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"TIME TO MAKE LIKE CHOW YUN FAT!"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: February 09, 2002
Author: Amazon User

While it won't go down in history as one of the greatest video games ever, Max Payne does have plenty of intriguing areas that make it a fun game to experience.

1 - Bullet Time! Being able to shoot, dive, and roll in slow motion to take out a room full of baddies is just plain addictive. I never got tired of recklessly running into danger with both guns blazing.

2 - Dialogue! If you're a fan of action movies then the dialogue in Payne will have you cracking up. Yes, it is supposed to be THIS bad (the people at Extended Play missed the boat here).

3 - The Story! I was always wondering where this game was going to take me. Each time I thought, "This is the end!" a new level began. Every level also made me smile as I could see how film noir and action cinema helped forge the areas that I would be battling through.

4 - Time! Unlike many games you don't need to devote your life to playing Max Payne. It's an excellent weekend renter as it's easily winnable within 10 hours. True fans though will enjoy the challenging difficulty levels that can be unlocked once you win the first time.

All in all I recommend Max Payne for Xbox owners who want to spend some time smiling and having a fun time blowing away the bad guys.

A fun, low-calorie game... just like most films it mimics

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: January 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Good game, but it can get monotonous at times. Were it not for bullet-time and/or shootdodging, it really wouldn't be worth recommending at all. But those elements, along with a mediocre-to-interesting (but not exceptionally deep) story, are what make this game fun. Some would call "Max Payne" a gimmick game, because of its heavy dependence upon these elements.

If you enjoyed such titles as "Oni" or "Tomb Raider", you'll get more out of this one. This game derives heavily from "The Matrix", and who after watching that movie (or more recently, "Crouching Tiger") hasn't desired to take part in some action sequences where you can actually bend the laws of physics?

Not much replay value, and VERY linear, but it is fun. My in-Laws were bunching around the couch as I showed this game off to my Brother-in-Law last night. =)

This is definitely a must-rent title for everyone, at minimum, and a must-buy for action junkies... at least, until "New Legends" and "Genma Onimusha" arrive and make that purchase decision a little tougher.

Despite a statement made by another individual, though, this is NOT the equal of "Halo". I should know, after helping to run one of the top Halo fan sites for years. But hey... if you buy just one action game for the Xbox, buy "Halo". If you buy two, then also get "Max Payne".

Compared against these two: "Star Wars: Starfighter SE" is interesting, and worth a purchase. DOA3 gets boring when you tire of digitized... eye candy layered on top of just another semi-interesting fighting game... Any other action title isn't really all that interesting at present. I'll have to reassess my opinions after "Wreckless" and the aforementioned "Genma Onimusha" and "New Legends" games arrive in the next few weeks, though. ;-)

Maximum FUN!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 17
Date: November 28, 2001
Author: Amazon User

While the game is definetly violent and raunchy, the gameplay is awesome and addictive. Picture Tomb Raider with more action, tons of enemys and incredible graphics. Combine that with the "bullet time" mode which slows down time and gives Max incredible reflexs and is also extremely pleasing to the eye, and you've got a great game. The control, a combination of mouse and keyboard, is awkward at first, but becomes second nature after the first half hour. I also suggest taking the auto aim feature off so you will have to actually aim to hit an enemy. The bullet time mode is so much fun and adds so much to the game, it makes you feel like you are in the matrix. However, like the matrix, the story is a little lacking. While it is interesting and intelligent at first, it gets predictable after a while. But again like the matrix, the action is so incredible, it doesn't matter so much if the story doesn't hold up after seeing it 5 times. This game is definetly worth buying but be warned; you WILL become addicted. It's nearly impossible not to.

One of the coolest games ive seen

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 15
Date: November 08, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have this game for my computer and its excellent. It has everything a third person shooter game needs. You can select a mode that allows you to do matrix moves. Tons of guns,like bat, crowbar, pistol, dual pistols, desert eagle, one oozy, dual oozy, assault rifle, sniper rifle, pump shotgun, auto shotgun, sawed off shotgun, cocktail bombs,grenades, and last one is grenade launcher. Thats it for all the guns. The game is long. Has a cool story. Its neat cause its like a comic book at some points in the game when someone is talking. And there is a cool thing about the sniper rifle, when you zoom in and shoot a guy you see the bullet right infront of the screen and you follow it until it hits the guy (...)

Bring The Payne

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: December 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

There have been many great action games in the past such as James Bond's Goldeneye and Duke Nukem. But this game puts all of them to shame.

Max Payne is one of the most violent action games I've played since Soldier of Fortune. You get a variety of weapons spanning from Sniper Rifles to Baseball Bats. The way you play is very interesting. You simply aim in a third-person view at the bad guys. One of the coolest features in this game is the slow-down meter. The slow-down meter lets you actually slow down the time and lets you shoot in a Matrix-style format. Very entertaining.

Also, Max Payne has one of the best stories in an action game ever. You start out by reliving when your wife and baby were killed by gangsters. All that was left is a V on the wall with a seringe. It's a very scary part of the story with all the screaming and graphic violence. After that, everything goes downhill as you shoot your way through mob bosses to discover a secret on a continuing research project to raise the moral in troops. And to top it off, your now a fugitive. You don't end up being a big hero in the end, but you will be satisfied. I also found the dream sequences to be rather fun to play. Making your way across a thin trail of blood while at the same time being haunted by the death of your wife and baby is a nice touch which adds to the terrifying atomasphere. The only part that may upset some game players is that Max Payne is way to short. There is a timed version you can play when you beat the game, but that isn't quite enough to satisfy players who want more out of the game.

