Max Payne 3 [Essentials] - Boxed - PS3

Max Payne 3 is the third main instalment in the series and takes place several years after the events of the previous games. After working as a DEA agent and detective with the New York City Police Department, protagonist Max Payne moves from Hoboken, New Jersey, to São Paulo, Brazil. Looking for a new life and to leave his past behind, he works in private security for Rodrigo Branco. When Branco's wife Fabiana is kidnapped by a street gang during a rooftop party, Payne sets out to rescue her, but events quickly spiral out of control. He still drinks heavily, and although the drawn comic panels are gone, the cutscenes still retain the panel look, driving the story forward via the in-game engine with the series' signature inner-dialogue voiceover and film noir elements. Halfway through the game, Payne also swaps his trademark suit or trench coat for a bearded, short-haired look with a shirt. Compared to its predecessor, and due to the setting, the visuals are also often much brighter.

The game plays as a third-person shooter, in which Payne is often overwhelmed by enemies. To survive, the series' signature bullet-time mechanic is essential. When activated, time slows down and he can jump, dodge, shoot and target multiple enemies in sequence to take them out. Its duration is determined by a bar on the right side, which takes some time to refill. If Max ends up lying on the ground after a jump, he stays in that position and can quickly shoot in any direction. Defeated enemies drop weapons that can be swapped or emptied for extra ammo. Multiple weapons can be picked up, and a radial menu lets you quickly switch between them. Payne is also able to dual-wield pistols, and uses shotguns and automatic weapons. Gameplay includes a cover mechanic, letting you take cover near practically any object. From this safe position, you can aim and shoot, or pop out. To survive, cover must be used constantly, and specific body parts, such as headshots, are often required to take down enemies quickly. Health is shown via an outlined figure on the right side. When Max is shot, it fills up red. To avoid dying, he must pick up and swallow painkillers, which are available in small supplies.

Certain objects in the environment can be examined for clues, and flashing buttons can be shot to open doors and gates. For a cinematic effect, there's a bullet cam that follows the projectile until it hits its target. The player can manually slow down and rotate the camera before continuing to shoot. Not the entire story is told in chronological order. Some parts play out as flashbacks, and alongside locations such as restaurants, clubs, rooftops, docks, hotels and the favelas, there are also sequences in which Max shoots from a helicopter or a boat travelling along a river. Cutscenes often blend seamlessly into gameplay. Alongside the main objectives, shooting style is rewarded through grind achievements, and golden weapon parts can optionally be collected to assemble sets. The main scenario is supplemented by an Arcade Mode and the New York Minute mode, which unlocks after completing the game once.

Completely new to the series is the multiplayer mode. Alongside regular deathmatch games, there's a Gang Wars team mode, which is about gaining experience, using perks, defining your own loadouts, and so on. The games include variants of capture-and-hold and capture-the-flag. It also includes the bullet-time mechanic, where activation affects every enemy in the character's line of sight. Crews created within Rockstar's Social Club environment can be carried over to other games. More