dark dialogue

- Good graphics for its time

- Interesting characters

- Nice array of weapons

- Good replay value with additional difficulty and a time attack mode

Bad

- Nothing

60%PC

it was pretty good, but it was simply a tough act to follow after F.E.A.R. and the XP expansion. It's clear why this has a cult following, and I really enjoyed the narration style.

85%PC

Audio-visual: 7 Gameplay: 8 Story: 8 Enjoyment: 8

100%PC

True masterpiece game from Finland developers. Rare to give 10/10 for a game.

85%Xbox

Max Payne is a classic for a reason. The storytelling that developer Remedy would come to be known for is all here, and somehow the game feels both ahead of its time and old school. It has a style that few if any games of its era can match, while holding on to some of the core gameplay elements of time gone by (the 3D platforming sections in particular, along with a puzzle involving a sort of mine cart).

For the most part it holds up gameplay wise and story wise, and today it’s still worth a play through for any action game or shooter fan.

90%PC

Remedyn klassikko. Hyvä tunnelma ja diggailin välipätkien toteutuksesta sarjakuvastrippien muodossa. Ääksöni maustettuna Matrixista pöllityillä hidastuksilla tekevät tämän pelin. Räiskintä tuntuu melkein liiankin hyvältä! Tähän tulee pienenä miinuksena pelin semi vammainen liukuva vaikeusaste, jossa viholliset muuttuvat sitä vaikeammaksi mitä pidempään olet kuolematta. Tämä johtaa siihen, että viholliset muuttuvat ennen pitkää kirjaimellisesti mahdottomiksi, kunnen kuoleman johdosta vaikeusaste palautuu normaalimmaksi.

70%Game Boy Advance

A good port of a good game. Everything is recreated with love and trembling, down to the last detail. But of course, it couldn't be without cons. First of all, I would like to note the sound - it is bad, you don't need to have a musical sense to understand how much the dialogs are overcompressed. The controls are fine, but in some moments it makes you wonder if the developers tested the game, it is especially noticeable on the sections with platforming and fire - a real torture. And, of course, as in the original there is unfair AI - opponents shoot at you from the first second of visual contact and almost from three kilometers away, even when you can't physically see them, especially cool to run into a new room and immediately lose half of your health. Nevertheless, the port is cool, I highly recommend at least to try it out

60%PC

To get the game running without issues I had to do 2 things:

1. Download the installer from here that fixes the major audio and start up issues, as well as a few other smaller ones. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1633394421&insideModal=0

2. Limit the FPS to around 59.7 using your preferred method, I used nvidia inspector. For detailed help, click the below guide and see the "Frame Limiting" section. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=815417355

80%PC

You will have to patch and tweak Max Payne to get it to play nice on modern hardware, but it's definitely worth it. Remedy produced a classic here and introduced the concept of bullet time to video games.

It's a fantastic third-person shooter, even today. Take Max, a fugitive undercover cop framed for murder, through the criminal underworld of New York as he tries to uncover the mystery of what happened to his slain family.

30%PlayStation 2

this game is not fun

90%PC

JUEGAZO, REPITO JUEGAZO

Historia increible, llena de plot twists y aunque tenga personajes que desaparecan y aparezcan almenos hacen bien el trabajo... con cinematicas estilo comic muy bien hechas.

Gameplay, Buenisimo El bullet time se siente increible y realista con el shootdodge que te hace casi-invencible se siente increible GODDD
Lo unico malo es la dificultad adaptativa que aveces te jode y tenes que hacer quicksave todo el rato, pero tiene sentido ya que el Prota se llama Max Payne osea Max Pain/Maximo dolor, para que te sientas dentro del viaje cosa que añade mas puntos....

Graficos y interaccion? Buenardos para la epoca y sobre todo la cara de Sam Lake en Max Payne no dejara de dar risa

En fin, Una obra maestra, la unica razon por la que no le doy un 10 es porque tiene un autosave asqueroso (te deja al principio del nivel) y por los detalles de la dificultad adaptativa jodiendo

De resto GODDD EL REMAKE QUE SE VIENE VA A SER GODDD

40%PC

Does not stand up after many years, the entire gameplay loop can be summarised as simply rolling dice on the enemy dying to a point blank shotgun headshot or not.
The entire time I was playing I just wanted to move on and play the sequel instead which I have much fonder memories of, hopefully it does stand up to my memories unlike this game.

100%PC

"I Might Have Laughed, If I Had Remembered How"

85%PC

Unreasonable hard at times when a single guy with a shotgun can graze you and deal 85% of your health followed by 20 dudes unable to land a single bullet on you. Stroy is good, combat is varied and engaging with a large arsenal of unique weapons you never feel like you have the wrong weapon for any fight.

