Max Payne:  Remedy Entertainment

Review by:  Frag-girlie and Luckee

Date: 8.01.01

PUBLISHER:
Gathering of Developers http://www.godgames.com

DEVELOPER:
Remedy Entertainment  http://www.remedy.fi/remedy/index.html

HOME PAGE:
http://www.maxpayne.com

Minimum (minimum graphical detail)
Windows 95/98/2000/ME
450 MHz Intel Pentium II Processor (or compatible)
96 MB RAM
16 MB Direct3D Compatible Graphics Card

Recommended (medium graphical detail)
Windows 95/98/2000/ME
700 MHz Intel Pentium III Processor (or compatible)
128 MB RAM
32 MB Direct3D Compatible Graphics Card

Optimal (highest graphical detail)
Windows 95/98/2000/ME
1000 MHz Intel Pentium III Processor (or compatible)
192 MB RAM
64 MB Direct3D Compatible Graphics Card

Intro

The long awaited Max Payne has finally been released. Remedy Entertainment has been working on this glorious project for four years and from the looks of it, it was time well spent. Seems the main focus of the game is to dish out lots of pain. It appears the team spent a lot of effort in the graphical area and it has paid off. It is obvious as we sit and play this game where most of the game's influence came from, movies. Movies like The Matrix, Face-off and Die Hard to name a few. After four long years, Remedy has put together one of the most anticipated 3rd person shooter action game to date, and have mixed in it's extraordinary new powerful 3D engine ta-boot. Let's just see if this game lives up to the hype received around the gaming industry from its movie trailers to screenshots.

Setting

The story takes place in the hood of NYC, and centers on the triumphs and tragedies of one of NY City's finest detectives, Max Payne. As the story unfolds, Max's life gets turned upside down when his wife and baby are brutally murdered by a gang of drug addicts who were attempting to rob his house. He is then framed for the murder and sets out to clear his name. To facilitate this, Max transfers out of the detectives' unit and begins working as an undercover DEA agent to avenge his family's death. His cover is blown, and now not only does he have the underworld gunning for him, but the NYPD as well. Along the way he finds out a lot of secrets about various family incidents that enrage him even more, as the plot thickens. Wow… what is a man to do at this point but bust a cap in some fool?

Gameplay

Gameplay in Max Payne is pretty simple, blow away your enemy, read a few things, watch some cut scenes and make it to the next level… it's as simple as that, although not as easy as it sounds. Especially with the advanced AI you are fighting. What is different with this game is the innovation of the "matrix" style slow motion called bullet time. We can't help but reference the Hollywood movie and the game's similarity to it. It is a pretty cool innovation that we've never seen before in any PC action shooters. With the press of a button, you can slow down time considerably and everything moves in slow motion. This feature is very helpful when diving around corners because it allows you to dodge bullets that are flying by your head, to take aim and kill the enemy. It is an incredibly cool feature that we might never get tired of seeing.

Graphics

The graphics in Max Payne are flat out splendid. We haven't seen anything like this in a third person or first person shooter to date. The environments in Max Payne are hands down the most gorgeous and realistic we've seen since feasting our eyes on the Medal of Honor: Allied Assault trailers. We hold MOH:AA high on our list as possibly one of the best games ever for realism and graphics, guess that's something we'll see for sure when it's released later this fall. In terms of visuals, Max Payne really rocks on our dual Coppermine 1 GHZ, 512  RAM, Elsa Geforce2 32 mb, Win 2k system.

This game uses high quality animation techniques to turn what would be inanimate polygons into formidable adversaries. The frame rates stay high, the animations are smooth, and the image quality is one of the very best. Remedy Entertainment's Max Payne pushes the boundaries of PC graphics with imaginative, high-resolution multi-texturing and lighting that achieves an immersive mix of realism and a threatening atmosphere.

Max Technology

Max Payne is based on Remedy Entertainment's MAX-FX Technology that provides superior accuracy in graphic rendering and groundbreaking lighting effects. MaxED, the game's level editor, provides an intuitive and easy-to-master way for players to create their own levels.

Developed in cooperation with major industry partners, MAX-FX is fully optimized for all the latest hardware and takes full advantage of hardware features such as T&L. The core of MAX-FX contains a non-compromising, hardware-only 3D rendering engine that supports and is optimized for the latest DX version. MAX-FX consists of various editors and low-level libraries, including built-in particle systems, skeletal animation, photo-realistic radiosity lighting and powerful, exit based visibility optimization, to name just a few. The technology provides an extremely high polygon throughput allowing for more elaborate and realistic environments than ever before. The characters, which use a technology called skeletal animation to make them move realistically, have never looked so real in a game before. The sets, New York City streets buried under snow, practically look like the real thing. We were also very impressed at how fast the game runs. We ran the game at 1024x768 resolution with 32 bit colors and textures as well as every option cranked to the max and the game ran great.

Sound Effects

The sound effects in this game are pretty intense. There is mood music that warns of danger or upcoming action, plenty of cut scenes with gripping dialogue and information, and the oh so chilling baby's cries that seem to just echo through Max Payne's head and empty hallways of his house. Each of the weapons has a unique sound when fired and the clips and shell casings are all represented as well, clinking and clanking as they hit the floor and walls. It seems all the bases are covered with regard to sound. Every detail was included, from being able to hear a helicopter's blades whipping around or the water running in that faucet you just turned on. The explosions are powerful and detailed, right down to the crackling fiery aftermath.

Multiplayer

At time of the game's release, Remedy Entertainment hadn't stated whether or not they would implement a patch that would include a multiplayer or co-op game option. But most gamers would agree that it is definitely an option we want to see.

Final Thoughts

In our opinion Max Payne has the makings for game of the year. This game is splendid in every way with its stunning graphics and special effects, bullet time feature, pyrotechnics and other new enhancements. It has a wow factor of 10 that never lets you down. The industry has hyped it up and it is deserving of every bit of it. Even after playing through most of the game we were still in awe.

Pros
Graphical realism and astounding special effects
The gripping storyline keeps you interested in the game
Fast paced with lots of action

Cons
No multiplayer or coop support (for now)
A little too short
Some slow load times

We would definitely recommend this to any action game enthusiast. We are awarding this our editor's choice and a rating of 9 out of 10.