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Max Payne 3: First Hands-On Impressions [GameStar up, SixthAxis etc Incoming 3/1]

J

Jtrizzy

Member
So are these shots coming from the 360 version? They look good, but some look better for sure. I'm sold on everything about this game, at this point I just want details on the pc version.
 
H

hey_it's_that_dog

benevolent sexism
plagiarize said:
speculating here, but i think it's more a case of the following:

if you spend too long in cover, enemies will 'become more agressive' and press you, where as if you consistantly press enemies in cover, they won't hang around in cover for as long and 'flee' aka fall back. i don't think they'll be fleeing out of the level or anything.

i think it's just something to balance the game for different play styles. if enemies hang around in cover that'd make the game easier for people who constantly flank the enemies in cover, and for people who hang back in cover taking the occasional pot shot out of cover at whatever part of the enemy occasionally leaves cover.

the 'morale' system just seems like a fancy name for 'enemies don't hang around in cover, they react to how you move through the level' to me ;).
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That sounds very plausible. I don't know why I was assuming "retreating" meant the enemies would leave the combat scenario entirely. If it's just a matter of whether they approach or spread out, that makes total sense (and also isn't a particular novel idea).
 
P

plagiarize

Banned
its soo good hearing confirmation that the game has the more traditional health system that the first two had, with the new twist of last man standing. beats hiding behind something waiting for your health to regenerate. i love that the HUD has essentially remained unchanged from Max Payne 1 through to 3 :)
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
plagiarize said:
its soo good hearing confirmation that the game has the more traditional health system that the first two had, with the new twist of last man standing. beats hiding behind something waiting for your health to regenerate. i love that the HUD has essentially remained unchanged from Max Payne 1 through to 3 :)
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Damn straight.
 
F

Fjordson

Member
Digital Trends preview I didn't see posted - http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/max-payne-3-hands-on-preview/

Really excited to read all of these. Sounds like the game is playing well.

I'm also slightly surprised at how many of these previews seem to enjoy everything R* is doing as far as the motion comic cutscenes and the overall cinematic flair to the game. I figured they would just be like your average cutscene split into panels, nothing too special, but a lot of these previews make it seem like they're genuinely interesting.

Also read in one of these how the writer felt that the music really added to the tense scene in the stadium with Passos. I'm betting the soundtrack is gonna be real good.
 
Simo

Simo

Member
Fjordson said:
Digital Trends preview I didn't see posted - http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/max-payne-3-hands-on-preview/

Really excited to read all of these. Sounds like the game is playing well.

I'm also slightly surprised at how many of these previews seem to enjoy everything R* is doing as far as the motion comic cutscenes and the overall cinematic flair to the game. I figured they would just be like your average cutscene split into panels, nothing too special, but a lot of these previews make it seem like they're genuinely interesting.

Also read in one of these how the writer felt that the music really added to the tense scene in the stadium with Passos. I'm betting the soundtrack is gonna be real good.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I also liked how they keep mentioning the loading times or lack of, especially when the game transitioned and moved from Sao Paulo to New York with Max remaining the same but the backgrounds and environments changing and without no loading or hiccup.

Previews were really satisfying, and reassuring. Again, everything Rockstar has said and shown looks great but it was reading some actual hands-on impressions I was looking for and how the game plays and controls. It's nice some of the previews mention the control layout for the 360 version since it'll be my system of choice and it sounds like the layout is nearly the same as Red Dead, with the exception that cover is now located to X instead of the Right Bumper. I gather B is reload and Y is pick up dropped weapons, I wonder if the D-Pad is used for the painkillers?
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
Simo said:
Ditto. I also liked how they keep mentioning the loading times or lack of, especially when the game transitioned and moved from Sao Paulo to New York with Max remaining the same but the backgrounds and environments changing and without no loading or hiccup.

Previews were really satisfying, and reassuring. Again, everything Rockstar has said and shown looks great but it was reading some actual hands-on impressions I was looking for and how the game plays and controls. It's nice some of the previews mention the control layout for the 360 version since it'll be my system of choice and it sounds like the layout is nearly the same as Red Dead, with the exception that cover is now located to X instead of the Right Bumper. I gather B is reload and Y is pick up dropped weapons, I wonder if the D-Pad is used for the painkillers?
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Most likely. It makes the most sense. I hope these previews reassure the naysayers (though I doubt it until they play it themselves).

