Max Payne returns after all these years. Old age has not been kind, and neither is Max. Full review inside.

+ Stellar story and presentation; + Addicting MP; + Fun gameplay kept at a nice pace; + Bullet time is back; + Voice acting is done extremely well

No quick switch for weapons; Restrictions on MP modes

I for one was celebrating when Rockstar Games finally released the new third person shooter, Max Payne 3, on the 15th of May. It is a game that I have been waiting on for a long time. Why the anticipation you ask

Despite a scenery change for Payne, old habits die hard for the game's leading protagonist.

With this third installment in the Max Payne series, we are in the presence of a very fun, action-packed shooting game, but also, in the presence of a very hard and touching story.

If you might recall the original Max Payne beat Matrix to the punch. Quickly after The Matrix hit theaters worldwide, everyone knew that a video game counterpart would soon follow, taking advantage of the trademark bulletime feat.

We like the character of Max Payne; congrats to Rockstar for delivering a game with a unique and spectacular atmosphere; great visual effects; brilliant audio and that goes for both the soundtrack and voice acting; it's still an entertaining shooter

All the shooting and bullettime shenanigans gets tiring after a while; often feels like a GTA game without the free-roam component

MAX PAYNE 3 Max Payne 3 is a third person shooter game available on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 along with the PC. The game is the third installment in the franchise of the well renown Rockstar Games who both developed and published the game.

Tons of gun blazing action; fantastic story mode and multiplayer options

Quite difficult for beginners; full of blood and strong language

== MAX PAYNE 3 == Max Payne 3 is a third person shooter game available on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 along with the PC. The game is the third installment in the franchise of the well renown Rockstar Games who both developed and published the game.

Its time to bring the Payne. When the wife of Brazilian real estate mogul Rodrigo Branco is kidnapped, its up to Max Payne to tear the city of Sao Paolo apart to get her back. From the slums of the favelas, to the penthouses and skyscrapers of the big city, no one is safe from Max as he issues a...

I'd be lying if I said I was completely across the ins and outs of the Max Payne story to date. The events of the first game released in 2001 are a long and distant memory for most of us, although some memories of the cool environment destruction, slow-motion gunplay and competent yet cheesy story...

Incredible art direction; great story; Awesome action; Loads of content and depth; Bullet Time never gets old; Multiplayer should be a hit

Max's movements can feel a bit sluggish at times

Set against Max Payne 3's strengths, any gripes in this review are little more than quibbles; this is Rockstar at their best.

Fantastic shooting mechanics; Unrivalled animations; Max is superbly voiced; Engaging multiplayer

On-rails sections are weaker than the rest; Visual style may irritate some players; Imperfect checkpointing