Opinion: Games and Literature – Part 2: Max Payne 3

 

In the first part of this feature, we’ve discussed how effective adaptation of an already existing story can be to any videogame. It concentrated solely on Mafia II, but the overall message which it portrayed, was that it is not always necessary for a developer to spend tens, if not hundreds of hours working on a unique and personal story, as the world of literature, both fictitious and not, is filled to the brim with tales of distinct nature. Any novel, short story, or an epic poem can be both adapted, and altered in any way imaginable, as the tale that it tells should only provide the writer with groundwork for their personal script.

Characters, locations, and even themes of the story should be re-written in their entirety to give the game a breath of originality, as otherwise carrying a story from one medium to another in its original state is nothing but theft, if the developer doesn’t own the required licenses. Some developers, like the previously mentioned 2K Czech, resort to the simplest forms of alteration, as with Mafia II they’ve altered the theme of the title, but kept the story in its original state. However, other developers prefer to put more effort into their titles, and go a step, if not a mile beyond what others have done before.

It would be a lie, if I was to say that only one developer has ever altered an original story for the purpose of its game, as many have done it before. However, Rockstar Games are the only studio which have managed to not only maintain the spirit of its source of inspiration, but also to excel beyond what it had to offer. And the game which allowed them to achieve this, was not an iteration of the Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead series, it was Max Payne 3.

When Max Payne 3 was initially released, it was praised by nearly everyone, and even though it ‘flopped’ for Rockstar Games, selling only 3.85 million copies, nobody can say that it is not one of the best games that they have ever made. Memorable cast of characters, and a new set of Latin American locations have been a hit with nearly everyone. It has infused the tired and forgotten series with a breath of fresh air it so desperately needed. And even though most favoured the new setting, others have opposed it just as much. “It’s not true Max Payne“ they’ve said, “You’ve ruined the series” said others, but while debating whether Max Payne has been ruined forever, they’ve all failed to notice the true, intricate beauty that Max Payne 3 stores behind its ‘action game’ facade.

Yes, action is, and always will be the integral part of the Max Payne series, however, Max Payne 3 is more than just a simple action game. Dan Houser, the main writer behind Max Payne 3, has managed to take the simple concept of the Max Payne character, and transform it into something much more profound, something that even Dante Alighieri would be proud of. He took a stereotypical action man, and placed him within a world of sin, a world which has been previously created by Dante Alighieri, within his epic poem ‘Divine Comedy‘. However, unlike the writers behind the Mafia II, he didn’t just adapt the story of Dante, he went a step beyond and turned it into his own original work.

Max Payne 3’s story is not laid out in its chronological order, as events which took place prior to Max’s arrival to South America (Panama/Brazil) are presented in a form of flash-backs. In the game it all makes sense, as these scenes add context to current events, however for the purpose of this article, I’m going to dissect Max Payne 3’s story in its chronological order.

Chronologically, Max Payne 3 starts with a series of missions which are played out within the well-known city of Hoboken, New Jersey. And these are there to present the world of the living to the player, as it is a western society that we are all familiar with, and even though it’s swamped with the ‘sinners’, most are still accustomed to it. The transition which drags Max straight to hell from the world of the living, takes place when Max meets Raul Passos, who from that point on becomes his Virgil, as he guides him further down the spiral of despair, which itself is at the centre of hell. And as they both fight their way through the ice-cold streets of New Jersey, they finally arrive at the cemetery, the place which signifies the end of the line for all of us. And this is the point where the life of Max Payne ends, as the second he leaves the cemetery, he enters hell, just like Dante.

Next location, which Max unwillingly visits is Panama Canal, and this is not because writers wanted to add variety to the in-game locations, but because they wanted his journey through the canal, to mirror the crossing of the river Acheron, which Dante and all the wretched souls have to undertake in order to enter the hell itself. Both the yacht that Max travels on, and Charon’s boat which Dante uses to cross the Acheron, are filled with people, which bible would describe as sinners, as Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Envy, Wrath, and Sloth, the Seven Deadly Sins, are prominent throughout.

Once Max leaves the canal and arrives in Brazil, he finally crosses the gates of hell. He enters a world which is foreign to him, as well as majority of the western gamers. He is surrounded by people, he doesn’t understand and doesn’t want to understand, his only aim is to survive the hell he’s in. However, Max’s story quickly diverges from the one depicted by Dante within the Divine Comedy, as throughout the rest of the game Max is not pursuing ‘his’ Beatrice, but one that already belongs to somebody else. As the main plot of the game sees Max cross further stages of the Brazilian underworld, with the help of his guide, Passos, in order to save Fabiana, he slowly descends into madness narrating his every move. At one point he himself allures to the Divine Comedy by stating that he enters ”Another circle of this low-rent hell” while entering a drug manufacturing plant.

Also, at the halfway point, Max enters the Brazilian Favela, which is just like the passage of Dante through the City of Dis, as it sees Max travel through the slums without his guide, while being surrounded by killers, and sexual offenders, all types of sinners who are kept within the walls of Dis, just like they’re kept within the poverty of Sao Paulo’s Favela. And this is where Dan Houser diverges completely from The Divine Comedy, as Fabiana, Max Payne 3‘s Beatrice, dies as soon as she’s within Max’s reach, and Giovanna, her younger sister, becomes the focal point of the story. Also, Max is no longer playing the role of Dante, as he himself has to guide Giovanna out of hell, ultimately claiming the role of Virgil.

Max’s new career of a guide is short-lived, as Giovanna is rather hastily taken by Passos, who at that point in the story plays Dante, as his only desire is to save his Beatrice, Giovanna. And as soon as this sequence of events comes to an end, the story takes a radical turn and becomes an original piece of work, as Max Payne 3‘s finale doesn’t match The Divine Comedy in a slightest of details. However, it still follows on the themes that has been previously established within the game, as it ends with Max sitting by the bar, in a scorching sun, suggesting that he has finally accustomed himself to the hell he lives in, and after taking down game’s antagonist, Victor Branco, he has taken on the role of the devil. And has finally closed the previous chapter of his live, ‘The American Dream‘, which has tormented him for many years.

With Max Payne 3, Same Houser, and Rockstar Games, have proven that you don’t necessarily need to build your game from ground up, as there is enough source material that you can adapt, or gain inspiration from. And the way in which the story of Dante is adapted for  Max Payne 3 is simply superb. It suits the grim, noire setting of the original, and takes it a step further by introducing the new setting which ultimately closes the final chapter of Max’s life, as it puts an end to his ‘American Dream‘ he has started all those years ago, in the first iteration of the series.