Max Payne is a third-person shooter computer game developed by Finnish company Remedy Entertainment and published by 3D Realms in July, 2001. A sequel to the highly popular shooter quickly followed entitled Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, produced by Rockstar Games and published on October 15, 2003 by Take-Two Interactive.

The Max Payne series lends the stylish cinematography and choreography of the Hong Kong action movie genre, particularly the work of director John Woo, with heavy film noir influences for its characters and dialogue. Like many of Woo's films, Max Payne is rife with gunplay that's almost indescribably beautiful to watch and perform.

"A fugitive undercover cop framed for murder, and now hunted by the cops and the mob. Max is a man with his back against the wall, fighting a battle he cannot hope to win. Prepare for a new breed of deep action game. Prepare for pain..."

Bullet Time

When triggered, bullet-time slows down the passage of time to such an extent that the movements of bullets can be seen by the naked eye - it is a form of slow motion. This makes avoiding being shot easier and enables Max to perform special moves.

The Series

Max Payne

It started three years ago, Max came home after a long day at work, no-one answered when he came in the door of his home. Upstairs he found his daughter killed and he was also too late to save his wife. He swore revenge against the drug that drove people to this, Valkyr. He joined the DEA as an undercover cop, infiltrating the Mafia and the underground world of New York. But he gets framed, accused of killing his partner he goes on a thrill-ride through New York from scum to scum to get to the top, to get to those responsible for the induced hell that is Valkyr. A man with nothing to lose...

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

Against all odds Max Payne is cleared from the charges after the first game, with some help from Alfred Woden. Now he's once again hunted for murder, this time he's guilty though, and yet again he loses a loved one. Mona is back, this time as his love interest, again he faces the New York underground, full of scum and murderous thugs, this time he looks even better though.

Max Payne 3

The ending to The Fall of Max Payne leaves it easily open to a sequel and even teases with a message at the end of the credits proclaiming "Max Payne's journey into the night will continue".

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