14 DAY TRIAL // The first actual details about the special multiplayer mode in Max Payne 3, called Gang Wars, have finally appeared, presenting a very different online mode than what you might see in other games like Call of Duty, Battlefield or Uncharted.
Max Payne 3 was confirmed for released in March, 2012, and Rockstar Games, its publisher, teased that the multiplayer mode, which makes its first appearance in the shooter series, will also deliver a story-based experience.
"The narrative element of Max Payne 1 and 2, and what we're doing with 3, is obviously very strong,” Charlie Bewsher, the lead designed of Max Payne 3’s multiplayer said. “So when you start thinking about the multiplayer version of Payne I think you've got to address that part of the game. But there's also a narrative unique to any multiplayer game, though – you sort of get this drama that unfolds."
Now, IGN has made the official reveal about the online mode in Max Payne 3, which is called Gang Wars, and runs in parallel to the single-player story. This doesn’t mean that it’s trying to shoehorn the action into a pre-determined narrative, as it builds the plot based on the actions of the actual players.
For example, the first round of a match might see people engage in a sort of ‘drug deal gone wrong’ deathmatch, where one team needs to collect various bags with money while the other needs to stop them.
The second match, however, will see the most proficient player have a bounty placed on his head, or the second team being forced with taking over a territory and then need to defuse bombs spread across the area they just conquered.
In between these rounds, players are treated with voice-over narrations from Max himself, as well as comic book style cut scenes that describe some of the action that takes place throughout these Gang Wars.
In order to augment the experience, there are also special Bursts, which are special abilities that unlock once you accumulate XP throughout matches. These range from Bullet Time, which slows down time for both the attacker and the victim, to special ones like Paranoia, which makes players believe their teammates are actually their enemies.
Expect more details about Max Payne 3’s multiplayer mode in the near future.