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Anything as good as Max Payne out there?

Modron

Arcane
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
11,158
Since this is a necro there is no mention of the upcoming Killer Bean and there was that Wanted: Weapons of Fate movie vidya adaptation in the late 2000s.
 
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Feb 7, 2019
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220
While the thread is up I can't helps but to mention The Specialist mod to halv life 1. Yes only multiplayer, but the gameplay is extremely precise, punishing and rewarding. Heavily inspired by The Matrix you have bullet time, rolls and slides ( seriously name another game if you throw yourself you can actively choose between slide or roll ), backflips, Matrix bullet dodge, weapons from throwing knifes to AKs.

But the real glory was the dynamic fighting mainly centered around ammo in the clip. I usually ran throwing knife, close combat knife, five seven and an UMP. As soon as the ump is out of bullet I switch to side arm, and then to throwing knife. You could also kick a weapon out of the opponents hand, pick it up, and shoot him with it. It was the best, unthreatened to this day.
 

Modron

Arcane
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
11,158
The duel Russian pistols were really good in The Specialist, could land tons of headshots with those. Been so lon I can't remember if they were Makarovs or Tokarevs.
 

jebsmoker

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Messages
2,669
Insert Title Here Strap Yourselves In I helped put crap in Monomyth
i used to play The Specialists 24/7 and i distinctly remember that the akimbo pistols in that mod were dual 1911's with gold plating
 

Modron

Arcane
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
11,158
Weird maybe it was single pistol but I can't even find russkie ones on the current list of weapons must have been the glock 18c but I do remember one of the lesser expensive ones being a headshot machine.
 

Blutwurstritter

Scholar
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
1,072
Location
Germany
Weird maybe it was single pistol but I can't even find russkie ones on the current list of weapons must have been the glock 18c but I do remember one of the lesser expensive ones being a headshot machine.
I don't think there was an iconic Russian pistol in the mod at any point. Sounds more like the FN Five-SeveN. These were extremely accurate and could be used akimbo style. Or perhaps the Ruger with Slinecer? https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_Specialists
 
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SilentMRG

Educated
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
109
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South America
Freedom Fighters (2003) is also a great TPS, however, it doesn't have "bullet time", and doesn't resemble MP at all, hehe. Anyway, it's on GOG and Steam. Fun fact: It was developed by IO Interactive and uses the Glacier engine, the same engine used in the first Hitman games and Kane & Lynch - Dead Men/Dog Days. :-D

 

Tehdagah

Arcane
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
10,313
While the thread is up I can't helps but to mention The Specialist mod to halv life 1. Yes only multiplayer, but the gameplay is extremely precise, punishing and rewarding. Heavily inspired by The Matrix you have bullet time, rolls and slides ( seriously name another game if you throw yourself you can actively choose between slide or roll ), backflips, Matrix bullet dodge, weapons from throwing knifes to AKs.

But the real glory was the dynamic fighting mainly centered around ammo in the clip. I usually ran throwing knife, close combat knife, five seven and an UMP. As soon as the ump is out of bullet I switch to side arm, and then to throwing knife. You could also kick a weapon out of the opponents hand, pick it up, and shoot him with it. It was the best, unthreatened to this day.
Is there still people playing this game?
 

Ezekiel

Arcane
Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
6,712


Lol, I forgot specifics of 48:18, only checked it out again because of comment. Flew into the air, reloaded gun, still had time to take painkillers and prevent death.

Rockstar movement after MP3 is so fucking shit.

Edit: Also forgot my gun dropping towards camera while rolling off dumpster at 51:13.

Edit, 52:36: And that's why I prefer third person, Ash. Could do it in first of course, but would be disorienting as hell because the cam would go all over the place and you don't have the character's equilibrium. World would be on its side.
 
