Max Payne (video game)
| Max Payne | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Remedy Entertainment[a] |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Director(s) | Petri Järvilehto |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Programmer(s) | Markus Stein |
| Writer(s) | Sam Lake |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Max Payne |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Max Payne is a 2001 third-person shooter game developed by Remedy Entertainment. It was originally released for Windows by Gathering of Developers in July 2001. The game centers on former NYPD detective Max Payne, who attempts to solve the murder of his family while investigating a mysterious new designer drug called "Valkyr". While doing so, Max becomes entangled in a large and complex conspiracy involving a major pharmaceutical company, organized crime, a secret society, and the U.S. military. The game features a gritty neo-noir style and uses graphic novel panels with voice-overs as its primary means of storytelling, drawing inspiration from hard-boiled detective novels by authors like Mickey Spillane. It contains many allusions to Norse mythology, particularly the myth of Ragnarök and several names. The gameplay is heavily influenced by the Hong Kong action cinema genre, particularly the work of director John Woo,[4][5][6] and it was one of the first games to feature the bullet-time effect popularized by The Matrix.[7]
Max Payne was ported by Rockstar Canada to the PlayStation 2 and by Neo Software to Xbox in December 2001. The Mac OS X version was developed by Westlake Interactive and published in July 2002 by MacSoft in North America and by Feral Interactive in other regions.[8][9][10] A version of the game for the Game Boy Advance, featuring an isometric perspective but retaining most of the original's gameplay elements, was developed by Möbius Entertainment and published by Rockstar Games in December 2003. An enhanced port for mobile devices was developed by War Drum Studios and published by Rockstar in 2012 to coincide with the release of Rockstar's Max Payne 3. A Dreamcast version of the game was also planned, but it was canceled due to the discontinuation of the console in 2001.[11][12] Max Payne was released for the Xbox 360 in 2009 as part of the Xbox Originals program,[13] the PlayStation 3 as a PlayStation 2 Classic in 2012, the PlayStation 4 in 2016,[14] and the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2021,[15][16] due to the consoles' backward compatibility and emulation features.
Max Payne received positive reviews from critics, who praised its exciting gunplay and use of noir storytelling devices, while some criticised its linear level design and short length.[17] The game sold 4 million units. It is considered one of the greatest games ever made. It won a large number of accolades,[18] including a BAFTA Award for Best PC Game of 2001.[19] Its success launched the Max Payne franchise, including the sequels Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, developed again by Remedy and published by Rockstar in October 2003, and Max Payne 3, developed solely by Rockstar and released in May 2012. A loose film adaptation of the first game was released in October 2008. In 2022, it was announced that Remedy is developing remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2 for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, with Rockstar publishing.[20]
- ^ "3D Realms News: Max Payne Console Release Date Revision". 3D Realms Legacy. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
- ^ "Take 2 Ship Max Payne". XboxAddict News. 18 December 2001. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ Calvert, Justin (5 December 2003). "Max Payne targets GBA". GameSpot. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ Hermida, Alfred (21 September 2001). "Dark, gritty world of Max Payne". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- ^ "The Making of Max Payne". Edge. 2 November 2008. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009.
- ^ "Max Payne Hard Boiled". UGO.com. 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ GamesRadar (2 January 2013). "A video game history of bullet-time [ClassicRadar]". Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Max Payne". 4Player Network. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- ^ "Xbox Reader's Vote 2001: Best Graphics". IGN. 11 January 2002. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ MobyGames. "Westlake Interactive, Inc". Archived from the original on 8 April 2025. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Max Payne Preview". IGN. 27 July 1999. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
- ^ Bacci, Damiano (8 April 2008). "Max Payne [DC - Cancelled]". Unseen64. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Treit, Ryan (24 April 2009). "Max Payne is an Xbox Original". Xbox.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ Mead, Francesca (19 April 2016). "New on PlayStation Store: Ratchet & Clank, Invisible Inc., Axiom Verge". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ Warren, Tom (15 November 2021). "Microsoft's Xbox backward compatibility program returns with 76 new games". The Verge. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ Lo, Peggy (15 November 2021). "Celebrate 20 years of Xbox with over 70 new Backward Compatible Games". Xbox Wire. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
pc-reviewswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Max Payne Game Awards". 3D Realms. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "Max Payne wins prestigious BAFTA Award!". 28 October 2001. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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