infexxionMax Payne 3 Vs. Red Dead Redemption
Two of Rockstar's biggest titles have come out within a couple years of each other. Despite somewhat similar premises, they take wildly different turns concerning story progression, gameplay, and pretty much everything else. So which one of these bad boys reigns supreme? Let's find out! 5 rounds, let's do this!
ROUND 1: STORY
Story is absolutely integral to both of these titles. They drive both John Marston and Max Payne forward, pushing the tale along at just the right pace. John Marston's tale sees the former gunslinger reluctantly returning to his old ways to hunt down his former gang members, and in doing so will free his family, who have been taken by the government. Max Payne's journey, set in Sao Paulo, sees the former NYPD cop trying to start fresh, but his old demons are more persistent than ever. Couple that with a plot that becomes increasingly tense throughout the story, and you've got one hell of a ride.
But which tale reigns supreme? Both Marston's journey to get his family back and Max's adventures in Sao Paulo are gripping, tense tales that have you immersed entirely, it's Max's story that will grip you tighter and pull you into his dark, twisted world.
WINNER: Max Payne 3
ROUND 2: SETTING
Whether you're fighting as Max himself in Sao Paulo, or venturing the countryside in New Austin as John Marston, both settings offer unique and interesting areas. Despite the previous two titles taking place in New York, Max Payne 3 opted for a brighter, heat-soaked setting in Brazil. Marston's story will take you all over New Austin, ranging from ghost towns, to mountain tops, to trips into Mexico.
Both settings are enjoyable and have very pleasant graphics accompanying them, no doubt. But you just can't beat Red Dead Redemption's setting, the era has never been captured better in a video game, and riding around the countryside on horseback, clearing out gang hideouts, watching the world play out and live with you in it, is as close to perfection that we've ever seen.
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
ROUND 3: GAMEPLAY
Despite both being third person shooters with a somewhat realistic play style, they diverge wildly when stacked side by side. Max Payne 3 offers slow-mo infused gameplay that has a cover system, but it's better used as a secondary take-a-breather moment than played similar to Gears Of War. Max Payne 3 is not a cover-based shooter, it's a shooter with cover mechanics. Red Dead Redemption is more cover-based, though not cover-centric. You're less likely to die running out of cover in Max Payne 3, though.
Despite the fact that Red Dead Redemption allows you to take it beyond gunplay and go on horse riding trips, and participate in numerous minigames, the shooting is no doubt star, and it works well. The weapons are faithful to their time period, and everything works. Max Payne 3 offers a faster-paced experience with diving mechanics, and is often touted as the game to popularize slow motion shooting mechanics.
Red Dead Redemption has variety and awesome gunplay, but you just can't beat mowing down an enemy in slow motion, and a cinematic camera showing your shots penetrating him and slinging him backwards into a wall.
WINNER: Max Payne 3
ROUND 4: MULTIPLAYER
Both games offer an extensive multiplayer component. For Max Payne 3, it offers a unique mode that fuses a storyline directly into the multiplayer, giving you narrative and motivation to your rampant killings. Whichever team wins the round gains the advantage in the next, and whoever wins impacts the story directly. Mix this with multiplayer that brings over the key components and single player and works them in perfectly, and you've got an amazing multiplayer experience here. Max Payne 3 also takes the cake with progression, making sure you know what you did right each match. With plans for several DLC packs involving new modes and maps already announced, people will be playing Max Payne 3 multiplayer for months to come.
Red Dead Redemption, instead, presents the multiplayer component as a world of its own. You can free roam with other people and do just about everything you can in the single player. You've also got your standard deathmatch and assortment of gametypes, which are definitely a lot of fun. With the DLC packs you gain access to a zombie mode, poker/liars dice online, an assortment of new maps, and more of the amazing gameplay.
Despite the Max Payne 3 gameplay being better overall, Red Dead Redemption brings home the victory here with not only the amazing amount of diversity between modes, but the way it all seamlessly works together.
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
ROUND 5: LASTING APPEAL
Both games are amazing pieces of writing, gameplay, and fun. No doubt. I'll want to revisit Max's world numerous times to play through the story again, it's just that well done. The style is awesome, and the narrative and way the story is told is amazing.
But John Marston's tale is equally as compelling, plus you don't have to replay the story to play the game. You can do sidequests, kill people, or just go on a ride around New Austin. The open world definitely helps here.
Multiplayer will have me coming back to both games for a long time, no doubt. Both are fun, have awesome, distinct styles and rock. Some of the best multiplayer this gen for sure. But the lasting appeal goes to Red Dead Redemption. Max's world is intriguing, dark, gritty, and awesome to be in. But Red Dead Redemption simply offers more in the realm of reasons to fire the game up again. If the gameplay wasn't up to par, Max Payne 3 would've won, but Red Dead Redemption mixes amazing storytelling, awesome gunplay, and a plethora of multiplayer options and an open world to explore endlessly.
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
So, there you have it, 5 rounds of tough comparisons between the two titles. Max Payne 3 has better individual parts, no doubt. But Red Dead Redemption's sum of it parts simply can't be matched, even though Max Payne 3 comes extremely close.
OVERALL WINNER: Red Dead Redemption!
What do you think? Which is the better game? Let me know in the comments, and thanks for reading!
