Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Grows on you"

It's been a long time since I played Max Payne and Max Payne 2. One thing I do remember is Max Payne is cool. And so he is again in Max Payne 3. Yes, it is the same actor as the first two games. This is good, very good. He is just right for the part, as he was for the first two games. He might be a washed up loser ex-cop, but as the game progresses you sympathize with him and share his desire for revenge.
Max Payne 3 does break some new ground as far as FPS's go. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY takes 14 hours of abuse like Max Payne does. I have never played a character that takes this kind of pain scene after scene. You have to appreciate it.
The soundtrack is top-notch, and worked to enhance the experience. Probably best FPS soundtrack ever. The music is by Health, and I will probably wind up buying a few tracks.
The plot....there is a plot here...but it is convoluted and so unfathomable for the most part that you think "if this game had a good plot, it would rule". In the first level, you save this chick from 100 armed thugs, and in the second level, she is immediately kidnapped again. Lame. Does Max Payne really care so much about this chick (he's hired to protect her, not like he's banging her or anything) that he would take 1000 bullets for her? The plot does materialize later in the game, and it's just barely good enough to keep your interest.
The gameplay is good. Lots of guns, ammo, and I don't think I ever killed so many guys in one game. The special "last bullet in slow-mo for last guy killed in an area" is really cool. But why is there COVER in this game? Sadly I had to take cover and wait around for dumb AI guys to eventually come out from their cover, and too often they were too far away to kill in satisfying measure. I mean really, what is the use of bullet time to hit some tiny guy all the way out there where you can barely see him? Max Payne 3 is at its best when you blaze away in close quarters, as it is meant to be.
The level designs are varied enough to provide some good eye-candy at times, but other times are boring console like levels (the Panama boat level sucked).
The bottom line is if you like FPS, you must add this to your collection. It will go down as one of the better ones, and for some of us, one of the best.