Max Payne 3

There’s not much more I can say about Max Payne 3 without spoiling the experience for you. Emotionally exhausted and still buzzing with excitement after playing Max Payne 3’s story mode throughout the weekend, I woke up this morning bursting to tell everyone that, quite simply put: Max Payne 3 is the best character-driven shooter that I’ve ever played.

With an intriguing editing style and story, rock-solid performances and eye candy galore, Max Payne 3's campaign hits hard where most games whiff. While the gunplay is gorgeous and Superman-ing around the room doesn't really get old, sadly the core combat doesn't quite reach the dizzying heights of the wrapper — faithful to the series, but a bit arrested.

The campaign is a fantastic ride, and Arcade mode (scoring challenges) adds longevity to the single player mix. Multiplayer is as enjoyable and deep as any other package on the market. No matter what gameplay mode I chose, I had a great time playing Max Payne 3. The gameplay doesn’t explore new territory, but delivers a retro charm that fans of the series should appreciate. It’s a new day for Max Payne, and at the same time, a return to his glorious past.