Imagine this, Steven Seagal (Hard to Kill) meats Bruce Willis (Butch, Pulp Fiction) and through in some classic Neo (Keanu Reeves, Matrix) moments and you start to get the idea of what lies within game, Max Payne! And that as Max you are in for a rouge ride. The game commences with Max, coming home from a day on the streets as a New York cop, on entry to his home he feels uncomfortable and realises something is wrong, very wrong. You work your way through your home only to find you worst fears. Your Wife and child have been the victim of a gangland execution.

You are now going undercover to infiltrate the New York mob and investigate the production of a new and deadly designer drug known as Valkyr. When his boss is gunned down before his very eyes during a routine bust, Max finally goes postal. You are pursued by both the NYPD and the Mob as you struggle to uncover the answers behind the Valkyr conspiracy, which oddly mingle in with your own, troubled past. Max Payne is 3rd Person Shooter, and shooter it is, this is an all out action game with few and far between times to catch your breath, the game also features an all new (matrix style) Bullet Time mode. (Bullet Time mode is when on activation the game slows to a matrix style pace “slow mode” enabling Max to manoeuvre and get off those vital shots) “Believe me your gonna need it!!!”.

Having played, loved and completed the PC version it’s hard to preview a direct port from PC to Xbox the game is generally very linear and impossible to get lost or stuck for where to go next (apart from in the dream sequences, which were actually the most disappointing part of the whole game.) It’s not a Tomb Raider find a key, switch etc to open a door 3rd person shooter this is very different its more a go from A to B to C etc and along the way you encounter the gangster underworld within New York City.

The game is a real tour of the low life world within New York City; in amongst the amazing and stunning environments of New York City, you encounter real life Junkies, hookers and gangsters for you to pop a cap or two, as the story unfolds before you in a comic book storyboard fashion. The game features amazing attention to detail, You are able to operate vending machines, turn taps on, operate the kinky vibrating beds found in the generally lower than 4 star hotels you explore.

Remedy Entertainment have delivered to the PC and soon the Xbox a generally amazing fine single player experience, the game has a strong story and some of the finest gun totin’ gameplay you will witness on the Xbox for some time. This is and will simply be a must for Xbox Action Gamers.