Many hours of fast-paced action and great story. Unique noir movie-like setting and heart-touching events. Comic-screens are awesome and just better than videos in other games. A masterpiece.

This game kicks ass.

Damn good.

No words can describe this game. It is a cross between the Matrix and Die Hard. This game is the best I have ever seen. Download the demo and see for yourself.

JustRPG & gamepen are SERIOUSLY inexperienced and unproffessional game reviewers. They have absolutly no idea what makes an epic storyline so memorable & revolutionary (probably because they never actually took the time & patience to get into the max payne storyline and understand it, they assume it isn't a good game and think it isn't, or maybe they're just complete dumbasses). Max payne is one of the best 3rd person shooters out there and deserved every one of thos awards (including BAFTA awards, the oscars of gaming) for revolutionizing 3D shooters and well-crafted storytelling. Not to mention the best new york city graphics in any game EVER. This genre-defining treat is an experience unlike many others, you take on the role on max payne, a cop who lost his wife and daughter to junkies connected to the mafia, then 3 years later, your'e framed for the murder of your best friend; memorable moments & jaw-dropping plot twists in this overwhelmingly popular video game. Max payne himself is THE ultimate badass of videogaming (next to solid snake, dante, & kratos)… Expand

This game is great! The best I have ever played! "Half-Life" doesn't even compare!

Hands down best game EVER. (Except it was too short!)

One of the best Games in Computer History.

A great game. Better than the Sequel.

So good... it made me lose control of my bowels.

This is undoubtedly the best PC action game I have ever played. My advice: go buy it. Now.

This is one of my favorite games of all time to this day, a treat to play. Hoping for a Max Payne 3.

The most bland environments in a game ever(snow and crates). The story is ridiculous. The game play is innovative yet not challenging and getting from fight to fight through the horrid levels and story line is not worth the effort.

This is one of the greats. It may not match up to expectations of todays gamers but it was truely amazing for its time. I thoroughly enjoyed playing Max Payne.

Pha-nizzel sha-nizzel (really really good).

HL was better.

This game is the best solo game, HL is a multi player game idiot, Max Payne is much better single player. Considering Max Payne isnt Multi if it was it would kick a$$!

It's great. I've only had it for a day, and it's unbelievable!

Max Payne basically defines the term "one trick pony". Bullet time allows Max to slow down time and actually dodge bullets Matrix style. Cynical gamers say it's just another gimick to sell more games, but let me tell you, bullet time is an awesome trick. Max Payne is highly enjoyable all the way through. With no multiplayer, and a relativley short single player game, Max's only real pitfall is it's replay value.… Expand

Absolutely the best game I've ever played!

Just got the Demo version and WOW! Great action but, unlike most FPS, you still have to think.

This game is so awesome. The action is intense all the way to the end. The story is just like a classic revenge story. It brings the story in comic book fashion, which is somewhat comical because of the pictures. The story gives just enough reason for you to kill every baddie you can ,and I highly recommend getting this game.

This is, next to GTAIII, the best game I have ever played. "without the Bullet Time feature, is just a sleazy version of ..." Blah blah blah. Who cares? I spent half the game in bullet-time :) It is a great feature that makes this game better than the rest of its kind.

That's not my real name or e-mail....but i still thought max payne is one hell of a game.

Just started to play the game again. think it is stunning. great game

Great.

One of the all-time greats in PC gaming. While many of the features of the Max Payne engine are standard fare today, they were revolutionary at its release. A great story, solid AI, Bullet Time and a cinematic playing environment still make this game an experience not to be missed.

One great game. It's all that I have expected from 3D Realms.

This game absolutely blew me away when I first played it, truly a masterpiece in its own right. Awesome.

AMAZING! I played it for 11 hours in the first day! AWESOME!!!

After you realize you shelled out 40$ for this overrated POS, this has to be the most hyped up game in a long time that, without the Bullet Time feature, is just a sleazy version of Syphon Filter, the story, hah, the music could definitely use some variety, the graphics are good but that doesnt make up for all the other sub par elements, id definitely just borrow this game from a friend or whatever, don't waste your money on it there's better available for less.… Expand

This is the best game you will ever play in your entire life!!! !@#$ Siphon Filter!!!

Gee, GamePen sure does suck.

Only one 3rd person shooter game is better than Max Payne, and that is Max Payne II.

Excellent,simply excellent.It is a game which make your heart beat ten times faster.

Refreshing game-play with storytelling that is well-written and executed with style. We get a glimpse in to the minds of characters - a thing seldom held to importance these days.