Man on Fire was a great movie, so the subtitle influence from that is neat.
 
Simo

Simo

Member
The New York Post - 360 version Impressions

That one is a pretty good read too and highly positive. Lots of information, like when the final Bullet-Cam activates you can slow time down even more to full soak in the final death by holding A or just continue to pump lead into the guy until he hits the ground.

How does everyone feel about the 3 different aiming modes? Obviously my choice will be the Free Aim option but I wonder, are they going to make that the default and unchangeable in Multiplayer? Seems like they would but I know for Red Dead that had to make different servers for Regular and "Hardcore" players to please everybody.
 
Simo

Simo

Member
NotTheGuyYouKill said:
I hope Free Aim is default, that's how the previous two games were played, and it's probably the best way to play.
Click to expand...

Yeah it is.

Here's a preview from Australian gaming outlet GameArena and it's probably the best one yet!
GameArena
I came in from the heat and the light. Outside, the city was a cruel monster. I'd slowly made my way to my desk, still tracking down a way to get my hands on the game. I can't name my sources in Rockstar - for their own protection - but they were the only ones who were going to get me in front of Max Payne 3.

The phone rang. It was them. Something urgent had come up, and I needed to meet them at their offices. I hadn't had a face to face with them since my first chance to cover it.

Outside the mercury was climbing fast. It was hotter than the Devil's balls, sunlight beating down as if the heavens were on fire. Everyone was running for shade like there was no tomorrow. Things only got better when I arrived at their offices. The feeling hit me like a strong shot in my guts. Something was very right about this.

The intercom buzzed when I pressed it, but the man from Rockstar was already downstairs. Our usual greeting dance followed - the chit-chat, the NDA-signing, the drink-getting. In the next room I could hear the soft piano tinkle of the Max Payne 3 menu screen.
Click to expand...

Yes the whole preview is written like that. lol
 
F

Fjordson

Member
I'll definitely be going free aim. Red Dead's combat was a lot of fun without any sort of lock on, and this obviously looks even better, so it should be good.

Guerrillas in the Mist said:
Rock Paper Shotgun hands-on - PC version

It does claim there are too many cutscenes, especially small ones in-between firefights, but it's otherwise very positive.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I think the overall style they're going for sounds cool, but hopefully the frequency of the mini cutscenes in that section isn't constant throughout the entire game. I can see that getting annoying over time.
 
Dacon

Dacon

Banned
iC6t5ywEPQJVb.jpg


Goddamn Max what did Captain Price ever do to you
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
Simo said:
You know, you're going to have to write all of the OP just like that. Just sayin'...
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tumblr_lkbigeRDeO1qdo7yb.png


I look forward to it

RustyNails said:
Who are you gonna play most of the game as, bald payne or hair payne?
Click to expand...

Hair Paynes:

New York Max
Yellow Shirt Max
Collateral Max
Spec Ops Max

Bald Paynes:

Hawaiian Shirt Max
Wifebeater Max

Probably Hair Payne mostly. Bald Payne shows up in the final act, I assume. I'm leaning to Hair Payne mostly until he goes nuts.
 
Simo

Simo

Member
RustyNails said:
Who are you gonna play most of the game as, bald payne or hair payne?
Click to expand...

Seems 50/50. There's a lot of levels we've seen in Sao Paulo of "hair payne" like when Fabiana is kidnapped, the football stadium, the docks and the big office shootout. Plus you've got the various flashbacks to New York.

A couple of more previews that were a good read, coming from OXM UK and PC Gamer:
http://www.oxm.co.uk/39352/previews/max-payne-3-the-perfect-antidote-to-shooter-fatigue/?page=1
http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/03/02/max-payne-3-preview-2/
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
I'm a bit concerned with what these "control is gently taken away" cutscenes, and "no loading" means for repeat paythroughs of the game. I really hope we aren't stuck watching unskippable background loading cutscenes, or long stretches of "in-gameplay cutscenes" if we don't want to.
 
