“Max Payne” is a third-person shooter video game developed by Remedy Entertainment and released in 2001. The game follows the story of Max Payne, a former NYPD detective seeking justice for the brutal murder of his family. As he delves deeper into his investigation, he uncovers connections to a new designer drug called “Valkyr,” leading him into a sprawling conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical company, organized crime, a secretive society, and elements of the U.S. military. The game is known for its gritty neo-noir aesthetic and employs graphic novel panels complete with voice-overs for its narrative structure, drawing heavily on the style of hard-boiled detective novels by authors like Mickey Spillane. “Max Payne” also integrates elements of Norse mythology, including references to Ragnarök and various mythological names. In terms of gameplay, “Max Payne” is influenced by Hong Kong action cinema, particularly the films of director John Woo. It was one of the first games to incorporate the bullet-time effect, which slows down time during gunfights, a feature that gained popularity from “The Matrix” film series. This innovative mechanic allows for dramatic and stylized combat sequences, enhancing the cinematic feel of the game.