A very good game with some very frustrating dream sequences. For once, I can say that one sequel is superior to the original although, of course, the impact that the first installment of the series could offer to the player is unmatched.

Deeply immersive and incredibly exciting...one of my all-time favourite games.

This is the baddest game in the world. I have it on my PC and the first time I played it I was hooked. For all yall JACKASSES out there who gave this game a 9 or less yall must be really stupid or just don't understand great gaming. What Then..MAX PAYNE ROCKS.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the game that answers the poor control gameplay to the old Tomb Raider games. Without this awesome adventurous third-person shooter, there wouldn't be GTAIII and GTAIV and all other third-person shooter games from Remedy. Excellent graphics and gameplay made this game a huge hit.… Expand

How much I love this game, it's fun, addicting, and still to this day it never gets old, no matter how many times I've played it, never gets boring. The best game I've ever played and I really hope they somehow pull a new sequel off as good as this one. Max Payne 2 on the other hand wasn't as good. This game is long, I tried speedrushing it once and took me around 12/15 hours in total so this game isn't short. Theres also an easter egg if you complete and get onto the difficulties that are unlocked. I did all of them (except for New York Minute) and I did that in the 6 weeks holiday, you gotta be hardcore enough to get to the end of it. The easter egg on the other hand isn't the best thing in the world so dont expect anything huge. Just expect a small treat from the devs.… Expand

A true masterpiece. Atmospheric (one of the best adaptations of the Unreal Engine), great development team, and challenging game play. The only downside I see with it is the excessive save times (up to four seconds for a quick save even on modern systems) when this is an otherwise fast paced game.

I'm surprised I never played Max Payne until now--what a treat. A third person shooter with an intriguing story, engaging narrative, and excellent music. The game play is on the linear side, but there are a decent variety of weapons and the slow motion evasion really makes killing bad guys fun. Although not completely horrible, the game does suffer from dated graphics, but it was nice to see it at least had support for widescreen resolutions.

I do have to say the game was overly difficult, even on easy, which kind of killed some of the enjoyment. The AI had precise aim combined with unbelievable reaction times even against a seasoned gamer. With the help of the QuickSave feature, I painfully made my way through it. I think the only piece that was missing from the game was calling the pills "Paynekillers."

Despite its faults, Max Payne is a true classic--definitely worth your time. NOTE: Check the Steam forums for a sound fix on Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.… Expand

When I review game - I review them vs the current gaming climate. Rather than what I thought when I first played them, thereby eliminating "nostalgia factor". When I first played max payne - it was a 10/10. Just thought I would clear that up first. Ok, now onto the actual game. Max payne was fresh on so many levels, it had it's own individual method of storytelling, the -then- inventive and HUGELY satisfying bullettime effect - and a really dark noir tone. It still holds up reasonably, although I now notice the seams a little more. The comic sections hold up incredibly well - however the blocky models and some clunky moments stand out a little more. Max payne 2 definitely refined this with some grace - however this game - for the most part holds up really well. On the PC.… Expand

Nearly ten year ago the snowy rain fell on Hull like all the angels in heaven had decided to colloquially urinate at the same time. And so opened this innovative action adventure for me: I had a weekend to kill, it was snowing outside, and I had no heating. I didn't want the intellectually intensity of a strategy game, nor did I want to frenetic multitasking of a RTS. With a blanket on my legs, I sat down and completed this game in 10 hours without even a toilet break. And the first thing I did? Began again. After a toilet break.

Max Payne pitches perfect progressive difficulty. Action games can shouldn't - in my busy world - kill you more than three times at the same point more than three times in a game. You shouldn't be slugging through a game with a face as pained as Payne's permanently constipated expression. Instead you should be smiling appreciatively at just how awesome it feels to burst horizontally through a door (in slow motion) and expertly twisting through your hips as you innerringly shoot three baddies with your John Woo pistols before time jolts back into the present and all three baddies fall down at the same time. Whump.

This is not a serious game, but it is seriously evocative. The weapons, even now, feel powerful. I can remember a scene where a baddie hideing behind an apartment door unfortunately proclaims that he intends to shoot you as you come in. He doesn't, but you should, expect to leap towards him while simultaneously opening said door while unleashing a full shotgun blast to his chest that lifts him several feet in the air. You can almost hear Chuck, I mean Max, saying, "not today bozo."

These scenes occur tirelessly throughout the game. Face an impossible situation. Engage bullet time (copied from the Matrix). Shoot all enemies. Read film noir comics.

