Remedy Entertainment set the gaming world on fire with 2001’s Max Payne. The gritty third-person shooter wowed gamers with its grim aesthetic and groundbreaking storyline. The titular character’s journey to avenge those who ruined his life and killed his family was unlike anything people had ever seen before in the medium.
His journey was far from over after the first game, however, and his story continued with sequels in 2003 and 2012. The trilogy covers a lot of ground in Max Payne’s life, though many interesting facts about the character are outside of the game. The following ten facts are split between lore tidbits and behind the scenes information.
10 He Came From A Broken Home
A prequel comic to Max Payne 3 details much of Max’s life before gamers come to know him in the first game. Written by Sam Lake and Dan Hauser and published in 2013, the comic gives fans a look at Max Payne’s childhood. Sad as it is to say, the character’s woes started before his age even hit double digits. His father, a veteran suffering from PTSD, was abusive to both him and his mother.
9 His Likeness In The First Game
The first game was made on a relatively small budget, especially when one considers how technologically advanced it was. Because of this, Remedy could not afford to hire actors for the comic book cutscenes, a style chosen because of its cost-effectiveness when compared to in-engine cinematics. The developers’ solution was to use themselves, friends, and family for the roles. The writer of the game, Sam Lake, was the model for Max Payne. Almost twenty years after the game’s release Sam Lake is still with Remedy, having recently worked on Control.
8 How He Met Michelle
The comic details how Max Payne met his wife Michelle. The cop saved her from a mugging and asked her out on a date afterward. This is great to see for fans because they receive little knowledge of who Michelle was before her tragic end. Unlike Max, she was talkative, wise-cracking, and unreserved. They say opposites attract, and their relationship seems to be evidence of this.
7 James McCaffrey
While Max Payne’s look has changed over the years, his voice has remained the same. Since the 2001 debut entry, actor James McCaffrey has given life to the role.
The talented actor would work with Remedy several more times in the future, most recently as Zachariah Trench in Control, which uses his likeness as well. For anybody interested in seeing him in a live-action role, watch Rescue Me or Excuse Me For Living.
6 Both Of His Parents Died When He Was Young
Not only was Max’s childhood with his parents marred by a broken upbringing, but he was also tragically orphaned at a young age. First, his mother, Helen, died under mysterious circumstances. It was also said that she was a heavy drinker, but it is unknown if this contributed. Max’s father, Jack, died just a few years later. Given the amount of tragedy in his life, the name Max Payne almost feels like a cruel joke.
5 He Was A Star Cop
Max Payne was not just a cop, he was one of the best around. The prequel comic mentions how he was fast-tracked to higher positions because of his outstanding performance at the police academy. It is difficult to believe this based on his state in Max Payne 3. He can still shoot straight in the 2012 game, but he fails at every corner. In Max’s youth, however, he was an excellent police officer.
4 Timmothy Gibbs
Max Payne 2 came out just two years after the debut entry but makes countless leaps in tech and gameplay. The graphics are improved significantly, and Remedy hired actors to model for all the characters. Sam Lake was no longer the model for Max Payne. Instead, actor Timmothy Gibbs served as the face, while James McCaffrey still did the voice work. In addition to roles on several soap operas, Timmothy Gibbs was also on Sex and the City.
3 He’s Alluded To In Alan Wake
Alan Wake, Remedy’s first game after Max Payne 2, came out in 2010, two years before Max Payne 3. The supernatural thriller contains an extremely overt reference to Max Payne in the form of a two-part collectible manuscript called “The Sudden Stop.” The narration is done by James McCaffrey. While no names are mentioned, several lines allude to Max Payne’s tragic story. It details a cop’s death years after taking vengeance, with the final line describing how he finally sees his family. Even the writing style is reminiscent of Max Payne.
2 His Model In Max Payne 3
Fans had to wait nine years after Max Payne 2 to finally receive a third entry in 2012. Max Payne 3 is a masterfully crafted third-person shooter from Rockstar Games. Despite having voiced Max since the beginning, only in the third game did James McCaffrey finally embody the character physically.
The actor performed the motion capture for the cutscenes and also lent his likeness to the character. Watching his performance in Max Payne 3 makes one wish James McCaffrey played him in a movie.
1 He Was Once Going To have A New Voice Actor
Max Payne 3 was announced several years before its release. The game even had a cover story in Game Informer magazine in 2009. In this issue, it was said Max Payne would have a new voice actor. No word on who was to do the voice or if he was even cast yet, but most fans took this news negatively. Ultimately, they decided to bring back James McCaffrey. It is difficult to imagine anyone else voicing Max.
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