It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free.
The original Max Payne was released on this date in 2001 on PC.
It was released the following year on the Xbox and the PlayStation 2.
To celebrate, Remedy Entertainment, the developer of the first two instalments, released an anniversary video featuring Sam Lake, the primary writer of the game and whose likeness was used for Max Payne himself, and James McCaffrey, the voice actor of Payne. The video also features the iconic black leather jacket worn by Payne.
Max Payne was best known for its ‘bullet time’ feature, which slows down time as Max guns down enemies.
I was only two years old when the game was released, but I discovered the series with the announcement of Max Payne 3 and went back to the first games through Steam. I absolutely fell in love with the neo-noir aesthetic, the strong emphasis on narrative and, of course, Max’s iconic quotes.
It’s a tragedy that Rockstar hasn’t developed on the series since the release of the third instalment in 2012.
In any case, happy birthday Max. Hopefully, we’ll hear from you soon.
