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Max Payne Replay Thread - Journey through the night once more
- Thread starter NotTheGuyYouKill
- Start date
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
hate for mp1 itt makes me a sad panda. the game was actually pretty far ahead of it's time with the revolving save slots and the slightly rebounding health meter. you never get stuck in an unwinnable situation because a single graze will kill you and you're out of painkillers.
i played through it twice in a row this past week. so much fun
Yeah, I don't get it either. Both myself and a friend had a blast rolling through it overly roughly three days.
Is Max Payne 2 any more varied than Max Payne 1?
I wrapped up Part 2 last night after months of brief sessions with the game and I'm pretty much ready to call it quits because, as great as the shooting controls are, it never changes anything up. How does MP2 stand in that respect?
I wrapped up Part 2 last night after months of brief sessions with the game and I'm pretty much ready to call it quits because, as great as the shooting controls are, it never changes anything up. How does MP2 stand in that respect?
DeathGlobe
Member
I never played this series on pc. But today I got part one and I'm playing it with Kung fu mod I must say it is alot of fun
BlazeHedgehog
Member
Max Payne 1 is definitely an unforgiving mistress. If you aren't on top of the quick-save situation, you could lose 15+ minutes of progress in the blink of an eye. That really, really sucks. It's also one of those games from that era in PC gaming where you are expected to inch forward and quick-save after every room.
From the three or so hours I've put in to Max 2, it's a lot more forgiving. Painkillers heal for more, they heal you up to full faster (the healing effect was much slower in Max 1), and you're provided with a lot more pills in general.
I like Max Payne 1 a lot more, s far. It feels a little goofier, none the least because of Sam Lake in all of the photos, mugging for the camera. Max 2 is grittier, more serious, etc. You feel Rockstar's influence a lot more.
PjotrStroganov
Member
It's more Matrix-like than part 1. Better animation. And the slow mo meter recharges. Which cheapens the game.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
Maybe I just played so many quick save games back in the day that I never lost the habit and it doesn't bother me.
I just adore the ton of the game and the gunplay and I just find it so weird that people are collapsing midway through in a replay thread.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
I don't know about that. Nothing is 'unwinnable', but the game is excessive quick save/load heavy in design, and to me that is outdated. Random close range shotgun ambushes and aim hack enemy accuracy does not make for a fun game, to me. I've seriously lost count of the amount of times I've blasted a guy point black with a shotgun, and he lives, while I'll get one-hit-killed with still 50%+ of my health remaining from a guy with a shotgun on the other side of the room.
I love the sound, feel and weight of every weapon, as well as the feel of impacts. The fast gunfights and ballistics simulation was ahead of its time too, and gives the game a unique flair. But fuck surprise ambushes and grenades. Too often the encounters seem hinged on memorising enemy placement (hence quick save/load) and surprising you with cheap, near instant kill surprises that give you half a second to respond.
I feel it's the kind of game that plays better when you're very familiar with level layouts and encounters. When you have that automatic one-up on the opponents due to remembering roughly how encounters play out. That and the little presentation touches, and attention to detail on manic gunplay.
Otherwise the whole game feels incredibly outdated to me, and does almost nothing on a mechanical level that hasn't been significantly bested by numerous games since. It has aged and turned to vinegar.
AgentOtaku
Member
amen
By unwinnable I meant getting stuck with 1 hit point left and an army of enemies between you and the next health stash. It's not impossible but highly unlikely anyone will be able to make it through without a ridiculous level of trial and error and save state abuse. MP1 prevents this by always letting you recover a certain amount.
And yeah, it's a fair criticism that the ambush-heavy level design is dated, so to speak, in the sense that it's not something that people do anymore, but honestly it's never really hurt my enjoyment of the game. If you get in the habit of tapping the quick save key right after you clear a group of enemies or before you enter a new room you won't have any problems. I don't see it as any more of an inconvenience than modern games asking me to sit behind cover for 10 seconds waiting for my health to come back, and once you die the first time to a shotgun ambush or errant grenade, you really shouldn't have any problems when you know where it's coming from.
Also if you're not killing guys in one hit with the shotgun you're not hitting them in the head.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Love this shot at the end of MP2. Max smiling, like he actually came to terms with his past.
The existence of MP3 kind of ruins that, though.
Not necessarily. He has come to terms with his past... but that doesn't mean the end of all his problems.
From what I can tell, the plot of MP3 has nothing to do with Max's past (with the exception of the flashback sequences I guess, but do we know if those take place after the events of MP2 or before?), from Wiki:
It seems like Max Payne is one of those characters who deals with the classic film and literary trope of never being able to fully escape his past (given the events on the first two games and the shear number of people Max kills, it's not all that surprising that violence follows him wherever he goes).
SafeinSound
Member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfEXa_6JDK0
Max Payne 3 commercial. I must admit, it got me hyped. Dug the music.
Max Payne 3 commercial. I must admit, it got me hyped. Dug the music.
That's pretty good. Want to finish the Witcher 2 so I can dig into this. Bald Max still kinda is 'ehhh' to me but I was digging all the slow-mo.