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AndyS

Augur
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Messages
588
Freedom Fighters (2003) is also a great TPS, however, it doesn't have "bullet time", and doesn't resemble MP at all, hehe. Anyway, it's on GOG and Steam. Fun fact: It was developed by IO Interactive and uses the Glacier engine, the same engine used in the first Hitman games and Kane & Lynch - Dead Men/Dog Days. :-D


The genius of this game as a concept is that progressives think it's a clever satire of right wing paranoia while everyone else gets to massacre reams of communists.
 

SilentMRG

Educated
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
109
Location
South America
The genius of this game as a concept is that progressives think it's a clever satire of right wing paranoia while everyone else gets to massacre reams of communists.
Lol... That's right! But I never realized that, hehe. What I find interesting about this game is how the missions progress, just one example, you need to go to one area of the city to blow up a helipad, so that you don't have helicopters shooting to death when you go to sabotage a train in another part of the city.
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
4,635
No, oddly enough, despite the popularity of The Matrix and the first two Max Payne games there’s not really anything else that really functions in the same manner those first two Max Payne games do. Even other games clearly inspired by either The Matrix or Max Payne don’t really play like Max Payne. Maybe it’s just a factor of the times, most of the Matrix influenced games seem to be Japanese stuff with lock-on targeting like Tomb Raider and Devil May Cry have. Like Dead to Rights is pulling from the same influences, it’s got slow-mo, and it’s got this cool mechanic where you can throw explosive objects and shoot them out of the sky; it’s a fun game in its own right, (the first one anyways) but it’s lock-on controls, and it’s not as good as Max Payne.

Stranglehold is maybe the most Max Payne game there is, itself being a John Woo game, and John Woo movies were a huge inspiration on Max Payne. But it’s not as tight as those first two Max Payne games, gameplay wise; it does however try doing some more things than Max Payne did.

Vanquish is pretty great, it’s got slow-mo, and it even plays like a regular third person shooter. But it’s also pretty different than Max Payne is. That’s not a better or worse thing either, it’s just not trying to do the same thing despite doing very similar things.
 

SilentMRG

Educated
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Nov 27, 2023
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109
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South America
The Matrix - Path of Neo is better in many ways than Enter The Matrix. Many things were remorphed (including bullet time) and the main character is Neo himself. Unfortunately, this title ended up being overshadowed by the bad reputation of ETM.

 

SilentMRG

Educated
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
109
Location
South America
Many don't remember, but in the GTA III and VC craze there was a very peculiar beat 'em up/shoot 'em up game that was quite successful, unfortunately, it is not for sale anywhere in digital format and also is completely forgotten by the public, the game I'm referring to is this one:



The PC version works well on Windows 10 with some tweaks, and if anyone owns a PS2\Xbox it's there too. =) It was developed by VIS Entertainment. Rockstar Games only published the console versions, the PC version was handled by Global Star Software. Either way, I think Rockstar owns the IP.

Footnote: In 2006 a sequel was released that is quite mediocre. It was developed by DC Studios and published by SouthPeak Interactive, this (bad) sequel is stuck on the PS2.
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
4,635
The State of Emergency games were never good. The interesting thing about them is they had a bunch of characters running around on screen, which was cool, but the gameplay of those games sucks. Dead Rising, which is also a 3D beat ‘em up with a bunch of characters on screen is much better.

It is however too bad that the GTA games never introduced a bunch of characters running around like would’ve made shootouts in public places more interesting looking. Although GTA6 looks like they could maybe be doing that with how many characters they’re seemingly putting on screen.
 

Fargus

Arcane
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Messages
3,906
Location
Mosqueow
God, i may be simple minded but i love bullet time mechanics in games. From the ones i liked: FEAR, Stranglehold, GUN, Timeshift, New Vegas with ragdoll, various shooting mechanics imrovements and bullet time mod.

Honorable mentions:

Dread Templar. You collect a set of runes that influence your playstyle, including bullet time mechanics.

Maximum Action still gets updates. Game is something of a spoof of John Woo's movies.

Hard Bullet for VR is a nice time killer.


