Try to live in two worlds, eventually you’re going to get your life ripped apart. Once the game is in flow, it doesn’t stop unless the plot dictates a pause, and never to ask you to ‘please wait’. They’re a pleasing constant, thoroughly enjoyable and – nicely – hide any loading. The cut-scenes that punctuate the game continuously are never intrusive, partly because the segues between action and animation are absolutely seamless, but also because they drive the linear plot in a way that no amount of player expectation could ever do. Quit out of the game and jump back in later and the loading screens, intro and menu backgrounds will show you your current location and a silent but useful recap. Max is the key, James McCaffrey’s return to the role crucial but it’s work that’s coupled with a great script and expert pacing and editing. Not that such a motivation can last forever, of course, and Rockstar pull no punches.Īs it happens, there’s a solid group of characters in the game that, through some top tier voice acting and some incredible, natural looking animation from the capable Euphoria engine, come across as believable and realistic, which of course living up to the hard-boiled, pulpy over-dramatised talking heads that we wouldn’t have a Rockstar game without. We don’t really care about Fabiana Branco, but we care that our character cares, and that’s as good a link as we could expect with someone clearly in the deal for nothing but money. This twenty-something socialite wouldn’t normally provoke much in the way of emotion for the majority of gamers, but it’s in Rockstar’s skilful exposition that the connection is made, and in particular the way Max relates to the capture (and subsequent descent into chaos and double-crossing). The Force is long out of the window, of course, his pay cheques now being written by a wealthy Brazilian businessman with a trophy wife who forms the impetus for a good chunk of the game’s eight hour single player. He’s right though: this third game might be set a good few years after the last, but Payne’s inner turmoil hasn’t healed or waivered, instead his alcoholism has set in for good, the same demons still haunt his memories and – naturally – he’s now somewhat older.
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