While the game itself is not so serious, what should be a series consideration is the known (and ongoing) compatibility issues with steam. Unfortunately the download can open fail to name the weapons file correctly which can result in the game simply not starting. While I managed to get it work (on occasion) you cannot expect Steam to help you out on this one. Much better to buy on amazon.

Fortunately the game gleefully leads you on a deeply humorous (if a little silly) adventure once you have got the thing working. The dialogue between the baddies is priceless. Not to mention the subplot of the Lords and Ladies TV series - "My Lord! My Lady! My Lord!" - which goes on for about twenty minutes if you halt your carnage to watch the many analogue TV sets scattered throughout the game. Take this game for what it is - a romping film-noir - and you'll find an outstandingly crafted adventure that is also a piece of gaming history.… Expand

As a 2011 gamer who had just bought this game for around $2 on Steam, i'd have to say it's really a masterpiece of it's day. Though I've seen much better graphics in recent days, you can forgive Max Payne's bland and flat surrounding, given the period of development. The story is top notch, a perfect noir setting combined with a gripping tale of a man avenging the death of his family. Not to mention 100x better than the crap film adaptation. As with other Rockstar games, MP's voice acting is also spectacular. You can actually hear Max's thirst for revenge, the Mafia boss's psychotic mind and not forgetting the Cuban mafia slang. As for the bullet-time, it's more than just a gimmick. You actually need to use the bullet-time properly to kill your many enemies, because one bullet can actually decrease a quarter of your health, even in easy difficulty. Thanks to this, it's more challenging and not just another GTA or run-and-gun TPS. Overall, it's a great game to play.… Expand

the greatest noir game ever made!!! such immersion remains unparalleled in video game history. waiting excitedly for its 3rd part which i hope will the boundaries even more from this genre.

Seriously? Do I have to write a description justifying why you should have played this game long ago? Fine.

A classic that revolutionized the way games tell a story, Max Payne is a memorable classic that you must play before dying. The feeling of joy I feel when I play this game... is comparable to reading a book, watching a movie, and playing a game -- things which I LOVE to do -- together.

Make yourself a favor and pick a copy up.… Expand

After years I went back and replayed this decade old gem. I found the storyline compelling and the game play was crisp and responsive. It is intresting to see how much games of today have lost. If you can get over the decade old graphics, you will find a solid 8 - 9 hours of game play here. Great game and great storyline.

The best game in my life since 2001. Great epic story, NY's noir, nice sound and Max Payne with GUN... oh my... I'm gonna play this game all night.

One of the best game ever! It's sad that modern games are not even half cool as were both Max Payne games.
Thx Remedy for still working and releasing Alan Wake this year for PC!

I played this game in August of 2011. Finished it in 7 hours, and it is a pretty difficult game. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT story, which is the reason I plowed through this game. The gameplay however feels very dated! . 10/10 for the story, while it scores a 6 for gameplay.

Max Payne is one of the greatest examples of a developer taking a video game seriously, and that they, too, can be a form of art. With it's amazing writing, top-notch voice acting, and one of the best combat systems in a PC game at the time, it's easy to see why Max Payne was such a hit.

The game is truly magnificent, the atmosphere feels true like your in an actual life and death situation as a rouge police officer. The game is very fast-paced and the story line is very convincing. Let me just say that the game is a brilliant masterpiece! Hand down
-the-epikninja

This has got to be one of the hardest games I have ever finished... but it is also one of the greatest.
Remedy made a masterpiece, they brought us Bullet Time in Max Payne which is a mechanic that works perfectly and it's totally **** awesome!
The game has one of the best storylines I have ever saw and the way the game tells the story is one of the most original ways I have seen in a long time.
The game has no mercy; difficulty wise and story wise, I had many times that the game made me drop my jaw or just smile at how awesome the game is.
The sound design is excellent, the graphics are amazing for it's time and the art style is very nice.
This is now probably one of my top favorite games.… Expand

BEAST GAME .. I LOVE THIS GAME ...... SO AWESOME STORY ACTION AND I DON'T HOW MUCH GOODNESS MAN .. ITS THE GAME WHICH MADE ME ITS Faan!!!! ... Infinite/10 ..... One love for it .

I won't say much about a game this old, but I can't help but write a small review on this. This is one of the best shooter games ever, with awesome bullet time mechanics (which were new at the time), great voice acting and a spectacular noir story. If you haven't played it, you've missed a LOT.

