redrain85 on 18/5/2012 at 23:15

---

Nine times out of ten the "we're delaying the PC version to make it better" excuse is complete BS. Arkham City was a prime example of this. The game was delayed by a couple of months for "polish", yet the file dates on the disc showed they were two months old and the game was broken on launch.

It seems the publishers are still clinging to the piracy boogeyman as their real reason for deliberately delaying PC releases. Which, to me, doesn't make a lot of sense any more. Someone who was going to buy it on console isn't likely to then not purchase a console version, and pirate it on PC instead, when there's release parity for all the versions. If people were prepared to plunk down the cash on the day of release, chances are they'd still buy it. Especially considering, most of the time, the PC version is cheaper anyway.

And those who were going to pirate the game to begin with, are still going to pirate it whether it's released same-day or two weeks later.

Not to mention, each individual PC copy sold earns more revenue than each console copy. No Microsoft or Sony taking a cut from each sale. So even if PC sells less, its revenue can still be fairly substantial. Which is apparently what happened with Bioshock. At first the 360 version sold a lot more, but in the long term PC caught up and arguably overtook it. (Roughly 50/50 split in the end, but again each PC copy earns more.)

The only way this would make any sense to me, is that they prioritize the console versions due to Day-One DLC. DLC tends to sell a lot better on console, while on PC not so much. Also, there's probably pressure from Microsoft and Sony to delay the PC release so they can try and get more console sales from those people who are too impatient to wait.

Ted O'Toole on 29/5/2012 at 01:03

---

Take Max Payne 2 and add cut scenes from GTA4 every 3 minutes, throw in some migraine inducing and pointless camera effects and thats Max 3.

Not so much disappointed at the result, I expected the game to be this way. Maybe I hoped to be wrong.

Ted O'Toole on 29/5/2012 at 02:31

---

You know how great the cut scenes were in MGS4?

Well, instead of hour long cut scenes you get them spread out over a level. When I said every 3 minutes I wasn't kidding. They last for between 30 seconds and 5 minutes and really break the flow of the game.

When I said its like Max Payne 2, I mean the gameplay hasn't really progressed, or had any real refinement at least not yet. The difficulty is still there so at least that wasn't watered down. I think they may have added the cover system from GTA.

The story telling in those cut scenes is like GTA in the way the characters movements are animated, as in poorly. The dialogue is ok I guess, but the characters are just as soulless and obvious as they were in GTA. The new visual style feels like a blend of Kane & Lynch 2 and The Ballad of Gay Tony and not in a good way.Not so much shaky cam, but the motion blur and use of shitty lense flare and that weird flashy distortion stuff is nothing like the noir we'd be used to, speaking of, they've tried to keep the noir monologue, but its totally at odds with the rest of the games new style and I really hate it.

While I'm sure many will love it, I don't think I'll bother finishing it.

Edit: Get a demo or pirate it if there are none available (ofc delete it afterwards)
Edit2: Re:gameplay, I don't recall shooting down RPG's in the original.

Thirith on 29/5/2012 at 09:51

---

I never got into Max Payne but loved the sequel; to my mind MP2 did much better at getting the balance between hard-boiled crime fiction, noir clichés, genuine pathos, surreal humour and meta. From what I've heard about MP3 I'll get it, although not immediately - too much on my gaming plate at present.

SubJeff on 1/6/2012 at 11:51

---

No one playing this? I'm downloading now.