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Max Payne is a man with nothing to lose in the violent, cold urban night. A fugitive undercover cop framed for murder, and now hunted by cops and the mob. A man with his back against the wall, fighting a battle he cannot hope to win. Prepare for pain with this 3rd-person shooter. [Rockstar Games]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
GamePro
Payne’s finest feature on the Xbox, however, may be its controls...Every function in the game is perfectly placed for intuitive control.
 100
Hot Games
The sounds of Max Payne double the intensity of the game. From the beginning monotone opening to the deadpan, and deadly noirish conversations that Max has with the enemies, the game is a treat for the ears as well as the eyes.
92
GameSpot
The PC version's visual quality--on a suitably good PC--managed to completely live up to the very high expectations produced by the early press, and the good news is that the Xbox version essentially looks just as good.
90
Yahoo! Games
It seems to be improved for being on a console - third person games have always worked better with a decent gamepad, and this one is no exception.
90
Total Video Games
One key improvement over the PS2 version is the lack of load times. Whereas levels had to be chopped up in that version the Xbox allows them to be loaded in the same way as the PC original, virtually eliminating any load times and keeping the sense of immersion high.
90
Game Informer
Playing through Max Payne for the first time is a little like watching Pulp Fiction for the first time: Five minutes after the opening credits you know it’s awesome, and you don’t want it to end. [Feb 2002, p.88]
90
GameShark
Max Payne will quickly rank as a favorite for most action gamers. This one's not for the kiddies though, as it is loaded with blood, killing, and dead babies. Enjoy.
90
XGP Gaming
Max Payne is a gritty, blood-filled, third person shooter from Rockstar. If you are appalled by slow motion and gory killings, then you should look elsewhere.
90
Xbox Exclusive
Controls are ultra-responsive, and you don't feel restricted by the controller at any time, which again is impressive for a PC port.
90
Voodoo Extreme
It's far and away the best third-person action game I've ever played, boasting an involving (if occasionally cheesily-told) story and pulse-pounding gameplay.
89
IGN
10-12 hours of bullet ridden, shotgun loading, grenade tossing, lead pipe whacking, double gun wielding, fast reloading, pinpoint sniping, time stopping, third person shooting action. In short, get Max Payne.
88
Official Xbox Magazine
It doesn't have depth, brains, or complexity, but it does have killer looks and loads of style. [Feb 2002, p.67]
87
Electric Playground
Its pulp-novel story, gunfights straight out of John Woo's head, the incredibly cool Bullet Time gimmick, graphics that will stun the most jaded gamer.
85
GameSpy
With no multiplayer modes at all, there's little reason to play after completing Max's rampage the first time. If this particular flaw doesn't bother you, however, Max Payne manages to deliver some of the best gunplay around, and is an involving and intense festival of urban decay, ultra-violence, and slow motion cinematic blood shed.
85
GamerWeb Xbox
Despite being filled with tired cliches Max Payne is one of the most engrossing games released this year for the Xbox.
85
Media and Games Online Network
Payne doesn’t rely on a multiplayer mode, flashy graphics engine, or ultra-realistic gore to satisfy the masses… it just delivers in a way that so many other games don’t.
85
Gamezilla!
When you are in the middle of the action, it is intense and very entertaining.
83
Game Revolution
It looks simply unbelievable and the gameplay and control is easy and intuitive. The bullet time alone makes it one of the premier action games on the Xbox.
83
TotalGames.net
This game doesn't only look great it also sounds amazing. The meaty gunfire and explosions will shake the very skin from your bones.
80
GamePen
Graphically it is almost impossible to notice any difference between the PC and the XBox version. While the PC can obviously run at higher (and prettier) resolutions, the XBox version seems to move along at a much more constant frame-rate and with a lot less stuttering.
80
Team Xbox
Get Max Payne if you never played the PC version, and try to get a good surround setup to really experience the game as it was meant to be played.
80
Xbox Nation Magazine
In slow-motion, it’s possible to catch every white bullet trail and crimson blood spray; we’d daresay it’s violence made beautiful. [Feb 2002, p.98]
80
All Game Guide
The game is preferable to the PS2 version as it has noticeably smoother frame rates and quicker load times, as well as the ability to Quick Save at any point.
78
Electronic Gaming Monthly
After the novelty wars off, the gameplay can get monotonous. [Feb 2002, p.166]
Paul gave it a9: Lawyer gave it a10: [Anonymous] gave it a 2: Uter gave it a 9: S. G. gave it a 10: Michael C. gave it a 7: Jason R. gave it a 0: |
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