A game with such a great storyline. It tells it in a way that's very different from other games. I would have given this a 10 if it weren't for the flawed AI. They shoot you instantly on sight which makes the game play so much harder than it needs to be. The only way to get through the game sometimes is to open from a saved game and die. Then open it again and act differently until you get through. Apart from that it's a great game.… Expand

The fun is awesome but the story is such a take off of a very original and classic game that started the whole framing thang, you play as max payne who is a cop accused as a murder, now the police want him as well as the mob. Hmmmmmmmm where have I heard that story before... oh yeah just popped into my head...."Syphon Filter," play it. Over all Max Payne is extremely fun with all the John Woo action and crap, but the story jes pisses me off.… Expand

I never played such a boring game. The graphics are boring too. Streets and boring buildings, that's all I see. If I had a photo-camera while walking in this game, I would throw it away. In one word: boring. Yes, bullet-time is boring too.

Max Payne is a good game. The bullet time is awesome. Sounds, storyline are okay. The graphics was good when the game released in 2001. The only problem is not enough 1 bullet in to the enemies head to die.

Max Payne for the PC is an amazing experience. If you enjoyed noire type films, mafia style themed movies or action pack movies you will enjoy this game. To add to the amazing storyline and characters, you have an amazing gameplay system implemented that gives you more control to the game than most other shooters which also paves way towards future shooting games. Get this game on Steam now which is available with its sequel. You will not regret it.… Expand

This is the best third person shooter ever! At least for me. If you are attempting to play the game first time, you may find graphics of the game somewhat hilarious (specially relative the nowadays's graphical standards) at first. But after few minutes, you will be so soaked up in the game that you hardly want to stop playing. The story is too deep and I loved the art design even imperfect one. This is the best game of the series (although i haven't checked out the third one i'm dying to try it out). This game is a true classic and it deserves to be decorated in a museum as a classical piece of art. (probably it's too much! ;) ). Anyway, If you haven't played this game, i suggest you to be little patient and give it a try.… Expand

Ser el precursor del Bullet Time de por si ya es suficiente para considerar a este título un pilar de los juegos actuales. Ahora bien, la jugabilidad es exquisita, y la historia y su narrativa... Simplemente sublimes.

ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF ALL TIME, Story:10/10, Graphics:9/10(max looks retarded), Gameplay:10/10. BEST GAME IVE EVER PLAYED BUY IT GODAMN IT OR ILL COME YOUR HOUSE AND BEAT THE LIVING OUT OF YOUR PC, just kidding :D

The sequel is superior, don't even bother with this one. I played the second one first; even though it reuses some characters, the plot is a lot stronger than this one's and stands on it's own two feet. The original's plot is completely ridiculous, tedious, repetitive, and almost offensively bad. Just play the second one and skip this.

Great game, the graphics are good for the time period which it was released. The gameplay is fun epically if you like slow motion combat. It is a fairly difficult game unless you decide to use quick save often . ( this is recommended). The story is also pretty good although it really doesn't do anything new or original. Max is a great main character and this is a great action game and a series worth checking into for any action fans.… Expand

New York usually is a main setting for FPS shooters and stuff but Max Payne delivers the best. The Bullet Time strategy is as good as the Slide-shoot technique in Crysis and the graphics are gorgeous and make Grand Theft Auto IV look something like a pixelated background. Th difference between the Max Payne series and the Call of Duty series is that it delivers a better campaign and a better system in shooting.… Expand

Best game ever, graphics story its great quality and most important part of the game, i finished at least 13 times, best game i played by far far far, probably in my opinion in the Top 50 games of all time, masterpiece

11 years after I first played this film noir-shooter, I'm afraid I find this game has not aged well. No widescreen, low poly models, and low res textures. Animations are rudimentary and the plot is so-so. What you do get is a nice comic, some extremely good voice acting and a slow-motion button. If you think that's enough to keep you interested despite it's shortcomings, then go ahead. Otherwise I'd suggest you don't listen to the nostalgia crowd and pass up on this one! (Hell, some of these reviews are 12 years old...)… Expand

story well the game is called 'max payne' so it centers around his life story, he is a detective in nyc. basically, he tries to find out who killed his wife and why.

gameplay the controls are solid in the game like all 3rd person shooters. it first introduced the 'bullet time' which was inspired by the movie' hard boiled'. it did a great job with it. most everything is pretty fast paced you use painkillers to heal on the go and lots of guns to use. video the graphics are great for its time. great animations and detail. audio the music sets the mood and gun effects are great.

overall a great game one of the best released. and it introduced some new gameplay. it has lots to give for being an action 3rd person shooter. usually these types of games don't give good story but this one is different.… Expand

Spent many a late night enjoying Max Payne. This game stepped it up where others failed. One of the standards most currents and futures are sure to take notes from.