70%PC

The first Max Payne game is kind of a cult game, but what it was loved for remains a mystery to me. The game tries hard to be "movie-like". There's cool production, noir-inspired art design, the overall grim tone of the story, etc. Except that behind a lot of that makeup is a very crude gameplay backbone, which gets really annoying towards the end of the game. Max Payne is simply unpleasant to play, it's clumsy, it's non-obvious and illogical. Bullets arrive almost a second after the shot, during slo-mo (which here, by the way, something like a crown jewel) you have time to shoot only a couple of times, enemies die with one bullet in the body, they do not die with several in the head. Apparently to please the "cinematic" opponents do not just stand/walk, they jump out at you from around the corner, which may not be such a bad idea, if it were not for the frequency of use of this "technique". Every other enemy appears unexpectedly and instantly takes off half of your health. Instead of a smooth crime story, we get a "quick save/quick load" simulator. The game does have some positive aspects, but all of them are overshadowed by the unfair gameplay

Upd. PC gaming... A great example of how useful it can be to question your views after a while. My main complaint with Max Payne, the insane difficulty, turned out to be... a bug. Yes, the dynamic difficulty simply did not work, rather quickly permanently turning into a static maximum. I installed the fix and the game turned completely different colors - the core remained the same, there are still claims to the game, but now you really enjoy the game, the story is interesting again, and the atmosphere makes you speechless. Use pcgamingwiki, kids, if you want to play on PC, or it may turn out that because of some side problems you may miss a great game

80%PC

Had on PS2 originally scared the hell out of me.

95%Mobile

This game is genuinely such a blast and I was in love the whole time. I played the mobile version because the whole installation process on PC felt overwhelming to me, but it still ran super well and I didn't encounter any problems with it at all. The graphic novel cutscenes were such a unique way of storytelling, I thought it was just super cool. The voice acting is hilarious, and the models were just so silly to look at (in a charming way of course). The story was great, the combat was super fun, especially the slo-mo shooting. All the different weapons were fun to play around with. The nightmare segments made me feel slightly uneasy because of how trippy they were. God, everything about it is just amazing. Highly recommend this one

60%Game Boy Advance

Max Payne as you've never seen him before as he dives onto the GBA. Max Payne has always been a stranger to me, I'd heard the rumours sure, the hushed whispers on the forums admiring his deeds and how much he meant to people. I decided to walk right past him and instead get involved with his lesser known shadow on the GBA, an odd relic of his jumbled past, most would say this was a bad call but funny enough that's what me and Max have in common, we live on the edge with nothing to lose.

An isometric POV greeted me as I stepped off the subway train, a little blocky sure but its made seeing the ugly side of the city much easier providing you had the right perspective. Dingy alleyways and rooms were to be my companion for the next 3 hours so I had better make damn well sure that I got used to them, entering the rooms was the easy part, the armed occupants were the real problem. They had no qualms about killing, it was almost like that was all they were programmed to do, my guns did my knocking for me introducing themselves to each rooms occupants with a grim inevitability, they were met by equal force and it hurt like hell. Time seemed to slow down as I dove into each gun fight, bullets whistling by like hail in a storm, this sat well with me and it got my foot in the door even if my aiming seemed hell bent against helping me, like a drunkard wandering the streets on Christmas eve aimlessly my guns felt the same way and often worked against me, maybe this was some omnipotent force's idea of karma? I wasn't sure, but what I do know is I could have done with out it. After each fight when the last whimpering's of pain had ceased and a deathly silence filled the air there was a feeling of strange satisfaction, dealing death should never be a job done by man let alone gaining satisfaction from it but here I was feeling exactly that. I couldn't say the same about the great pillars of flame that blocked my road of revenge at times, they spat and spewed unashamedly looking to make my life a living hell, like agents sent by the devil to claim his due, I'm still unsure how I managed to overcome them but I suppose when a man has a purpose in his life then there's nothing that can stand in his way, not even the fires of hell.

Although this was an abridged telling of Max Payne's story there was a surprising amount of pathos to handle, it wasn't the full package more a leaflet of his gloom but I'm thankful for it, I don't know if I could have handled that much angst. His voice rang in my ears as he narrated the events of his life, a worthy effort I thought even if a little on the crispy side, and the same could be said of the images that flashed in my mind to accompany his monologue, a twisted diagram to his decent into darkness.

