Live Magazine September 2014 Volume 9/2014

MAX PAYNE The Max Payne series is a personal favourite of mine, it also happens to be a shining example of a AAA series. In it, players assume the role of disgruntled New York cop Max Payne as he experiences the worst night of his life. Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne both pre sented the game’s story in graphic-novel style sequences with a film noir feel to them. Max himself would narrate the game both ingame and in the cutscenes, and his cynical and gritty perspective was a welcome change from other games at the time. Graphically, Max Payne was very impressive when it was released in 2001. It looked crisp, detailed and featured believable character models and shooting physics. Perhaps the most impressive and innovative feature of the Max Payne series, is the ability to initiate “Bullet Time”, a slick and very Hollywood film-like slow-motion feature that allows the player to dodge gunfire and deliver precision shots. The Bullet Time feature coupled with state of the art “Ragdoll” physics, where bodies realistically (at the time) reacted to gunshots. If the player was using a pistol, they might double over when hit in the stomach, if they were using a shotgun, they might fly over stairways and off platforms, buckling against scenery and slumping SPECIAL REPORT: aaa games against walls realistically. There are many reasons why Max Payne, Max Payne 2 and Max Payne 3 are beloved AAA titles; they contain thoughtprovoking and emotional stories, a fully-realised anti-hero protagonist, slick action sequences and brilliant graphics. When Rockstar Studios developed Max Payne 3, I was worried that the game would rely on features that while once innovative, were commonplace in other games now. In a ballsy move, they eliminated the graphic novel sequences and replaced them with a truly unique take on cinematic cutscenes, once again proving that they understand the importance of a game having its own unique identity. Written by Nick Getley www.stickytriggerentertainment.com

Live Magazine September 2014 Volume 9/2014 | Page 20