Summary
Max Payne, developed by Remedy Entertainment, is arguably one of the most influential and innovative third-person shooters of all time, going on to spawn two well-received sequels, one being the reveredMax Payne 3, the only game in the trilogy not developed by Remedy.
Max Paynefeatures a darkneo-noir narrativeand an unsettling atmosphere combined with high-octane action and a bullet-time mechanic that makes combat encounters feel cinematic and fluid. It’s hard to find games that match the tone and gameplay ofMax Payne, but certain titles have managed to capture similar feelings to that of the classic action shooter.
Updated on Jun 18, 2025, by Harry Ted Sprinks:Max Payne is arguably one of the most influential games of the early 2000s, innovating with its fast-paced action gameplay and ingenious bullet-time mechanics. With more recent titles such as Rollerdrome and El Paso, Elsewhere continuing the popular trend of style-focused gameplay and bullet-time mechanics, the future is looking bright for fans of Max Payne looking for a similar experience.
10The Hong Kong Massacre
A Stylish 3D Top-Down Shooter
The Hong Kong Massacrecombines the effortless style ofMax Paynewiththe break-neck paceand lethal action ofHotline Miami. It does this by borrowing the slow-motion dives and bullet-time fromMax Payneand throwing the player intoHotline Miami-inspired levels that are filled with low-health enemies who pack a meaty punch.
The Hong Kong Massacre’s visual style, gritty atmosphere, explosive effects, and destructible environment allow the game to feel alive as players barge their way through it. Furthermore, the game’s 3D, top-down perspective, as well as its slow-motion mechanics, allow players to take in the action in a way they could never do in games likeHotline Miami.
9Total Overdose
A Ridiculously Silly Third-Person Shooter With Stylish Combat
Set in the late 80s and sporting awildly aged aesthetic,Total Overdosemay be hard for players to get their teeth into. However, despite the game’s double-crossing, gun-smuggling, drug-fueled story being somewhat subpar, the game’s fast-paced action is as stylish as it is satisfying.
The game’s slow-motion, dodge-shooting, and variety of satisfying weaponry, make it an experience that’s perfect forMax Paynefans. UnlikeMax Payne, however,Total Overdoseis decidedly silly and lacks the gritty neo-noir atmosphere that madeMax Payneso memorable.
This third-person action game combines third-person shooter gameplay with rollerskating, tasking players with keeping up their score by performing tricks and avoiding damage while completing the various challenges of each level and defeating enemies with an array of unique weapons.
Rollerdromealsofeatures bullet-time, permitting players to pull off cinematic tricks and kill shots amid the chaos, allowing for gameplay that’s highly reminiscent ofMax Payne’saction sequences. However,Rollerdromeswaps out the gritty neo-noir setting for pulpy science fiction.
This highly stylistic side-scrolling shooterpublished by Devolver Digitalfeatures a cinematic bullet-time mechanic similar toMax Payneand fast-paced action that’s reminiscent of games likeHotline Miami, wrapped up in a loose narrative laid out by a speaking banana.
My Friend Pedrois focused on style, allowing players to split their aim between their weapons to shoot different enemies at the same time. When this is combined with the game’s slow-motion and ricocheting bullets,My Friend Pedrobecomes one of the most fluid action games in recent years.
This third-personaction-adventure gameshares a developer with the originalMax Paynein the form of Remedy Entertainment, and although it doesn’t feature any bullet time mechanics and has gameplay that is certainly distinct fromMax Payne, the two games have a similarly unsettling tone and uneasy atmosphere.
Controlalso has cinematic, high-octane action and a compelling narrative to drive the player forward.The game’s setting, “The Oldest House,” is one of the creepiest, strangest, and most intriguing settings in modern video games, featuring an almost alien aesthetic that perfectly fits the game’s narrative.
Known for its high-octane, destructive FPS gameplay and highlyintelligent enemy AI,FEARalso features a creepy, unsettling atmosphere and a horror-like narrative that helps to keep things fresh between the game’s countless brutal combat encounters.
LikeMax Payne,FEARfeatures a bullet time mechanic that is almost necessary to use due to the chaotic action and challenging enemy AI. Despite the game’s first-person perspective, lack of enemy variety, and relatively mundane environments,FEARcaptures the same feelings thatMax Paynedid with its bullet-time-fueled cinematic action and unnerving tone.
4Trepang2
Fear Meets Max Payne 3
This game takes heavy inspiration and influence from games likeFEARandMax Payne 3, featuring a horror narrative and high-octane gunplay fueled by bullet-time mechanics and a cinematic drop-slide that allows players to maneuver through combat encounters with fluidity.
Although it could be argued thatTrepang2lacks in its narrative and setting, it more than makes up for it with its gruesome, cinematic FPS combat and hyper-polished, over-the-top gunplay that allows players to dispatch entire rooms of enemies with extreme prowess. Bullet time, dual-wielding, and powerful weapons are key when attempting this title.
3Maximum Action
A Low-Poly FPS Inspired By Hong Kong Cinema
This physics-based FPS takes heavy inspiration from Hong Kong action cinema and features slow-motion gunplay that’s not dissimilar toThe Matrix. At times, it allows players to feel like action movie heroes as they blast their way through the game’s various old-school environments in low-poly bloodbaths.
Maximum Actiontakes clear inspiration fromMax Payne, and fans of the original game will notice similarities in the design ofMaximum Action’s character models, even if the visual style is a littlemore colorful on the surface. AlthoughMaximum Actionfeatures a first-person perspective, its cinematic, action-packed gameplay is sure to satisfyMax Paynefans.
2El Paso, Elsewhere
Psychedelic Max Payne Action
AlthoughEl Paso, Elsewherefeatures a variety of creepy creatures and psychedelic environments in the form of its strange motel setting, it manages to maintain a steady neo-noir tone and theme that’s incredibly reminiscent of the originalMax Paynewhile carving out its distinct narrative.
El Paso, Elsewherefeatures a bullet-time mechanic that allows players to enter slow-motion, even performing slow-motion dives as they take down the game’s variety of horrific creatures. The game features an old-school look that’s been heavily stylized, making for a visually unique experience. Furthermore, the game’s narrative is fairly compelling and makes up for the derivative gameplay.
1Stranglehold
John Woo’s Take On Max Payne
This video-game sequel to director John Woo’s classic 1992 action filmHard Boiledtakes the undiluted cinematic combat ofMax Payneand switches up the neo-noir theme for an over-the-top Hong Kong action rollercoaster.
Strangleholdplays at a breakneck pace, often throwing action set-pieces at the player and packing rooms full of enemies that make combat encounters chaotic rumbles in which there are always several bullets flying. The player can also take advantage of the game’s interactable environments. The only negative toStrangleholdis thatit offers fairly little challenge, but it’s still worth playing for fans ofMax Paynewho don’t mind the lack of an unsettling neo-noir tone.
