14 DAY TRIAL // Max Payne 3 is set to introduce an array of new things to the old series but James McCaffrey, the actor who voiced Max Payne since his early days, believes it still delivers a classic experience in which longtime fans will immediately recognize the main character.
The first two Max Payne games delivered unique experiences many years ago with a distinct noir visual theme, in which players guided grizzled NYPD cop Max Payne on his quest for vengeance.
With Max Payne 3, the anti-hero is now going to Sao Paulo, Brasil, in order to escape his demons and find new meaning for his life.
Given the considerable gap between the upcoming game and the previous one, not to mention this major shift in location, many fans are worried that this might be too big of a departure from the franchise’s roots.
James McCaffrey, the actor who voiced Max in all of his games, believes this isn’t true, as Rockstar made sure that Max and his trademark experience is still present in the story.
“The guys at Rockstar have done a fantastic job at creating a story that fits perfectly with where Max might wind up in his life after so much time,” he told G4TV. “So Max still fits, probably more so now after having to do much more work for the character this time, in terms of having to do all the motion capture work, which was all brand new to me. Ultimately, that makes the character more believable, but it’s also more of my own performance that winds up as part of the game."
McCaffrey also soothed the worries of fans that this new game might not have that noir feel, given its departure from the gritty New York City to the sunny Sao Paulo.
“It’s still very dark,” the actor said about the story. “I don’t know…A lot of the color just comes from the location, but the Max brings the darkness to the situation he’s in. The edge is still there. He’s trying to make changes but that’s the thing with Max…trouble finds him. I think the fans will recognize the old Max in the new Max pretty quickly.”
Fans of the series will be able to see if Max Payne 3 retains the classic experience of previous games next month, when it’s released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.