A Viewpoint

      Even though all videogames share the same 3 core Design Elements (namely Gameplay , Level Design and Storytelling ), some turn out as classics while most others simply can’t come close. And this article will attempt to explore the reason behind this with just as much detail as to not hinder an enjoyable reading experience too much. And for full breakdown of the Design Elements along with how they work together to create the videogame experience we all know and love, you can read up on the Anatomy of Videogames trilogy of articles. Besides, it’ll also help you comprehend this article fully. The difference between truly great games and the not-so-great ones lies solely in how the 3 Design Elements are working in them. We know that these work together in tandem to create the experience the devs intend, but in most games these elements merely support each other whereas in case of any great game ever made, the elements or at least some of them, completely fuse ...

The name Max Payne brings back fond memories. Max Payne (MP) was one of the first third person shooters I played on PC & MP2 was the reason I bought my first graphics card. The MP series was one of the very few ones that struck a great balance between intricate narrative with fully fleshed characters & satisfying gameplay with it's bullet time mechanics. And who can forget those amazing graphic novel style presentation? But as far as I can remember, after finishing MP2 I thought there wasn't much room for a follow up game, with all story threads neatly tied up & many important characters being dead. So when I first heard of MP3 after all these years & that it takes place in Brazil, I was less than enthusiastic. Though a part of me really wanted to find out what Max was up to in all these years, another part thought it wouldn't be the same Max payne I played many years ago----with a contrast in tone as stark as the streets of New York at ni...