Max Payne [Platinum Hits]

Review

by Scott Alan Marriott

Released five months after its PC debut, Max Payne for the Xbox is an excellent port, retaining all the features of the original while sacrificing little in the translation. The game is preferable to the PlayStation 2 version as it has noticeably smoother frame rates and quicker load times, as well as the ability to Quick Save at any point. If players lose a life near the end of the level, they need not go through it all again thanks to the Xbox hard drive. This feature alone makes the game more accessible to play.

While the Xbox cannot offer the same level of detail as a high-end PC due to the limited resolution on a television set, Max Payne's visuals are clean and generally pleasing. Environments range from indoor offices and hotels to snow-covered streets and rooftops. Items offer limited interaction, so clicking on a toilet results in a flush sound, while switching on a television may result in static or a news bulletin. Load times between levels are short, but slight hiccups during the graphic novel sequences are noticeable while the system queues up a new page. This is a minor issue, though.

Of course, the biggest feature of the game is "Bullet Time" technology, allowing players to relive cinematic shootouts by slowing down the action with a press of a button or trigger. Aiming with the Xbox controller is not as easy as it is with a mouse, since your right thumb isn't as stable or precise as your wrist, but players can adjust the sensitivity of the right stick to make things a little easier. The act of firing weapons is another advantage the Xbox has over the PS2 game, as it feels more realistic to squeeze a trigger than to tap a button.

Since the game was originally designed for a PC keyboard, Max can only move in four directions and in one of two speeds: walking and running. Better implementation of the analog sticks would have been welcome, allowing for tiptoeing or running at variable speeds depending on the amount of pressure applied to the stick. Yet stealth is not a requirement in this game, as enemies automatically start running toward you based on your location rather than if they "heard" you. There also isn't any rumble feature, so firing those dual Berettas won't give you any tactile feedback.

The gritty noir-style theme is a welcome change from futuristic games like Halo, and the usually problematic third-person perspective never becomes an issue thanks to the ability to slow down the action using the Bullet Time feature. While the game offers three difficulty levels and a bonus feature called New York Minute, there's not much incentive for playing through them all again. If only there was a high score system in place for pulling off special stunts or surviving a gunfight without getting hit, players might be more inclined to keep going.

Max Payne is best suited as a rental, since the game can be finished within 10 to 14 hours and there aren't enough additional modes of play to justify a purchase. The action is certainly fun and well paced, and some will enjoy revisiting the game again just to try new moves using Bullet Time. With its dark, mature storyline, progressively difficult gunfights, and memorable encounters, Max Payne for the Xbox is an experience not to be missed by those who never had a chance to play the PC version.