Review: Max Payne 3 Deathmatch Made in Heaven DLC

After multiple unexpected delays, Rockstar has finally released the last of many downloadable content packs for Max Payne 3. Instead of taking separated approaches to the originally planned content, multiple packs were merged to create the Deathmatch Made in Heaven DLC. Does the new content give you enough reason to pick the game back up, or should it be laid to rest once and for all?

Let’s take a look at what’s HOT and what’s NOT in our review of Max Payne 3’s Deathmatch Made in Heaven DLC.

HOT

Fun New Weapons
New to the online multiplayer loadout selection in Max Payne 3 are four new weapons in your arsenal. The first two of the four are very similar, but have their own play styles associated. These two are the stun gun and the cattle prod. The stun gun is an overly enjoyable weapon especially to dual wield since you can essentially run around literally crippling your opponents. Though it is a relatively low ammunition weapon, as long as you take steady aim, every shot will be worth your time not only due to the powerful outcome, but also the hilarity of watching your opponent spaz out on the floor. The same goes for the cattle prod, but is more of a weapon to use exclusively in close combat, versus the mid range usage of the stun gun.

While slightly less useful than the aforementioned stun inducing weapons, pepper spray is now available for your use in the multiplayer portion of the game. Like the stun weapons, using this new item will cause a rather comical animation to occur when used. Pepper spray isn’t just good for laughing at friends and enemies, it will also yields a slight amount of time to snag some easy kills, but the animation is more than worth dying for if you don’t manage to snag the kill. Last but not least are “bouncing betties”. Pretty similar to any other game that has included them thus far, these consume your projectile slot, sit on the surface they’re thrown on, and will only activate when someone comes within proximity. Though they’re hardly innovative in terms of new gameplay, they can still be helpful to use in gameplay, which never hurts.

Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking is a mode that seems to have replaced the originally planned New York Minute cooperative modes. Rockstar goes with a survival approach game mode where you play as either Max or Passos depending, and endlessly fight enemies. By killing enemies you rack up grit which allows the opening of new map areas and supplies to help you survive for longer. The mode is surprisingly fun to mess around in, but being that it does require an additional online player, long term play, or even couch co-op as is usually expected from co-op modes, is not an option, so will probably die down soon.