Overall, Max Payne ends up to be one of the most involving and funnest games out there. Just keep telling yourself it's just a game. Highly recommended.

Simply.. Entertaining.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: December 31, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have owned Max Payne, the computer game, for a long while. When i saw it was coming out for the XBOX, i wasn't sure if to buy it or not.

So i compromised. I didn't buy it, instead i let someone else buy it and give it to me as a Christmas present. I've gotten more out of this 50$ gift than anything else I've gotten this year.

I would go as far too say that this game is 2x what Halo is. Mostly because Max Payne didn't have all the hype that Halo had, and it's still a more appealing shoot em' up game. Replay value sticks out more than anything; I've already beaten the game once, and am mid way through doing it again.

The graphics are stunning, and the bullet time is simply sexy, and addicting. Sometimes you manage to get that perfect Bullet Time and it just looks so spectacular. Bullet time not only makes the game look more appealing, but also can save you where you're in a tight spot as well.

I think Max Payne is a perfect game exept for 2 flaws, and yes there are only 2 peticular things i don't like about this game.

A.) Not bloody enough.
This game is already gory and seedy, why not go all out? Yes blood splatter on the wall is a common thing, but I miss seeing the bullets riping through the enemy. instead you just see a puff of smoke:( A soldiers of fortune gibbing aproach would work very well for this game.

B.) The begining of each Part.
Whenever you start a part of the game (Part II and Part III in peticular) you are forced to go through these tedious and sometimes frustrating balance beam mazes. BORING!! I had a hard time figuring the second one out, spending about 15 minutes on it, when It could have been done in 15 seconds if i knew where to go. But this is really minor because the time you spend doing this compared to the time that you are fragging the enemy is silly.

Overall, this is THE MUST HAVE XBOX game. If you havn't seen pictures of this game, go find some and stare in awe because you don't know what you are missing.

Gameplay: 5of5
Replay: 5of5
Graphics 5of5
Value: 5of5
Learning Curve: Maybe an hour max, new people should try the tutorial.

Engrossing Story and Tremendous Graphics

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: December 19, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Well, I will be the first to say that i had never heard of Max Payne before it hit the X Box. I was at a friends house when he told me he had the game. I laughed and said "what game is that?" Well, let me tell you that when i saw the game my jaw hit the floor. I have never seen a game that has so much to offer. The graphics and gameplay are second to none and the game is just plain addictive. The Matrix style battle where you can slow down the scenes are unique to Max Payne and are awesome. If you are thinking about getting any RPG type adventure, shooter game then this game is for you. I am now a Max Payne fan 100%. This game is a must buy!!!!

For the avid gamer: dark, twisted & good game play but...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: December 27, 2001
Author: Amazon User

To summarize as simply as possible, this game is a fun and enticing game expanding upon the 3rd person shooter genre with its own twist, the Bullet-Time feature. The film noir-esque storyline is engrossing though not very cohesive - as this jumps from a story of vengence-fulfilling against drug lords, then the mafia, then a top secret government project.

The Bullet-Time feature is what makes the game and can best be likened to the slow-motion sequences in The Matrix. Simply put: all the enemies slow down and you move & shoot in realtime while diving, rolling, jumping, etc.

PARENTS BE WARNED: This is a great game, but I think it has one or two chilling sequences for a video game that may not be suitable for the 12 or 13 year old. For example, there are some levels where you walk a ropeline made of blood while you hear your dead wife and baby scream for mercy in the background, all the while drops of blood fall slowly from the sky like rain. I think it's twisted and a new edge for a mature game AND I LIKED IT, but I still do not recommend this for the younger generations. A game like Halo is more euphemistic about blood and gore than this one, so take note if you are buying this as a present.

All in all a great game with a fantastic take of the classic shooter model of video-gaming.

A game worth owning.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: November 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Max Payne is a man with nothing to loose, and with his mind set on revenge... Really, this is a great game! I enjoyed it from beggining to the end. This game features bullet time and its not just a cool feature. It helps you out during the game and is essential to your success. Max Payne also has many different types of weapons including grenades, guns and a baseball bat. The story isn't really amazing but the main focus here isn't on the story. Its on the action, baby! This game has plenty of action. The storyline isnt all that bad and Max Payne faces some stunning revelations in it. The length is under fifteen hours, but that isn't too bad considering the price of Max Payne. You can get it for under $20 and considering DVD's cost as much as that and they are usually only about two hours, its a good value. So go pick up this awesome game.

A great experiance while it lasts an ideal rental

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

My brother and I rented this game hoping for a fun action packed game with an interesting story, matrix moves and able to complete with in the 5 day rental. We got all of those. The game is amazing we got all of those standards and a load of fun. The story is unpredictable well written and loaded with unexscpected twists and turns. The combat and comic strips are superb and the drama is wonderful. I wouldn't be suprised if it was based on a book. Though it is pretty short my brother and completed it in a weekend and the save system is repetetive and annoying this is wonderful game I reccomend it to any frequent game renter. One of the other good things are obvios puzzles so you don't get stuck on a puzzle forever. Some of the few bad things are very linear gameplay and no multiplayer I'd of loved to beat my brother in multi with bullet time. Here are the Pros and Cons of it.
Pro. Bullet Time gameplay
Wonderful and interesting story with unexspected twists and turns.
Obvois puzzles
photo realistic graphics
fun combat
short enough to finish within a rental but if you adore this game after renting it buy it
controls work well
Cons.No multiplayer
Linear gameplay

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