Anyone know the song?
Ugh, for some reason my saves are making the game crash.
Any chance someone have a save from chapter 3 part 2?
edit: Max Payne 2 btw.
Anyone?
Chapters 1 or 2 will do too.
The first game has certainly aged, but I'm still enjoying it a lot. Not just for the story and atmosphere, but mechanically as well. I'm definitely quick saving like a mother fucker, but I guess I'm just easy to please. Diving into a room and taking out 4 dudes in a matter of seconds never gets old for me.
Original track by HEALTH from the game's soundtrack (which the band is composing).
Good deal, thanks bud.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
It's called 'Tears' by HEALTH. It'll be on the Max Payne 3 soundtrack.
After finishing the first game for the third time in ten years, I'm about two hours into the second title. I'm not one to replay titles- my love and appreciation for a game has an unshakable relationship with my first run through. I'm always worried about changing my perception of a game, because of technical advancements, better game mechanics and an evolution of gaming.
That being said, playing the first game was a real nostalgic treat. My third (ever) run, was a bullet time ballet mixed with this awkward feeling that I had gotten much older. It's weird remembering certain panels by heart, employing the same strategies to take down specific enemy encounters and re-living some of that bliss. I felt like I couldn't even properly analyze the game's shortcomings because it had been remembered as one of my favorite titles ever.
Playing through MP2 makes me pine for a drunken flashback sequence in the next game with Mona Sax. I can dream right?
That being said, playing the first game was a real nostalgic treat. My third (ever) run, was a bullet time ballet mixed with this awkward feeling that I had gotten much older. It's weird remembering certain panels by heart, employing the same strategies to take down specific enemy encounters and re-living some of that bliss. I felt like I couldn't even properly analyze the game's shortcomings because it had been remembered as one of my favorite titles ever.
Playing through MP2 makes me pine for a drunken flashback sequence in the next game with Mona Sax. I can dream right?
Lmao. Shit is hilarious.
And then it just keeps switching between the two characters' faces with the cheesy music :lol
LabouredSubterfuge
Member
I've finished my playthroughs of MP1 and MP2 and I have to say I prefer the story and the writing of MP1.
Cool, I did that and it worked but... how do I choose the difficulty setting when I select a level? The game doesn't ask me to...
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
I don't like the "take cover and regenerate health" mechanic either, but for different reasons. Not having a problem with encounters after you've died isn't good game design in my opinion, not in a game like Max Payne, as it makes for tediously heavy quick save/load level progression which to me makes the game seem more like work than an actual challenge or fun.
Anyway, I grit my teeth and pushed through to the finish. Got myself into a more focused quick save/load pattern, and knew I didn't have all that long left. At times I loved it, and at others I fucking hated it. As a whole though I stand by my original assertion: lots of good stuff there, but an extremely dated game that has aged pretty badly. In a way the playthrough was sobering, as it made me appreciate the extra care put put towards encounters in many shooters since, and that shit one-hit-kill ambushes and trial-and-error design has become a relic of the past. I'll never play through Max Payne ever again. This chapter is closed.
I wouldn't say my memory of Max Payne has been tarnished though. I loved it when I first played through it, and I hugely appreciate what it did for it's time. And, as said, there's still some great stuff among the crap. It has a unique style and presentation that I fear I'm going to miss from Max Payne 3, and even the botchy encounters cannot take away from what are exciting, visceral shoot outs that you really don't find in many games. It's good gun porn, that's to be sure.
I'll move on to Max Payne 2 later tonight. I said it in other threads, but Max Payne 3 is the kind of game I'm excited for simply because I know I'm going to enjoy it. Actually looking at Rockstar's media, I have a ton of reservations and concerns that I wont be able to accurately gauge until I'm playing the damn thing. I hope Rockstar deliver an authentic Max Payne experience, and I don't just mean slow motion bullet time.
You will likely have your share of frustration with Max Payne 2 too, since it relies on the same design. Though since everything else is much better/refined in MP2, you'll probably find the experience more palatable.
Personally, after so many cover based shooters, I find the Max Payne experience really refreshing. The gunplay is incredibly satisfying, especially in Max Payne 2. I do agree that the quick save/load mechanic is very much dated, but it hasn't bothered me too much.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Address Unknown in the second game is great too, especially seeing Sam Lake as the protagonist looking all paranoid and going crazier and crazier over the course of the game.
Finished up MP today, that game gets real hard towards the end and I had to look up a faq to complete the final section but I still really enjoyed my time with it. I started MP2 and all I can say is wow, its one hell of an improvement, favourites being the separation of bullet time and dive into two buttons and the fact that Max will lie on the floor after a dive as long as you keep firing. Also, dual wielding Desert Eagles? Max must have wrists of concrete.
you can do that in the original. check options.
Dries
Member
Last time I'll ask, but I'm getting sick of playing as stretched-out Max. So, can anyone help me on this one?
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
There should be an option in CCC for resolutions and custom resolutions and just add that resolution. You may also have to check off a maintain aspect ratio box.
also, you may have to turn off AA if it crashes all the time.
