Max Payne: What it’s about and how to play these Remedy gems that will have their remake | TierraGamer: news and entertainment about anime, series, video games and technology

Now that we are getting quite close to the time of multiple conferences with video game reveals and announcements, it is also time to guess who will receive news. Right now there are quite strong rumors that the remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2 They will be among those who will have new glimpses,

We know that it has been quite a few years since this pair of games were originally released. That’s why we’re here to tell you what they’re all about and why you should be excited about this return of a couple of Remedy Entertainment’s best-known titles.

What is Max Payne about?

The Max Payne games put us in control of the eponymous New York detective. He had a promising career as well as a wife and daughter. Unfortunately, the attack of some addicts to a new drug ends the life of his family. This causes the police officer to work undercover to take down the creators of this drug, which leads to a huge conspiracy.

In the sequel we start right in the middle of the action with Max in a hospital where a mysterious group arrives to end his life. Once he escapes, he once again finds himself involved in a series of events linked to a powerful organization. Fortunately he has the support of the assassin, Mona Sax, who is also a target of this group.

Their stories take many influences from film noir, with quite dark themes, the inclusion of a femme fatale and conspiracies that involve the highest echelons of power. We even hear Max Payne narrating the events he experiences much of the time, as in several detective stories.

Outside of some real-time cutscenes, the majority of its narrative is presented to the player as if it were a crime graphic novel. It even reminds us a little of the graphic novel Batman: Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison, so its presentation feels quite unique.

Gameplay makes you feel like an early 2000s action hero

Max Payne 1 and 2 They are third-person shooters where we eliminate different types of enemies. As the story progresses we encounter greater varieties of rivals, from simple mafia thugs to highly capable and armed soldiers. It also has interesting settings, such as burning amusement parks and large underground bunkers, which helps it not feel tedious to reach the end. Of course, their central mysteries also help them a lot.

One of the peculiarities of these games is their use of bullet time, which became quite popular with The Matrix. By pressing a button we can make time slow down to allow us to aim better or dodge the bullets coming towards us. There is also a button that allows us to launch ourselves in different directions while shooting in slow motion, as if it were a John Woo movie.

Along the way we can equip ourselves with different weapons, from Max Payne’s iconic double pistols to assault rifles, shotguns, grenades and some melee weapons. Because they are now older and were initially PC games, the method to change the weapon was still to press the arrows on the directional pad until we reached the one we want.

In the first game we only control Max, but in the second we also take control of Mona Sax in some sections. Although in gameplay both are the same, giving us dual protagonists allows us to see parts of the story from their two different points of view.

Maybe it’s because of the time in which they came out, but both games become quite challenging. Especially the first one that includes some maze sections that will test both your coordination and your patience. Still, they are worth it, even though both of them are already showing their age.

What do we know about the remake of Max Payne 1 and 2?

The remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2 were officially announced by Remedy Entertainment in April 2022. At that time they indicated that they will use their Northlight Engine, the same one they used for Control and Quantum Break. They also said that they will unite both games into a single experience and will obviously make changes to its gameplay to make it more modern.

Its production is a union between Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar Games, who were the distributors of the first two installments. So far these remakes do not have a set release date, but there are strong rumors that it will be this summer when we learn more about them. Some suggest that they will be revealed at the State of Play or the Summer Game Fest.

The reason these remakes should excite us is because they will bring back pretty much the same creative team behind the originals. This includes director and writer Sam Lake, who did all the stories for the Remedy games and also directed Alan Wake II along with Sam Rowley. This was one of the most awarded and best received games of 2023, so the return of Max Payne It has a lot of potential.

Where can I play it before its remakes arrive?

If you are interested in giving Max Payne 1 and 2 a chance before their remakes arrive, you are in luck, as it is very easy to find them. Both are available on the PlayStation Store and the Xbox store. On Steam, unfortunately the first one is only available in some regions, but you can find the sequel without problems.

Although only the first two parts will receive a remake, you should know that it is a trilogy. If you want to experience Max’s entire story from start to finish, your best option will be to do it on Xbox. After all, they all have them available for purchase thanks to backward compatibility.

Why won’t Max Payne 3 be part of this remake?

Although no official reasons have been given as to why the remake will only include Max Payne 1 and 2, it is easy to find the answer. The third and final installment was not a creation of Remedy Entertainment. Its development was instead carried out by Rockstar Studios and its story was written by Dan Houser, who wrote almost every Grand Theft Auto game up to V.

The change of developers was notable especially in the presentation of the title, since the gameplay remains very similar to the previous ones. Only here we are introduced to a depressed and alcoholic Max on the streets of Brazil, many years after the first games. Furthermore, its narrative is presented more like a film that is clearly inspired by the film. Man on Fire by Tony Scott

Although it will not have its remake, Max Payne 3 It still remains very entertaining and worth playing. Perhaps they will give him the same treatment in a few years so that he can have a touch-up to his graphs, which in a certain way are the ones that most reveal his age. But in terms of gameplay it doesn’t ask anything of more modern shooters.

Are the original Max Payne worth playing today?

The two original games of Max Payne They have a very good story driven by their presentation and the narration of actor James McCaffrey. Its gameplay is also entertaining, but you must take into account that they are games from more than 20 years ago. In fact, the second part is already going to be 21.

With this in mind, they do come to feel quite archaic in different ways. Among them the checkpoint system, the selection of weapons, the aiming system and of course the graphics. Perhaps some more current players will find it frustrating to play them. Especially the first one with the maze sections we already mentioned. But they’re still not unplayable and we won’t try to convince you not to give them a chance.

It is precisely for this reason that we consider that a remake of Max Payne 1 and 2 Although it is not necessary, it is very welcome. In this way they could give a whole new generation the opportunity to get to know these beloved Remedy creations while modernizing their gameplay to be more accessible and action-oriented. Will you wait for the remakes or will you take a look at the originals now?

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