Poll: Max Payne 3 difficulty.

[Jowe]

I just finished Max Payne 3 was wondering what other people thought about the difficulty, since I had been hearing things about it being way too hard. Since I like a challenge I played on hard, and sure there were some challenges, but I didn't have to change it down at all (Shoot dodge OP) I didn't die more than once or twice (edit: probably more like 5+ in one place) on any section. I was just wondering about what the community thought about it.

 

[Casual Shinji]

It was difficult to anticipate the enemies -there placings and movement.

This in itself wouldn't be too annoying if they weren't able to kill you in two shots.

I wouldn't call Max Payne 3 really hard, but while playing I was too focussed on not dying to actively enjoy blasting dudes.

 

[OldDirtyCrusty]

Oldschool was a bit harder after playing through all the other difficulties with last man standing available. Hard seemed almost easy compared to it. All in all i loved that this game never felt unfair. Every challenge was doable. I can`t talk about NewYorkMinuteHardore this is really a hard challenge and i`m not going for this trophy.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

I'd say the difficulty was just right. I'm currently replaying the game on Hard before going to Old School. But even on Normal, I died frequently.

All in all i loved that this game never felt unfair. Every challenge was doable.

I agree with that. Although I died a lot, I always felt that I died because I fucked up. Perhaps I crashed into a wall in the middle of a shootdodge, and every enemy left alive filled Max's torso with lead. Or I stayed in cover too long, and an unseen enemy flanked me and shot me to pieces. Things like that.

Some parts caused me to die far more than others, but I was eventually able to overcome them by trying different approaches, different weapons, and switching my tactics around. Or... just not sucking. I remember several shootouts ending horribly for me time and time again, only for me to pull off a "perfect" killing spree and sending a bullet straight into the brains of every enemy in sight in one bullet-time rampage and seeing them all hit the floor at the same time. At least that makes me instantly forget my repeated failures.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

Played it on hard right from the get go. Check-points seemed a tad unforgiving at times, but otherwise I didn't have much trouble with it

 

[OldDirtyCrusty]

Some parts caused me to die far more than others, but I was eventually able to overcome them by trying different approaches, different weapons, and switching my tactics around. Or... just not sucking. I remember several shootouts ending horribly for me time and time again, only for me to pull off a "perfect" killing spree and sending a bullet straight into the brains of every enemy in sight in one bullet-time rampage and seeing them all hit the floor at the same time. At least that makes me instantly forget my repeated failures.

Yeah, that was the beauty of the whole gameplay.
My perfect win strategy was always shootdoging the hell out of all situations. I`m really glad that it works out on consoles too.

 

[Woodsey]

I swapped it down to easy on the first go a few levels in, but then had no problems at all on medium when I went for a second playthrough.

I'd say people should put it on easy for a bit if they're struggling, just so you can get a rhythm going.

Check-points seemed a tad unforgiving at times, but otherwise I didn't have much trouble with it

In what way? Seemed to checkpoint after every single shootout.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

I swapped it down to easy on the first go a few levels in, but then had no problems at all on medium when I went for a second playthrough.

I'd say people should put it on easy for a bit if they're struggling, just so you can get a rhythm going.

Check-points seemed a tad unforgiving at times, but otherwise I didn't have much trouble with it

In what way? Seemed to checkpoint after every single shootout.

I can't really recall, actually. All I remember is finding where I started annoying once in a while....it may have been having to re-watch certain cut-scenes, due to the whole "OMGZ OUR CINEMATICS OUR INTEGRATED INTO OUR GAMEPLAY!!!!" aspect of the game.

 

[Woodsey]

I swapped it down to easy on the first go a few levels in, but then had no problems at all on medium when I went for a second playthrough.

I'd say people should put it on easy for a bit if they're struggling, just so you can get a rhythm going.

Check-points seemed a tad unforgiving at times, but otherwise I didn't have much trouble with it

In what way? Seemed to checkpoint after every single shootout.

I can't really recall, actually. All I remember is finding where I started annoying once in a while....it may have been having to re-watch certain cut-scenes, due to the whole "OMGZ OUR CINEMATICS OUR INTEGRATED INTO OUR GAMEPLAY!!!!" aspect of the game.

Ha, yeah - 'integrated' in the loosest sense of the word.

