Max Payne

Max Payne was this groundbreaking slow motion action flick that made everyone feel like a badass, diving through doorways and blasting goons in bullet time. It set the standard for gritty noir shooters back in the day, so when Rockstar announced they were cramming the whole thing onto the GBA, people understandably raised an eyebrow but somehow they actually went for it, turning that 3D masterpiece into an isometric handheld demake that's one of the wildest ports you'll ever come across. It's not perfect by any stretch and it has some serious flaws that can drive you up the wall but the sheer ambition of the thing makes it worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of the original.

The story beats are all here, which is pretty impressive considering the hardware limitations. You're still Max Payne, the fugitive cop framed for murder, hunting down the criminals who killed his family while navigating a web of conspiracy involving a super drug called Valkyr. The game uses comic book aesthetic with the original voice acting and hearing that gravelly narration adds a lot to the atmosphere, even if it sounds crunchy and the music are just bongo loops that'll get stuck in your head for all the wrong reasons. They had to cut some levels, like the prologue but the main plot flows well enough that you won't feel lost.

Gameplay-wise, they tried their best to translate the core action and bullet time is the star of the show. You tap a button, Max does a slow motion dive and you can lock onto enemies and blast them while time crawls. It's super satisfying when it works, giving you that John Woo feel in the palm of your hand. You've got a decent arsenal from pistols to shotguns to grenades and you're constantly scavenging for ammo and painkillers. The problem is that the isometric perspective and the GBA's small screen can make things feel clunky, enemies will shoot you from off screen which is beyond annoying, you'll think you're hidden behind a pillar, only to catch a bullet to the face because the angle is messing with you.

Graphically, the prerendered backgrounds look pretty good for the system and the character models have a nice polygonal look to them and there's blood splatter and destructible boxes, which adds to the chaos. The sound design is solid overall with impactful gunshots and explosions but the repetitive music really drags things down. It's a shame because the original game's soundtrack was so moody and atmospheric.

Download

They thought they could bury the truth under a mountain of lies and bullet casings, but nothing stays buried forever, not in this city. You've already read the files, now there's only one move left to make: downloading this game onto your system. First, make sure your 3DS is running homebrew. Once that's squared away, boot up that FBI app from your HOME Menu, point your device's camera at your chosen QR code down below and let the transfer rip, the data will surge through your system. When it's all done, Max Payne himself will settle on your HOME Menu, right alongside your other icons. So don't keep him waiting.

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