Started a new game the day the news broke of James McCaffrey’s death. RIP to a legend, his final performance as Max has so much to look back fondly on. The anger, disgust and defeat in his voice as he fights his way through hell, and his likeness as Max, while I of course love the Sam Lake face, the old hardened look of Max was perfect for James’ evolution of the character.

What a brutally bleak game too, the graphic gunfights, bullet wounds and body physics I remember well from playing this on release but the storyline and fate of so many characters really hit harder this time, just the constant death and bloodshed, you really feel Max’s spirit breaking each time as he stops caring for his own safety and just wants to enact revenge for whoever’s responsible for each heinous act.

Of course HEALTH’s score is incredible and everyone talks about the airport sequence at the end but all throughout the game as well it’s just pummeling and intense, pounding drums and throbbing rhythms, when bullets are whizzing and glass is shattering all around you and the music is just pumping overtop the chaos with these dark, pulsating, almost primitive beats, it’s intense as hell and at times feels almost horror-like, as if something big and scary is coming towards you. One of the best parts of the game hands down, gets you right there in action feeling like you’re surrounded by it.

Played this on Xbox 360 and I have to say I loved how the first disc, which has the artwork of Max with hair on it, ends right when he shaves his head, and the second disc, which has the shaved head and floral shirt artwork, starts immediately with the scene of him debuting that look. Well played, Rockstar, whether intentional or not.

I fucking love this game and I can’t wait for the Remedy remakes of the first two, I’m really interested as to how they’ll handle them with McCaffrey’s passing but whatever they do we all know it will honor the man’s legacy and the beloved character we all admire.

Reviewed on Dec 29, 2023


Comments