Dries
Member
Yeah, I was thinking this too, but I can't find it.. Doesn't help that my CCC is in Dutch, so it's not really easy to find anything on Google either.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
I'm on Nvidia so I can't really get specific, but I do remember it being possible when I had a 5850 a year or so ago.
PjotrStroganov
Member
Finished Max Payne 2. Liked it alot more than part 1. It does become clear that max is a bit of a tool.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
On the final stretch of Max Payne 2.
On a mechanical level, it's leagues ahead of the original. Shooting feels a lot nicer, though regenerating bullet time cheapens the game a bit. You can definitely see how Remedy learned from their mistakes in Max Payne. The game has basically no cheap surprises or random grenades. You're given greater breathing room to react to projectiles, and Max moves more fluid than he did in the original.
That being said, the atmosphere of the original is still more preferable. I quite like the black romance plot of Max Payne 2, but it spends too long in dull areas (eg: construction yard), whereas Max Payne was pretty quick at moving from location to location.
MP2 has done a good job of reinvigorated my hype for Max Payne 2, given that the shooting in that will surely feel more like this than the original. I just hope MP3 retains the dark, over dramatic mood of MP/MP2, and isn't too 'thuggy'.
On a mechanical level, it's leagues ahead of the original. Shooting feels a lot nicer, though regenerating bullet time cheapens the game a bit. You can definitely see how Remedy learned from their mistakes in Max Payne. The game has basically no cheap surprises or random grenades. You're given greater breathing room to react to projectiles, and Max moves more fluid than he did in the original.
That being said, the atmosphere of the original is still more preferable. I quite like the black romance plot of Max Payne 2, but it spends too long in dull areas (eg: construction yard), whereas Max Payne was pretty quick at moving from location to location.
MP2 has done a good job of reinvigorated my hype for Max Payne 2, given that the shooting in that will surely feel more like this than the original. I just hope MP3 retains the dark, over dramatic mood of MP/MP2, and isn't too 'thuggy'.
DeathGlobe
Member
Did anyone have trouble getting max payne 2 working on windows 7 64bit? My disc copy would not work so I had to use a method I wasnt proud of to get it to work.
LightofRohan
Member
Yeaa, the most exciting thing about MP3 for me, will be the possibility of a full motion live action Lords and Ladies sequel. All the little Rockstar touches will be neat to play with.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Finished Max Payne 2. Definitely has aged much, much better than the first game, largely due to a better realised combat system and an absence of dumb, cheap encounters. I definitely miss some components of the original Max Payne, and often Max Payne 2 is too easy, but it feels like a tighter experience.
Also, now with both games fresh in my memory, I'm not sure which story I like more. Max Payne has a lot more cheese and silliness, but I also like the 'one man against it all with nothing to lose'. Max Payne 2 is all about his dynamics with Mona, making for more of a tragic noir romance. The narrative was paced a bit better than the original Max Payne. It's more cohesive and less silly. But it's also not quite as interesting in premise and set pieces. Some sections drag a bit too long.
But that final line,
utterly nails the entire two game experience. You really need to experience both games to get the whole picture, and entire story arc of Max. This reminded me of why Rockstar have started a 'new chapter' for Max. Makes sense. After MP2, there's not a lot of loose ends left.
Also, now with both games fresh in my memory, I'm not sure which story I like more. Max Payne has a lot more cheese and silliness, but I also like the 'one man against it all with nothing to lose'. Max Payne 2 is all about his dynamics with Mona, making for more of a tragic noir romance. The narrative was paced a bit better than the original Max Payne. It's more cohesive and less silly. But it's also not quite as interesting in premise and set pieces. Some sections drag a bit too long.
But that final line,
"I had a dream of my wife. She was dead. But it's alright."
I played both games a little bit when they came out back in the day but never finished them. In anticipation of MP3 I'll finally finish them.
I'm currently on the ship part in MP1 and quite like it, although there are a lot of cheap encounters which basically force me to quickload a lot.
On thing bugs the hell out of me though: the stretched image. I tried a lot of resolutions but somehow it always ends up stretched. Also tried the Nvidia driver options but I can't get it to display in 4:3 Help me Gaf, you are my only hope!
I'm currently on the ship part in MP1 and quite like it, although there are a lot of cheap encounters which basically force me to quickload a lot.
On thing bugs the hell out of me though: the stretched image. I tried a lot of resolutions but somehow it always ends up stretched. Also tried the Nvidia driver options but I can't get it to display in 4:3
Help me Gaf, you are my only hope!
Dries
Member
On thing bugs the hell out of me though: the stretched image. I tried a lot of resolutions but soemhow it always ends up stretched. Also tried the Nvidia driver options but I can't get it to display in 4:3
I can't work this out either. I'm still playing as obese Max.
Haha... yeah, loved those.
Awesome avatar btw, Aguirre. Gotta a link to a higher-res version?
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
...unless you finish on DoA difficulty.
Well yeah, but I figure Rockstar isn't taking that ending as canon. And honestly, I think the story ends better without it.
1280x1024 was the only resolution that worked for me.