Max Payne Mobile – Film Noir Thrills

by Thomas Weissenbacher on 2/27/13 11:57 PM

Tested version: 1.1
Latest version: 1.2
Requires Android: from 2.2

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Summary

Max Payne is, quite simply, a legend. At least for people who play computer games. The game mechanics are unique and the Film Noir vibe is strong. An Android version, Max Payne Mobile, of this classic game has been available for a while and today we'd like to take a closer look at it. Join us!

Features & Use

Section rating:

Tested on:

Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Android version: 4.1.1
Root: Yes
Modifications: None

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Android version: 4.0.4
Root: Yes
Modifications: None

App details:
Runs as of: Android 2.2
Apps2SD: Not detected on Galaxy Nexus
Size: Ca. 1.36 GB
Optimised for Ice Cream Sandwich/Jellybean: Yes
Optimised for tablets: Runs very nicely on the Galaxy Tab

Permissions:
Network communication

System tools

Hardware control elements: Vibrate function

Calls

Storage

Permissions strike us as straightforward

“Life was good. A house on the Jersey side across the river. The smell of freshly cut lawns. The sounds of children playing. A beautiful wife and a baby girl. The American dream come true. But dreams have a nasty habit of going bad when you're not looking.”

What's a cop to do, when he comes home to his perfect suburban life after work one day, and has to witness his wife and child being murdered by a gang of junkies? Vengeance. Valkyr, a scary new designer drug, is suffocating NYC in a dark veil of evil. Max Payne takes it upon himself to rid the city of this plague, and of organised crime.

A lot of mysteries are still unsolved in regards to the murders: Who was the strange person who called just before his family was killed?

After three years undercover, Max Payne has had a breakthrough. But then, as a terrible blizzard rages in the city, Max Payne has to see his best friend being shot in front of his own eyes. That's his breaking point.

“One thing you can count on: You push a man too far, and sooner or later he'll start pushing back.”

Max sets out for revenge, blizzard be darned, and he is out to get junkies, mobsters, drug lords... And the police, his old allies, are hot on his tail seeing as they suspect him of having killed his best friend and partner Alex.

Max Payne is truly one of the best computer games I'm familiar with. The bullet time game mechanics are a watermark feature, but what really sets this game apart is its atmosphere. You can quite literally feel the character's desperation, helplessness and need of vengeance. Stylistically, the game is unique and skillfully made.

So what how have Rockstar Games brought Max into the Android era? My answer: very, very well indeed. The game impressed me, right down to the tiniest detail. It remains absolutely true to the original version, but optimised so that is can be played on Android devices. Everything else, including Max's speaking voice, remains authentic.

Max Payne is a classic shooter game. That means: Fire away! Gather weapons and ammunition and chase those criminals down. But Max Payne is anything but a run-of-the-mill shooter. The depth of the narrative gives the game that certain edge. For instance, Max basically lives on painkillers, meaning you have to keep busy and collect as many drugs for Max as you can, and feed them to him at the right times.

There are varying degrees of difficulty, and you need to think ahead in order to use Bullet Time to your advantage.

Levels are set up in a way that is quite linear but there are a few sidetracks with munition, weaponry and painkillers along the way. The secret training level is my personal favourite.

Bottom line:

What can I saw? Max Payne Mobile is an excellent adaption of a wonderful classic. The game is very much as it's always been, and fans will be happy to know that they can carry their favourite game around with them. For those of you who have not yet met Max: I would say that it's time you got acquainted!

Screen & Controls

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Touchscreen shooter controls are tricky business, especially when it comes to games that weren't developed specifically for touschreens. Luckily for us, Max Payne Mobile is easy to navigate and controls work a charm. It may take a few minutes to get used to, but once you do playing this game should be fairly intuitive.

Of course it'll always be easier playing with a mouse and proper keyboard, but these controls are as good as it gets for a touchscreen version of the game.

Speed & Stability

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Max Payne Mobile performs well on the Galaxy Nexus and even on an older Galaxy Tab 10.1: crystal clear and super smooth. That's quite a feat. Loading times are decent, saving takes less than a second. No crashing or other issues.

Price/Performance Ratio

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Max Payne Mobile goes for €2.35 from Google Play. Considering that this is an Android app that's an encompassing adaption of a computer game, you're really getting your money's worth.