Booming in the background A Sound Of Thunder filled the void after finishing Max's tale and an unshakable feeling of deja vu took over me, I had done this before not long ago but this time things were different, better. A grin threatened to form at the corners of my mouth but like so many things in life it wasn't to be.*

*This game is decent and a damn sight better then A Sound Of Thunder, worth a try if you enjoy Max Payne for sure.

70%Xbox

It's fine. The story is cool, the environments are well done, the controls are fluid, the bullet time aged well...
...However, I think the difficult curve is unbalanced (the game isn't "hard" and I think it offers a ideal amount of challenge, but you see an increase in difficulty kinda out of nowhere, the level design is so-so in the final levels, and there's some repetition particularly in the final levels.
Final score: 7.7

90%PC

Gameplay/Combat - (8/10)
Music/Sound - (9/10)
Length - (9.5/10)
Story - (9.5/10)
Ending - (9/10)
Grind/Side Quests - NA
Graphics/Visuals - (9/10)
Controls/Difficulty - (8/10)
Bugs - (7/10)
Satisfaction - (8.5/10)

Overall - (8.6/10)

70%PC

wonderful presentation, voice acting, music, and gunplay. the difficulty spikes severely both at the start of the second and then the final act with little or no relief to be found which can get to be a bit much after a bit. never enough to tank anything fully but the adaptive difficulty definitely shows through with how spongey the enemies can become depending on how you've been doing.

90%PC

Mex Peyn reis be...
Max Pain...

85%PC

There's a lot to love about this game. The overall atmosphere and style was really cool. I like how the cutscenes were in a comic book type format. The gameplay feels extremely smooth, even to this day, and I really enjoyed the combat. It was cool how the world was very interactable also. The ending fight was a little quick, but the rest of the game more than makes up for it.

80%PC

It can take a while to get the game to run properly. I recommend the "FIT IT ALL" patch so it can run in Direct X9 or 13. I ran mine in 13. After that I would recommend using ReShade to vibrant up the colors but it is not necassary for play. I would overall recommend this game for anyone that has ever been interested in visiting some of gaming history. The game still holds up pretty good with its comic book style cutscenes and intense gun fights. This is where bullet time started and its absolutely necassary to use it effectively to be able to beat the game. Expect around a 8+ Hour run, your first time through.

85%Xbox

Rest in Peace James McCaffrey

80%PC

ayy fuhget about itt!!

game holds up really well. shame on PC it is quite a mess without mods. HIGHLY recommend

80%Xbox Series X/S

A game that "Enter the Matrix" wanted to be. Stands the test of time better than I expected. In reality, it's a mix of Matrix movies vibe and Half-Life inspired gameplay (and I mean both as a compliment). Played it on Xbox, by the way.

Pros:
+ You can see how this game became a template for Control. E.g. in brutalist architecture, dream sequences and Finnish actors for all the cast.
+ New York vibe totally works.
+ The grin on Max Payne's (Sam Lake's) face is priceless.
+ Comics!
+ The bullet time is still a decent (if maybe slightly overused mechanic).

Cons:
- No autosaving feels so dated. Why do I need to go to menu to save the game myself?
- The graphics are not as great as I remember them from my childhood :)
- Controls work fine, but you can see how they were retrofitted from PC. The biggest offender was the level when they take away your guns. And the need to scroll though all guns to switch them.
- Some of the sections feel unnecessary long and repetitive.

90%PC

This game has aged well, and is at least as good as I remember. My modern hardware/software disagrees, however. The sound in the Steam version regularly shits its pants. Still solid, though.

95%Xbox

One of the key gaming experiences that got me into the medium as a child. Max Payne may nowadays be rough around the edges, but for a 2001 title, it had so much to offer. A crime-thriller narrative with horror undertones. Fun gunplay. And a badass protagonist. Peeling behind the curtain, Max Payne has even more to say then you think. And for that, it's always regarded as a nostalgic masterpiece for me.

80%Game Boy Advance

Impressive, sometimes I had troubles with the isometric view, but it is a great action packed game. A good demake.

90%PC

I see why this is considered such a classic. The game holds up remarkably well. I love how amateur the story production is, it lends a really strong sense of authenticity. The gameplay is also still a ton of fun. I haven't played a shooter before where you are just as weak or weaker than your enemies, and the fact that you can die at any second from a few bullets makes the combat really challenging and fun.

