Max Payne

After the tragedy, Max quit the police force and joined the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Three years later, during a raid on a mafia compound that was reportedly trafficking Valkyr, his best friend and fellow DEA agent Alex is killed, and he becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

Now Max is all alone in the cold, snowy night of New York.

The mob is out to get him.

The police are out to get him.

The only way out is with guns blazing, because he has nothing to lose.

Max Payne is a third person shooter stylistically influenced by film noir, "hardboiled" detective stories, and Hong-Kong action cinema.

Max can perform rolls and leaps to try and dodge enemy fire.

The weapons at his disposal range from baseball bats to Ingram sub-machine guns, grenades, Molotov cocktails, and others.

A unique feature of the game is the usage of the so-called Bullet Time - a time-slowing ability that was popularized by the first Matrix movie.

Activating the Bullet Time slows down everything that happens around Max (including his own movements), allowing for slow, but precise performance of moves to take care of his enemies.

A special meter indicates how much time the effect will last, and how long Max needs to wait until it can be activated again.

Cutscenes in the game are presented as comic book-style graphical panels accompanied by voice-overs.

Max Payne for PlayStation 2 is currently worth €14.81 loose, €9.55 complete in box, and €118.39 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.

Max Payne has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning it trades hands regularly and isn't considered particularly rare.

Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Max Payne, loose is €14.81 and CIB is €9.55 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.

The PAL version of Max Payne is currently worth €14.81 loose, versus €13.05 for NTSC-U. Regional price differences usually come down to print run size and regional collector demand.