Max Payne 3 Details Emerge

When Max Payne again reappears on consoles this winter, it appears as though he'll be stepping into a much different setting. According to a cover story in issue 195 of Game Informer, the new title will not be taking place in the dark streets, warehouses, and construction yards of New York, but in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Max was booted from the New York Police Department and spent the following 12 years battling his inner demons and addictions, and at some point he moved out to the Brazilian metropolis to escape from his previous life. It appears once again he'll be drawn into elements undesirable, as his work as a security agent for a rich local family leads him into life-threatening situations.

In addition to the different setting, Max has undergone quite a few physical changes. He's burlier this time around, sports a beard and a shaved head, and appears to have ditched the long coat and black getup from the previous games in favor of a stained white sleeveless shirt and cargo pants. Screens included in the article also show a much brighter setting, making it appear like many of the venues for action in the third game take place while the sun is out. Rockstar did mention a few levels could take place at night or in the rain, and pointed out that achieving a 'noir' kind of feel is more about style than about a specific location or color.

Rockstar won't be using voice actor James McCaffrey again, saying it wouldn't really fit considering how much Max has aged. The talent being used won't be a big recognizable name, but Rockstar is confident it'll be appropriate, and the studio plans on giving Max plenty of lines of internal dialogue in the style of the previous games. Many details of the new plot aren't yet being talked about, but Rockstar told Game Informer players can expect it to include the elements of betrayal and violence the series is known for.

To build the new setting, Rockstar sent crews down to Sao Paulo to take note of environmental layouts and soak in the local flavor. The company believes it'll be able to put together some interesting locations for shootouts, with enemies being able to pop out of all sorts of unexpected spots as Max moves through the streets of shanty towns. This third game is being handled by Rockstar Vancouver instead of Remedy, the developer of the original games currently busy with Alan Wake.

One of the big questions Rockstar Vancouver is trying to answer with this game is how to evolve the third-person shooting mechanics of the franchise to make them feel new again. With the first two, the bullet time system that let Max slow down those around him while performing dives and dodges and blasting bullets was unique enough to stand out. The third game will still feature a bullet time system, but will also include a number of other features that have to do with animation and interaction with the environment to ensure the gameplay feels distinct.

The game is being built with Rockstar's RAGE, used to build past games like Grand Theft Auto IV, in combination with NaturalMotion's Euphoria technology that allows for enemies to react realistically to being hit by gunfire and as they impact things in the environment, which Rockstar is hoping delivers a greater sense of realism. To protect himself from incoming bullets, Max will also be able to take cover behind objects as well as grab enemies to use them as human shields, though taking advantage of the cover system isn't required for success. It seems quite a few bits of the environment will also be destructible, so perhaps not every bit of cover will be all that reliable.

Something called environmental bullet time is being built into the game, which according to the article can be compared to quick-time events in other titles. Yet instead of doing something like tapping a button within a small window of time, the player will have full control of Max as the event progresses. Rockstar provided one example to Game Informer, where Max slides down a tin roof in slow motion while tagging nearby enemies with bullets.

This won't be an open-world game, though it seems Max will have a limited ability to scale walls and access combat areas from a few different directions. A bullet-cam, which follows projectiles into their targets, will be implemented into the game to add more style, and it seems Max will be able to perform life-saving kill shots should he be near death. If he manages to kill his killer before the screen goes black, he'll spring back to life thanks to an adrenaline boost.

What Game Informer seemed most impressed by were the animations and attention to detail in the environments, which were said to enhance the gunplay and feel of the game. While hardly anything was said about the multiplayer, it was confirmed that there will be an online component in the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC version of the game.

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