From the makers of Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption and L.A Noire comes the third instalment in the Max Payne series, Max Payne 3. This is the first time that Max Payne has appeared on the next generation consoles and it has been worth the wait. The story of Max Payne is very deep, gritty and as it’s an 18 certificate often adult related. Rock Star, the games developer has a unique way of putting story right in the heart of their games.

Max Payne has had a really difficult past and this game put’s Max in South America, Brazil to be exact. Where he is working as a bodyguard for a rich family. It doesn’t take long before the action starts and kidnapping is on the agenda. Before long Max finds himself on the streets and has to fight his way out of Brazil.

The game has the classic “bullet-time” feature in the game, which allows the player to slow down time that will help you defeat the enemies. They have managed to update this feature and it feels perfect. This feature is neatly mixed with a customisable auto-targeting mode and that makes the overall game play feel very satisfying.

The story is beautifully presented, with cut scenes that pull you into the story acting as loading screens, so the story stays with you for the entirety of the game without interruption from Max's engrossing story. Cut scenes are presented with visual effects dominating the screen, to put a slick spin on an average cut scene. Words appear on screen to emphasize important parts of the conversation, and blurry effects add to the grittiness of the game.

The A.I. is incredibly smart, flanking you and working together with fellow thugs to kill you. Killing the last enemy in the room triggers a 'Bullet Cam', showing the bullet in flight just about to cripple your last foe. It's an immensely satisfying way to end a firefight. The script is superb. Max is funnier and dirtier than before, and James McCaffrey's voice acting absolutely nails it.

Every character is well written and complimented with great voice acting. Just like the single player, the multiplayer is chaotic fun. Rock star have somehow weaved the single player story into the multiplayer, and it's really well done. Max himself narrates the match on the outcomes of every round you may've won or lost, which really ups the ante in public games. As you'd expect, you level up, pick classes, and customize your character, title, and the rest.

There's your standard Team Death match, Death match but the real standout is Gang Wars. Five rounds of random objectives, and the odds are tipped in the favor of those who win the rounds. Bullet Time has been implemented into Multiplayer, and works well. Players are affected if they're in your line of sight and put a fast paced spin on a classic Death match. In total, everything is well balanced and nothing feels out of place; it's an all-out massacre. Closing Comments: Max Payne 3 is an excellent game with a brilliant story, smooth game play and a really engaging multi player mode, which will keep you coming back for me. Max Payne 3 is available now for Play Station 3, Xbox 360 and will be on PC in June 2012.

Review in association with Duracell Gaming Accessories, which are available from Amazon, Play.com and Zavvi.com Review by Luiz Ferreira, White Room Games.