10 Years On, Max Payne 3's Airport Shootout Is Still Sensational

thegamer.com:

Ten years ago, Rockstar launched Max Payne 3. Set in sunny São Paulo—a far cry from Max's home city of New York—it's one of the most exciting, lavishly produced third-person shooters ever made. It's deeply simple at its core, but elevated by its thrilling choreography, the impressive density of its destructible levels, and its breakneck pace, which doesn't let up until the credits roll. It may lack the quirky Lynchian strangeness, mythological undertones, and peculiar dreamlike quality of the first two games, but it doubles down on the pulpy grime and balletic action.

Much of the game's power comes from its score, which was written and composed by noise band HEALTH. This was an inspired choice by Rockstar, with the group's pounding drums, reverb-laden guitars, and heartbeat-like synths perfectly complementing the desperate, violent urgency of the action. The most memorable musical moment in Max Payne 3 comes in the final chapter, where Max finds himself being pursued through a busy international airport by an army of corrupt cops. This is the game's defining level, and it hits just as hard today as it did a decade ago.

Related: Max Payne Is The Greatest Action Game Ever Made

Piratininga Airport, Thursday, 2:07pm. Max walks conspicuously through terminal 2, face bruised, white shirt speckled with blood, hiding behind a pair of dark oversized sunglasses. "I knew they were looking for me," he monologues. "But the airport is the only place a fat gringo might blend in. Well, there or a sex club." Alas, such is the relentless, unbroken nature of Max Payne 3—which bolts along without a single mid-game loading screen or a moment of merciful peace—within minutes a pair of suspicious cops have made him and the shit immediately