December 14th, 2011

Max Payne 3 multiplayer previewed

Published at 6:55 PM PST

IGN recently got the chance to take the first look at Max Payne 3's multiplayer compent, a concept that is entirely new to the series. From what we can gather, they were extremely impressed. Here's what IGN had to say:

On the unique Gang Wars mode:
"Max Payne 3 attempts to give more definition to the spontaneous type of narrative you get in a round of multiplayer. To do this it's created a new mode called Gang Wars, the centrepiece of Payne's multiplayer suite. A typical match, for instance, might kick-off during the calamity of a drug deal gone horribly wrong. You must collect duffle bags gorged with cash and ferry them back to safe points. It's a standard multiplayer objective but the difference comes in the next round; instead of tasking you with the same objective, the mission changes and draws upon the events of the preceding round not only to give context but motivation for the new task."

On Bursts:
"The multiplayer experience is augmented by the presence of Bursts – special abilities that you unlock as you accumulate XP. The perks are inspired by the individual characteristics of the factions open to players in multiplayer. In addition to Bullet Time, Max's signature skill, the most original Bursts are those that alter players' perception of reality."

On the ability to use Shootdodge™ and Bullet Time®:
"Fortunately, many of the distinctive gameplay features that the Max Payne series innovated – Shootdodge, Bullet Time – sit more than comfortably within the confines of multiplayer. The ability to fling yourself through the air is a fantastic addition to multiplayer – especially when you see teammates bursting through windows and taking down opponents. It's incredibly useful as it can be deployed both offensively and defensively. Find yourself about close to death, and Shootdodge can be used to break the line of sight with your attacker, giving you just enough time to regain consciousness. It also looks really, really cool."

The rest of the article can be read over at IGN.