Max Payne
A neo-noir third-person shooter series featuring bullet time.
Max Payne is a neo-noir third-person shooter video game series. The first two games were made by Remedy Entertainment, and the third by Rockstar Studios. The protagonist, Max Payne, is a New York police detective who becomes a vigilante after drug addicts murder his family. Sam Lake wrote the first two installments, while Dan Houser of Rockstar Games wrote the third.
The original *Max Payne* came out for Windows in 2001, then for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Mac in 2002, with a different version for Game Boy Advance in 2003. Its sequel, *Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne*, released for PlayStation 2, Windows, and Xbox in 2003. A movie loosely based on the first game, starring Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne and Mila Kunis as Mona Sax, came out in 2008. *Max Payne 3*, developed by Rockstar Studios, launched for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in 2012.
In November 2021, Microsoft added the entire Max Payne trilogy to its Xbox backward compatibility program, making the games playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The franchise is known for its "bullet time" action sequences and received positive critical reception. By 2011, it had sold over 7.5 million units. The film adaptation was commercially successful but got negative reviews.
In April 2022, Remedy Entertainment announced remakes of *Max Payne* and *Max Payne 2*, developed with Rockstar Games, to be released as a single title.
In the first game, former NYPD officer Max Payne hunts the people who killed his wife and child and framed him for murdering his partner, Alex Balder. He gains allies like Russian mobster Vladimir Lem and vigilante Mona Sax, uncovering a conspiracy involving a narcotic called Valkyr tied to his family's death.
*Max Payne 2* takes place two years later. Max, cleared of charges thanks to Senator Alfred Woden of a secret society called the Inner Circle, reunites with fugitive Mona Sax during a murder investigation. They develop feelings while uncovering a conspiracy involving Vladimir Lem, the Italian Mob, and the Inner Circle.
In *Max Payne 3*, set nine years later, Max has left New York for São Paulo, Brazil, working private security. When his employer's wife is kidnapped by a street gang, Max and his friend Raul Passos try to rescue her, sparking a war that leads to a larger conspiracy.
The film adaptation was announced in early 2003, with 20th Century Fox buying the rights.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Max Payne
- Genre
- Third-person shooter
- Developer
- Remedy Entertainment / (2001–2003; 2022–present) · Rockstar Studios / (2012)
- Publisher
- Gathering of Developers / (2001, PC) · Rockstar Games
- Writer
- Sam Lake / (1–2) · Dan Houser / (3) · Michael Unsworth / (3) · Rupert Humphries / (3)
- Composer
- Kärtsy Hatakka / (1–2) · Kimmo Kajasto / (1–2) · Perttu Kivilaakso / (2) · Health / (3)
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / PlayStation 2 / PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox / Xbox 360 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S / Mac OS X / Game Boy Advance / Android / iOS
- First Release Date
- July 24, 2001
- Latest Release Version
- Max Payne 3
- Latest Release Date
- May 15, 2012
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Max Payne series is named after its protagonist, Max Payne, a New York City police detective who becomes a vigilante after his family is murdered by drug addicts. The first game, released for Windows in 2001 and for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Apple Macintosh in 2002, follows Max as he hunts those responsible for his family's death and uncovers a conspiracy involving a narcotic called Valkyr. A different version was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. The sequel, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, released in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Windows, and Xbox, takes place two years later, with Max rejoining the NYPD and encountering fugitive Mona Sax. The third installment, Max Payne 3, developed by Rockstar Studios and released in 2012 for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360, is set nine years later in São Paulo, Brazil, where Max works private security. In April 2022, Remedy Entertainment announced remakes of the first two games, to be released as a single title for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, in collaboration with Rockstar Games.
Reader's Guide
The Max Payne franchise has left a significant mark on the third-person shooter genre, primarily through its pioneering use of 'bullet time' mechanics, which slow down action sequences and became a hallmark of the series. Critically well-received, the games sold over 7.5 million units by 2011. The series also spawned a 2008 film adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, which, despite negative reviews, was commercially successful. In November 2021, Microsoft added the Max Payne trilogy to its Xbox backward compatibility program, making the games playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The announcement of remakes for the first two games in April 2022, funded by Rockstar Games, underscores the enduring legacy of the franchise and its continued relevance in gaming culture.
Did You Know?
- The first two Max Payne games were written by Sam Lake, while Max Payne 3 was primarily written by Dan Houser.
- In November 2021, the Max Payne trilogy was added to Xbox's backward compatibility program for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
- Remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2 were announced in April 2022, to be released as a single title.
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