And District Steel got potential


Managed to combine Brutal Half Life and bullet time mod and it was great.
qWptGJo.jpeg


Also played Stalker Anomaly with bullet time mod :-D

Chaser is hilarious 2000s eurotrash shooter that tries to be american macho action. Also has bullet time mechanics.

Double Action Bugaloo. A multiplayer game with slow motion mechanics but i'm not sure if it's still alive.

May want to check out the DEAD TO RIGHTS series. It even has a bullet time mechanic.


I never played them but these games need to be remastered. I could use some badass "toxic male" action these days.
 
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Ezekiel

Arcane
Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
6,712
God, i may be simple minded but i love bullet time mechanics in games.
I would not put slow motion in my ideal shooter, but I would put in a replay viewer just like the ones in racing games, where you can pick any angle and slow down wherever you want. Don't understand why this is not a feature with Twitch and YouTube helping so much to get games known now. People could be making John Woo-style action scenes, replaying levels over and over for the perfect shots that they can then edit in 3D.
 

SilentMRG

Educated
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
109
Location
South America
The State of Emergency games were never good. The interesting thing about them is they had a bunch of characters running around on screen, which was cool, but the gameplay of those games sucks. Dead Rising, which is also a 3D beat ‘em up with a bunch of characters on screen is much better.

It is however too bad that the GTA games never introduced a bunch of characters running around like would’ve made shootouts in public places more interesting looking. Although GTA6 looks like they could maybe be doing that with how many characters they’re seemingly putting on screen.
So you mean to say that the classic GTA (III and VC) were never good. State of Emergency is basically GTA (classic) without the cars and without the cut scenes between missions, instead SoE adds text to explain things instead of cut scenes, and the focus isn't even the story, what SoE it has is just a concept to justify the theme of rebellion, etc.

Overall, it's not bad, no game in 2002 (or even before) had as many 3D characters on screen as SoE. He may be considered the first to do this, as I don't remember any before. And come on, the game manages, even with dated graphics by current standards, to convey that feeling of chaos and urgency... Most of the missions are crazy with all those 3D models running everywhere, and to make matters worse the enemies come in droves too, and they're quick to knock you down if you're not paying enough attention.
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
4,635
Yeah, I’d say those classic 3D GTA games weren’t good. But GTA without the GTA part sounds even less fun. But I don’t even remember the gameplay of those State of Emergency (which while published by Rockstar, weren’t developed by Rockstar) being as good as those GTA games.

I was even looking forward to that first one, it looked cool, but it was such a letdown when you actually played the thing. It was interesting how many characters they were putting on screen, but on a gameplay level it wasn’t as good as earlier 3D beat ‘em ups from Sega like Die Hard Arcade, Dynamite Cop, and SpikeOut.
 

Nonary

Barely Literate
Joined
Sep 27, 2024
Messages
2
I do wonder how FEAR would translate into VR, motion sickness issues aside.

I fondly remember playing DA:B at 8fps and thinking it was the coolest shit ever when I was in middle school. Totally empty servers these days, but somebody lemme know if they wanna set up a game night sometime.
 

Fargus

Arcane
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Messages
3,906
Location
Mosqueow
I do wonder how FEAR would translate into VR, motion sickness issues aside.

This is something i WANT to see in my lifetime. FEAR is already immersive enough shooter and if you add VR immersion with head tracking and motion controls it would translate perfectly and make the game even better. If done right of course.

RE4 VR and Half Life 2 VR mod were a blast to play.
 

SilentMRG

Educated
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
109
Location
South America
I don't even know if these games were mentioned in the topic, well, here goes:





None of them have bullet time, at least I don't remember. What caught my attention are all the atmospheric environments and enjoyable gameplay. A side note for Urban Chaos: It was the first partially open world 3D game with cars and pedestrians, and with the possibility of driving the cars, all this in 1999. And many think that GTA 3 was the one that did it first. Both are on GOG.
 

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