I

iratA

Member
ahaha ok

*walks off slowly into the sunset with his head hung*

I didn't know the name of their engine....for shame :(
 
F

Fjordson

Member
GTA fans know who Lazlow is, and he has a pretty great interview about his trip to Sau Paulo for work on MP 3. From the Opie and Anthony show.

Lazlow starts his story about how he was advised that he and the other producers on the trip would need a bulletproof car in Sao Paulo because they would have $10,000 on them. He then continues that a security consultant sent him a picture of their driver when setting up the trip because kidnapping is a problem in Sao Paulo. Right before he leaves, the security consultant says that the driver has been changed causing a major safety concern. When he finally makes it to Sao Paulo, he immediately noticed that the car has the thick bulletproof glass, and then is told by the driver that the undercarriage of the car is reinforced to prevent his legs from being blown off if there’s a bomb in the road.

The first stop in the city for Lazlow is a bank where he can exchange currency. It’s there where he’s introduced to the bank's unique metal detector that’s built-in to the revolving door, forcing him to remove all of his metal while stuck in the door. Things get scary when Lazlow is approached by a bank employee that says “There’s a man outside looking for two Americans.” He then finds out that the man was his driver who was worried that they were taking too long for the exchange. After that escapade, Lazlow was on his own to travel the city in a Ford Focus, but he made sure to keep a low profile.

When asked by comedian Jim Norton on whether he visited one of the local favelas, which are shanty towns rife with crime, Lazlow said he didn’t but other game producers did so that they could take some pictures that would be used to create a virtual version of the favela in the game. In order to do so, the producers had to pay local gangs to give them access.
Click to expand...

MP 3 talk from the show.

With every new Rockstar game, I always think how funny it is that Lazlow went from taking calls on Chatterbox to a full on producer for R*
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
Fjordson said:
GTA fans know who Lazlow is, and he has a pretty great interview about his trip to Sau Paulo for work on MP 3. From the Opie and Anthony show.



MP 3 talk from the show.

With every new Rockstar game, I always think how funny it is that Lazlow went from taking calls on Chatterbox to a full on producer for R*
Click to expand...

That's pretty neat.

It's good to know he risks kidnapping for the art. For GTA5, they need to make him rob a bank so he can report on how hostages sound.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
When asked by comedian Jim Norton on whether he visited one of the local favelas, which are shanty towns rife with crime, Lazlow said he didn’t but other game producers did so that they could take some pictures that would be used to create a virtual version of the favela in the game. In order to do so, the producers had to pay local gangs to give them access.
Click to expand...

Amazing. R*'s attention to detail is second-to-none.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Not developing a making-of documentary from the research trips to Brazil is seeming more and more like a huge missed opportunity. I'm sure it would've been very interesting.
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
JaseC said:
Not developing a making-of documentary from the research trips to Brazil is seeming more and more like a huge missed opportunity. I'm sure it would've been very interesting.
Click to expand...

Agreed. There's so much awesome documentary stuff they could show. Someone should e-mail Rockstar Mouth-Off and ask about it.
 
L

lfvgt

Neo Member
As a brazilian I'm pretty disappointed about the São Paulo shown so far on the trailers. Everything is generic; there are no real landmarks being shown. I know R* can't (or doesn't want to) recreate the city very well like they do in GTA games, but so far it looks pretty lazy. There are also some translation issues, but I guess I can only blame the brazilian company they hired to do that.
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
lfvgt said:
As a brazilian I'm pretty disappointed about the São Paulo shown so far on the trailers. Everything is generic; there are no real landmarks being shown. I know R* can't (or doesn't want to) recreate the city very well like they do in GTA games, but so far it looks pretty lazy. There are also some translation issues, but I guess I can only blame the brazilian company they hired to do that.
Click to expand...

Like, what landmarks? We've only seen some office buildings, a club, docks, and some favelas.
 
