Thanks to successes like Grand Theft Auto , Red Dead Redemption , and Bully , Rockstar has become almost synonymous with open-world games, albeit ones that have notable plot and character issues.

Soaring through the air; blowing away dozens of gangsters with my dual pistols like a John Woo hero

Did he seriously just shave his head as a disguise

As polished a product as Rockstar has ever produced but the action and storytelling are rigidly one note, and neither is sustained for long enough.

Gunplay is excellent and the cover system works well; Peerless presentation and an excellent physics engine; Very good multiplayer and arcade mode

Basic gunplay never evolves beyond the initial tutorial set-up; Storytelling and cinematic gimmicks become equally repetitive

There's a fantastic moment halfway through Max Payne 3. The titular hero has reached his boiling point, shaved his head, and gone under...

Gunplay that's updated and well-executed; Outstanding presentation and setpieces; Fun multiplayer designed to keep you engaged

Checkpoint system warps pacing in later stages; Sometimes; mechanics work against you; Plot may feel predictable to some

Max Payne 3 B>: Max is a man with the worst luck in the world, even though it does make for one of my favourite game series ever.

The return of Max Payne is a memorable one. Featuring one of the best stories I've ever played, along with some of the most detailed environments and amazing shooting mechanics, Max Payne 3 delivers a pitch perfect gameplay experience that doesn't change the industry, but does it better than anyone...

Max Payne is looking pretty good for his age. Well, Max himself is looking awful; older, fatter, drunker, and sporting a beard that only serves to highlight his more than passing resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. But Max Payne 3 looks absolutely amazing.

The problem is with the bad reviews on this game is that there is not one intelligently, lengthy written piece on it from those people. It's ridiculous reasons like "I play a lot of COD and comparing this game to that, they need to look at the competition".

Time slows, and the precision of bullet-time gunplay reflects alcoholic, pill-addicted Max Payne's focused determination in a narrative of personal redemption, and an existence he perceives as out of control – thrown to the wind, yet gripped like a vise. There's nothing superfluous here.

Oozes style; Excellent pacing; Strong narrative and character development; Refined shooting mechanics; James McCaffrey's performace; Impressive set pieces; Engaging multiplayer modes

Waiting 9 years for this

has been a long time coming, releasing nine years after its predecessor and more than a decade after the original game impressed with its bullet-time gameplay mechanic. The gaming landscape has changed dramatically since the noughties, however.

The original Max Payne was released in 2001 and was immediately notable for its sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes stone-cold serious film noir vibe and its reliance on a single gameplay mechanic (read: gimmick). But oh, what a mechanic it was.

Fourteen meaty chapters with a smile across your face.

Some control issues and strange design choices (enemies have grenades but you don't); a few technical blemishes and frequent cinematics