 

[Joseph Harrison]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

 

[josemlopes]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

Then you are doing it wrong, the maps are even designed in the way that you can jump from cover to cover using the shoot-dodge.

 

[XMark]

On the one hand, it seemed too hard. On the other hand, it eventually holds your hand if you die too many times by giving you free painkillers and ammo.

The only part that really frustrated me is that one airport level where it's all big and wide open, and it's like an eternity between checkpoints and you have to keep listening to that damn song with the vocals over and over again.

 

[Project_Xii]

Played it on Hard for my first playthrough. I won't say that was easy, but I didn't struggle as much as I expected. The last 3 levels were probably the most brutal. Those probably took an hour a piece to finish, but it just made the whole experience that much more rewarding and epic.

 

[Jowe]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

I think your wrong about playing it as a 3rd person shooter, instead of using the shootdodge to your advantage. The cover mechanics aren't very good, and you're a still target so you get shot a lot. I found out about halfway into the first mission the best way was to shoot dodge as much as possible, hopefully ending up behind cover. I also think that because the bullets are slowed down when shootdodging most of the shots miss you entirely.
Basically they tailored it to trying to get people to play it in a much more aggressive way than people would normally play third-person shooters, by making that path easier. You should try playing your next playthrough in this way

 

[daveman247]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

All i can say is do better! I managed many an epic shootdodge, except the few times i ended up falling off balconies and boats....
I found hunkering down to be a deathwish, the enemies just surround you and hunker down themselves. Pretty smart they are.


OT: About right on the normal. A bit of fight in it but not so much i feel frustrated. I think reviewers are just TOO used to having their hand holded/ an easy time in shooters. The times i died were my fault where a shootdodge went bad and i ended up laying in the middle of a room like a fool.

 

[daveman247]

The only part that really frustrated me is that one airport level where it's all big and wide open, and it's like an eternity between checkpoints and you have to keep listening to that damn song with the vocals over and over again.

I really liked that part, nice change to the close-quarters

 

[Dogstile]

I can remember a few parts. There's one where you've just gotten into the football stadium and when you start fighting passos says "what's going on" and max responds with "exactly what it sounds like!" (as spoiler free as possible).

That section sucked. Fuck all cover, fuck all ammo and only a couple painkillers.

Edit: I don't get what people were complaining about with being in cover. When I told friends that I did it in the first cover they said "no, that game didn't have a cover mechanic" but when I demonstrated by standing behind a wall and not pushing myself up against it and saying "look guys, i'm in cover" they understood. What's with people and not realising that?

 

[Joseph Harrison]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

Then you are doing it wrong, the maps are even designed in the way that you can jump from cover to cover using the shoot-dodge.

Except in the last boss battle where you cannot leave the cover for more than five feet without the guy insta killing you.

 

[Joseph Harrison]

I think your wrong about playing it as a 3rd person shooter, instead of using the shootdodge to your advantage. The cover mechanics aren't very good, and you're a still target so you get shot a lot. I found out about halfway into the first mission the best way was to shoot dodge as much as possible, hopefully ending up behind cover. I also think that because the bullets are slowed down when shootdodging most of the shots miss you entirely.
Basically they tailored it to trying to get people to play it in a much more aggressive way than people would normally play third-person shooters, by making that path easier. You should try playing your next playthrough in this way

I did use the shoot dodge frequently and ended up with several badass moments as I jumped through the air getting headshots left and right. My only problem was how often I would end up landing on my ass on the ground and quickly finding myself Swiss cheese. Gunfights could end quicker if you shoot dodged because you could take out enemies easier but Sticking behind cover was a safer if far more boring approach.

 

[Dogstile]

I thought the game was way too hard but I didn't change the difficulty so how do I answer the poll

I guess my main issue with the game was that it kept telling you "SHOOT DODGE IN EVERY BATTLE!!!!!!!!" But it was a lot easier to just take cover go bullet time then pop some head shots and return to cover. I played the game to leap across rooms in slow mo not play a generic third-person cover-based shooter.

Then you are doing it wrong, the maps are even designed in the way that you can jump from cover to cover using the shoot-dodge.

Except in the last boss battle where you cannot leave the cover for more than five feet without the guy insta killing you.

What? You're supposed to go into slow mo, which is more than enough time to headshot everyone there and shoot his grenades as they go at you. I don't think I took cover once that entire battle.