Summary
For 28 years, Remedy Entertainment has been steadily providing fans with some of the most unique action games available, blending digital worlds with live-action footage and a penchant for strangeness. Ahead of the studio’s latest release in just a few short weeks, indie developer Strange Scaffold has finally launched its long-awaited third-person action gameEl Paso, Elsewhere, which stands out as a loving homage to Remedy’s first big splash in the industry – the incredibleMax Payne. From bullet-time dives to dual-wielded pistols and a plethora of painkillers to heal,El Paso, Elsewhereunabashedly displays its inspirations front and center while also carving out its own niche in the “noir action hero” subgenre.
Taking the format established by Remedy’s work onMax PayneandMax Payne 2and folding in a healthy dose of the supernatural via werewolves and vampires (including the protagonist’s world-ending ex-girlfriend),El Paso, Elsewherehas all the trademarks of the 6th gen classic but opts for a “PS1 demake” visual style rather than something indicative of the hardwareMax Payneoriginally released on. Aside from leaning more heavily into the supernatural elements, though, the game is a clear love-letter toRemedy’s action-noir masterpieceMax Payne, right down to the moody “hard-boiled detective” voice-overs and a femme fatale doing everything in their power to waylay the protagonist.
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El Paso, Elsewhere Amps Up Max Payne’s Supernatural Elements to 11
BothMax PayneandMax Payne 2: The Fall of Max Paynedabble in supernatural elements, which at this point have become something of a Remedy Entertainment trademark. WiththeAlan Wakeseries, the developer has firmly planted both feet intoTwin Peaksterritory, but the original games that introduced Remedy to the world have a much more grounded approach comparatively.El Paso, Elsewhereestablishes its own tonal identity by very clearly being aMax Payne-inspired noir story, but one where the hero is attempting to stop his vampire ex-girlfriend from ending the world.
LikeMax Payne, the game is split up into levels, although these stages are much shorter inEl Paso, Elsewhereas the hero is making his way through a supernatural motel floor-by-floor. However, on each of these floors are scores of vile fiends who are trying to stop the player from reaching their destination or rescue hostages. Between vampires, werewolves, and biblically-accurate angels, the cannon fodder that players take out from level-to-level inEl Paso, Eslewhereis a far cry from the thugs and hired goons oftheMax Paynegames. The use of bullet-time dodges and painkillers as healing items may ring of Remedy’s classic, but once the enemies start showing up, it’s clear thatEl Pasois aiming for something darker.
Response to El Paso, Elsewhere Is a Good Sign for the Max Payne Remakes
Now that the release ofAlan Wake 2is just around the corner, plenty of fans are hoping that the announced remakes of bothMax PayneandMax Payne 2will be Remedy’s next priority and see the light of day soon. It’s been more than a decadesince the release of the firstAlan Wakeand its sequel, and the 20th anniversary ofMax Payne 2is just two weeks away on October 14. In terms of “striking while the iron is hot”, there’s arguably never been a better time than right now for theMax Payneremakes to arrive. Adding fuel to that fire is the collective uproar surroundingEl Paso, Elsewhere.
El Paso,Elsewhere’s release just last week has already been a success for Strange Scaffold, with the title garnering plenty of buzz and racking up positive reviews on Steam. Considering that the title has more than its fair share of callbacks andreferences toMax Payne, not to mention sharing a core gameplay mechanic,El Pasois helping to bring Remedy’s tragic hero back into the zeitgeist once again. Fans may have to wait a bit longer for theMax Payneremakes, butEl Paso, Elsewhereis a more than capable substitute to sink one’s teeth into in the meantime.
El Paso, Elsewhereis available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
