Max Payne is those one of the kind action shooters that often changes the way we think of action games.
Looking at this game might seem ordinary in anyone's view. But NO! It's not. Max Payne takes all the good things from past hits of third person shooters and adds some major innovations in gameplay and the graphics of cut scenes which pays off nicely. The primary feature and the true beauty of the game is its bullet time. I don't know whether it's thoroughly original or not but it is a hell of a lot fun. The bullet time if you have not figured it already is a basic gameplay element in Max Payne which enables Max, the protagonist to slow down time(or increase his speed theoretically) to shoot dodge his enemies. This enables us to have a good view at the enemies in a room for example who courtesy to the very clever AI shoot you from behind crates if you enter the room normally. Hence, it becomes a basic norm to survival that you shootdodge every time you enter a room or an open area.
The bullet time is a great help because that makes the game quite easy. Without it the game's difficulty would have really risen to a high level. The bullet time increases as you kill more enemies and don't worry there are many of them.
The story kicks off when Max Payne, an NYPD guy finds his peaceful life turned upside down when his wife and his baby are brutally murdered allegedly by the Mafia. Hence begins a walk alone journey where Max revenges his family's murder by eliminating the top Mafia dogs. The cut scenes and the talking sequences are voiced but the change is that instead of usual FMV's there are graphical comic sequences and it feels you're playing a comic movie throughout. The story portrays the reactions of Max in words which are quite negative philosophy and of pessimism. He already seems to be losing his mental battle and you can't help feeling bad for the poor chap.
The music is decent though not of that level you have come to expect from Rockstar. The intriguing music suits the game's mood well but they are nonetheless not too interesting. The voice acting is great and Max is played well by some guy-whose-name-I-do-not-know. Mona and John Lupino are too played well. The game does contain interesting character amidst all tragedy. Mona and Max seem to be a unique couple more of which would be explored in Max Payne 2.
Ending this review I really would like to say that Max Payne is those one of a kind games which usually change the way people think of games! I can't wait to play Max Payne 2. I will play it next month.