Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter in which the player assumes the role of its titular character, Max Payne. Max Payne 3 features a similar over-the-shoulder camera as its predecessors, with the addition of a cover mechanic, while also retaining much of the same run-and-gun style of gameplay. Max Payne 3 also marks the return of bullet-time in action sequences, for which the franchise is notable.
In bullet-time it is possible to see every bullet strike an enemy in detail. New to the series is a “Last Stand” mechanic, which gives the player a grace period after losing all health during which time the player may kill the enemy that wounded them in order to continue playing, however this mechanic is only usable if the player has one or more bottles of painkillers in their possession.
We test the game today at 1920×1080 and 2560×1600 resolutions. At our chosen graphics settings, the game demands 1270MB (1920) and 1848MB (2560) of memory.
This is another demanding Direct X 11 title. All cards keep the engine running smoothly throughout.
At 2560×1600 the demands on the video card become more intensive. The GTX760 holds the frame rate above the sweet spot of 25 at all times, but it is borderline. The GTX770 smooths the experience out a little better, holding close to 30 frames per second at all times. As expected, the GTX780 is the best of all at these settings, holding the frame rate above 40 at all times.