90%PlayStation 2

9/10

85%PC

16/02/2008
8h00min
86%

70%PC

https://chronosphere.gg/games/max-payne/?review

70%PC

classic third person shooter. story told through comic book panels, unique aesthetically. gunplay starts to feel better the further into it you get.

given that it's 22 years old now though, its age starts to show on PC. the sound would cut out or distort regularly, and i had to limit framerate because i kept getting sucked into walls and couldnt progress properly

90%PC

Проєкт Вальгала, Валькірії, Мона ніби вмера, але жива, Хорн розчавило у гелікоптері, Вотан з одним оком підарас, далі буде.
(ПРОЙШОВ БЕЗ АЧІВКИ)

65%PC

A really good game that has aged well but becomes a challenge to get through towards the end

80%Xbox

This game is truly exceptional, not only for its time but even now it has aged quite well. Surprisingly, it mostly maintains a smooth 60fps, though occasionally dipping to 30 or even 20 (especially in later missions). The movement and gun mechanics feel natural and satisfying. The attention to detail is impressive, allowing interaction with various objects, even those that are seemingly unnecessary, like toilets and vending machines – I love these little touches.

The only minor drawback is a sense of repetitiveness as the missions don't vary much. However, the introduction of new weapons and some innovative ideas, such as the Sniper cargo and elevator mines, help keep the gameplay fresh. Although sniping without slow-motion mode is challenging, overall aiming can be tricky in this game.

The AI isn't particularly intelligent, often resorting to either rushing the player or waiting in place. Quick peeks and patience are crucial to ease through encounters. Unfortunately, this renders grenades almost useless, as enemies are too quick to evade them, even when they are not alert.

As for the story, it follows a simple revenge plot. However, I enjoyed the unique comic-style cutscenes and dream sections, despite their occasionally flawed platforming mechanics. Max Payne's backstory is intriguing and adds depth to the experience.

The game's scenery and art style are captivating, with character models using pictures of real people, creating a distinct and somewhat amusing look. This unique approach also lends a touch of realism, inspiring many popular horror PS1-style games.

The game's difficulty, even on the "easy" setting, can be challenging. Quick and efficient use of the slow-motion mode is crucial, making quick saving an essential ally throughout the game.

One issue I encountered was with the sound. While the dialogue in cutscenes and enemy voices were clear, Max's monologues were too quiet, and during some louder sections in later missions, I couldn't understand what he was saying.

Overall, it's an excellent game that successfully captures the essence of an action-packed Matrix-inspired experience. If you're a fan of great third-person action with a retro vibe, I wholeheartedly recommend this game. I'd give it an 8/10.

80%PC

This game was a blast to go back to.

The gunplay in this game is fantastic. Only gripe is the bullet time in this game doesn't feel that great because most of the time you just get punished for using it since max takes forever to get up and you just end up being a target on the ground. I just ended up not using it near the end of the game.

This game can be a bit difficult and unforgiving once you near the end of it so get ready to save scum if you don't like replaying whole sections of this game.

The story is also pretty interesting. A lot of Norse mythology littered into the game.

The game did have a few glitches but that could possibly be caused by running the game at 60 fps, causing a lot of cutscene animations to mess up.

Overall if you are a fan of action games this has to be on your list. Its super cheap on steam and it spawned many great games after it!

80%PC

Classic

80%PC

Шикарный нуар с гнетущей атмосферой, снежный Нью-Йорк, подворотни и заброшенные стройки с бомжами и все хотят убить Макса. Очень понравился этот шутер от третьего лица где можно в прыжке замедлять время и убивать врагов на стиле и даже с пафосом. Понравилось проработанное окружение. Не понравилось что есть уровни с психически неадекватным состоянием Макса и приходится из этого наркоманового трипа выбираться.

60%PC

I am kinda surprised at how well this 20 year old game has aged. Max Payne, artistically, is still really good. It's the kinda game where the atmosphere and story really get your attention, which for the time unless it was an RPG, kinda impressive. That said, the game play is barely, and i mean barely, up to snuff. I beat this without the community patches that are definitely necessary for this game to really be enjoyed and I barely squeaked by and definitely with my fair share of grievances. Bullet time, while being fun af, was only used in the late-game when the difficulty ramped up and the mechanics are generally just kinda weak. Still I enjoyed it for what it was and can see why people loved it 20 odd years ago. There's a lot to like, and there's a lot to have fun with.

85%PC

Good old classic! works even today!! nice trip for a memory lane....

80%PlayStation 4

Story and atmosphere top notch!!!

PS2 version, altough remastered was too clunky and unessessary hard in third part of game. And no manual save is a crime.

60%PlayStation 2

A cool and somewhat dated game, it's been a while since I played and I don't remember much but I recommend it for old school people. It's a game that had revolutionary mechanics for the time but I see that it has aged very badly, not every child today can play it. I'm glad I managed to clear it.
Game 6/10
History 7/10
Graphics 6/10
gameplay 6/10