4 - Max Payne 3;
Yes it has flaws that we've all discussed (specially the unskippable cutscenes), some of wich are baffling, but i'll be damned if it isnt the best-playing third person shooter ive ever played. The gunplay is INSANE. Euphoria/RAGE shining more than ever. The hit detection, the animations, the movement. Everything flows together in an honestly.. surprising fashion. It's one of the best looking games ive played when it comes to seeing it in motion. The story is your usual Rockstar business without much deviation, but the focus on style and visual presentation really makes it work. Michael Mann is clearly the biggest influence here and even when everyone complaints about "movie-like" games I think this is how you do them right. Replace QTEs and cinematic camera angles with gameplay that feels in line with what you'd expect out of an action film without losing control over the character. I know Max Payne has always been about this (with the noir focus, slow-mo, etc) but I feel like they really went for it here, with the OST and all. TEARS kicking in on that airport shootout is something that could perfectly belong in a movie, yet it works so, so well in this game that its one of my highlight gameplay moments this gen. Best soundtrack of the year as well btw.
A lot of people complained about the cover mechanic and how it didnt play like previous Max Payne games but im dead honest when I tell you that I played it on the hardest difficulty while taking cover maybe ONCE. Mouse & keyboard probably have something to do with it, but it was all about jumping forward in slow motion while getting as many headshots as possible before hitting the ground, like it always has been, and it felt better than ever.