I

IC_Champion

Member
lfvgt said:
As a brazilian I'm pretty disappointed about the São Paulo shown so far on the trailers. Everything is generic; there are no real landmarks being shown. I know R* can't (or doesn't want to) recreate the city very well like they do in GTA games, but so far it looks pretty lazy. There are also some translation issues, but I guess I can only blame the brazilian company they hired to do that.
Click to expand...

lfvgt said:
As a brazilian I'm pretty disappointed about the São Paulo shown so far on the trailers. Everything is generic; there are no real landmarks being shown. I know R* can't (or doesn't want to) recreate the city very well like they do in GTA games, but so far it looks pretty lazy. There are also some translation issues, but I guess I can only blame the brazilian company they hired to do that.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it's too early to show any landmarks yet.

Although, I would like to see the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo, and the Sao Paulo Cathedral.
 
Simo

Simo

Member
NotTheGuyYouKill said:
Agreed. There's so much awesome documentary stuff they could show. Someone should e-mail Rockstar Mouth-Off and ask about it.
Click to expand...

That was an awesome listen and reminded me that didn't Michael Mann have to do something similar for Miami Vice? I'll have to bust out the Blu-Ray soon but I recall Mann and crew had to get "permission" from local gangs in South America when they took off down there to scout for the movie shoot.

I've asked Rockstar before about their documentary stuff but for now they'll just be posting their research reports where they've already posted 2 parts.

The Telegraph has a preview up now including a new screenshot:
MP3exc_2158308b.jpg

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...ews/9123019/Max-Payne-3-hands-on-preview.html

Rockstar is now promoting GameStop's offer of entering for your chance to get your name immortalized on a tombstone on the preorder cemetery map:
maxpayne3_gamestoptombstone.jpg

Your name. Forever etched on a tombstone. This May.
It's a prize that would certainly freak the hell out of you in real life - but a bona fide treat in the world of Max Payne 3 online multiplayer, as part of the "Be Caught Dead in Max Payne 3" promotion currently running with GameStop.

Through March 11th, GameStop is offering fans the chance to have their names digitally immortalized - engraved on tombstones in the Cemetery Multiplayer Map for Max Payne 3. The map, which anyone who pre-orders from GameStop will get early access to, will forever contain your name.

From now through March 6th
Go to www.facebook.com/GameStop and enter the sweepstakes.

From March 6th through March 11th
Go to www.facebook.com/GameStop to watch the Max Payne 3 trailer and answer a trivia question to enter the sweepstakes.

We've also reserved a couple tombstones especially for members of the Rockstar Games Social Club including countries outside of the US, look for more details in the next week or two...
Click to expand...

They mention a trailer for tomorrow but I wonder if it'll be a new one or the second trailer?

Also on the official site this week, Rockstar will be revealing more on the game's soundtrack but they sent a press release out today announcing that L.A band band, HEALTH, will be composing the game score and exclusive songs for the soundtrack:
oday, we’re excited to announce that HEALTH is composing the soundtrack and score for our upcoming action-shooter, Max Payne 3. In addition to composing the dynamic in-game score, HEALTH will be creating exclusive songs for the game’s soundtrack.

HEALTH brought a distinct energy and atmosphere to the game that perfectly fits Max’s dark story.
Click to expand...

Hm..I'm not familiar with them at all and it was their music in the second trailer. I wonder what happened to Pedro Bromfman....? Either way, I've liked the trailer score and the music we've heard thus far in the other videos.

The official site also mentioned interviews coming with James McCaffrey and that they're working on the next Design & Tech video.
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
New wallpaper!

maxpayne3_maxartwork9_640x400.jpg


Full sizes are up at official site

http://www.rockstargames.com/maxpayne3/downloads

Never heard of Health... I am curious about what happened to the Elite Squad dude. lol @ these Health dudes just taking over Jackson's studio.

Good to hear that McCaffrey will be doing an interview though!

I'm pretty pumped for the soundtrack, Rockstar always does a great job in that area. RDR's soundtrack was fantastic, and LAN's is pretty sublime (one of its few redeeming qualities). Those two were rooted in their eras, so I'm really interested in MP3's modern soundtrack. Been reading about HEALTH, an experimental noise rock band. That sounds pretty awesome.
 
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