I found myself enjoying the flashback levels that take place in New Jersey more than most of Brazil. I don't particularly know why, maybe because some of the favela levels felt similar. Which did you enjoy more?

A very much enjoyed putting a bullet in that Jersey douche bag.

...Don't fuck with Max Payne.

For as much as I still enjoyed the primary setting of Max Payne 3 (especially the Slums, Stadium and Rodrigo's office), once I hit the flashback scene during New Jersey, I didn't want to leave! I understand that they were purposely trying to move on from that style of setting n all, trying to better create a specific identity for Max Payne 3, but goddamn... it all felt so fucking right! Max's awesome jacket, the snow, the night, the abundance of mobsters (who are always fun to kill) - I honestly think I would have probably enjoyed Max Payne 3 more if it was more often grounded within settings like that.

Max Payne belongs in Noir York City. He was born there, and he will die there.

Brazil. Because bald Max is best Max.

Maybe it is because i live in São Paulo, but i reaaaaally thought Brazil was way better. I dunno, the city felt like an important character in the whole thing. I hated when he had those flashbacks. >:
Everything felt so bland. It was snowing and it was dark, there's not much into it. I dunno, i just think Brazil was way more alive.

Loved the flashbacks. Wished the entire game took place in NY.

Hated Jersey. Would have preferred if it only happened once and not for as long

Flashbacks were great, but I prefer the Brazil parts more. Liked the level design better.

Liked the bar and apartments but the cemetery was terrible

The flashbacks are easily the best part of the game.

@0blivion said:

Max Payne belongs in Noir York City. He was born there, and he will die there.

Quoted because this is true.

The moment I heard it wouldn't all take place in New York, even more so than when I heard Remedy wouldn't be developing it, I said 'thank you' to the series and we parted ways.

I liked the game.....that's its I liked it all.

The level design across the board is frigging brilliant. I haven't been down to Hoboken in a long time...isn't it all hipsters and yuppie scum now?

@Jason_Bourne said:

A very much enjoyed putting a bullet in that Jersey douche bag.

...Don't fuck with Max Payne.

Same here. I liked the New Jersey levels better than most of the Brazil.

NJ was way better.

The game would have been way better if it was resisted from making some unnecessary changes and kept the original setting. There was no need to change it and it did not make the game better.

@Jason_Bourne said:

A very much enjoyed putting a bullet in that Jersey douche bag.

...Don't fuck with Max Payne.

I loved that. After the firefight I went back and emptied several clips in his face to make sure there wouldn't be an open casket funeral.

brazil felt better designed and more fresh.

NJ it felt better designed and flowed a bit better

I might have to pick Jersey, if only because shootdodging to the song on the jukebox at Walton's bar was just sublime.

Brazil is incredible to behold though, and serves as a clever parallel setting for a new urban conspiracy to unravel.

I felt that the set up to the Jersey levels could've been Max Payne 3 in and of itself. Max is alone, half-cut and a drunk broad he takes a shine to gets decked by a shit-talking guido. Max reacts on instinct and bam, the entire New Jersey underworld is on Max's ass. There's a lot of potential in that.

I mean it was pretty fucking perfect for another night in new york. I still don't understand why MP3 went to Brazil, since it's clear Rockstar Vancouver knew how to do a proper Max Payne game, if Jersey is any indication. It's not like the horrific and interesting plot twists in the third act really did much for Max Payne 3 except make the player shrug his shoulders and keep Max pushing forward.

Brazil.

A snowy average american city get's boring fast and would just end up being a repeat of the first 2 games. I was done with that setting after the first 2 games and wouldn't have cared for more of the same a 3rd time. In the Brazil levels there's variety.

Together, holding hands as lovers. I think the Brazil and the flashbacks kept the gameplay interesting.

I liked the New Jersey levels a bit more, but I think that is mainly because it was something different from Brazil.

Personally I would really have liked to know or seen what Max Payne 3 would have turned into if they had went with the story where Max went to Russia instead of Brazil.

I enjoyed the flashbacks to flavor the experience as a whole but overall the NY thing has been done to dead and i really liked the uneasy feel of being in an unfamiliar, unwelcoming, racially/culturally tense environment. I thought that was well done.

...though, i REALLY liked putting a bullet in that Jersey Shore kid.

@RedRoach said:

A very much enjoyed putting a bullet in that Jersey douche bag.

...Don't fuck with Max Payne.

So much this. Killing a bunch of Pauly D's made my damn day.

@Village_Guy said:

I liked the New Jersey levels a bit more, but I think that is mainly because it was something different from Brazil.

Personally I would really have liked to know or seen what Max Payne 3 would have turned into if they had went with the story where Max went to Russia instead of Brazil.

Less references to Elite Squad that's for sure.

Liked Brazil more because, unless most of the later sections of the flashbacks is fading from my memory, felt like pretty much all that was needed was done in first section and the last two(?) kind of were for padding.

Gotta be New Jersey for me, I just really like that setting. Brazil was still very, very fucking cool. Loved the game.

joisy.

I have to say I enjoyed Brazil more for the unique culture and settings, even if a bit exaggerated from the reality, but the game wouldn't have been nearly as good without the New Jersey scenes complimenting it. I'd have even enjoyed one more level in New Jersey with Max and Passos making a mad getaway to the airport involving a car chase scene with Passos driving and Max shooting.

i have to say brazil, the flashbacks seem more like been there done that type of stuff. As soon as i hit that favella level, man i felt i was in a very bad place and shit was about to go down fast.

The flashback levels are nice to play, but nothing new in terms of setting and such. But shooting that jersey shore reject felt real good.

@MikeGosot said:

It was snowing and it was dark

So it was Max Payne.

New Jersey, Rockstar know how give a great feel to New Jersey

NJ just for the shooting of the guidos.

@RedRoach said:

A very much enjoyed putting a bullet in that Jersey douche bag.

...Don't fuck with Max Payne.

Yes.

Honestly, I don't know which Sao Paulo they visited. Certainly not the one I live in because there were only a couple of places that were actually real life copies and such. The rest was either wrong or ridiculously Rio-esque which is saying something.

NJ levels felt more real like they knew what they were doing. And as a Brazilian , ive never been so shocked by terrible voice acting, hard to sit through the game honestly.

No one here is pointing out that NJ levels had no enemies with bulletproof vests. That fact made them move a lot faster.

@MikeGosot said:

It was snowing and it was dark

So it was Max Payne.

Honestly, I don't know which Sao Paulo they visited. Certainly not the one I live in because there were only a couple of places that were actually real life copies and such. The rest was either wrong or ridiculously Rio-esque which is saying something.

NJ levels felt more real like they knew what they were doing. And as a Brazilian , ive never been so shocked by terrible voice acting, hard to sit through the game honestly.

I think the flashbacks served their purpose of mixing it up a bit. They felt authentic and made for a nice transition from the old Max to where he'd end up. Don't forget the Panama flashback either, that was necessary too. The three flashbacks in each of the game's acts made a whole lot of sense for the pacing.

Choosing one location over the other seems really weird to me, like wishing a movie was your favourite scene for the whole running time.