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As he enters the club, fleeting sexual activity can be observed in the background: a partially nude prostitute sitting on top of a man a character thrusting against a woman, whose body is partially obscured by two onlookers. During the course of the game, Max visits a strip club that depicts topless pole dancers. A variety of cutscenes (some interactive) include more intense acts of violence: a hostage getting shot at point-blank range a man getting doused with gasoline and set on fire an injured, bleeding enemy crying out during an interrogation. Non-adversaries-if unrelated to the storyline-can be killed without consequence, and dead bodies may incur additional damage. Frantic screaming and realistic gunfire occur throughout, and characters emit large blood-splatter effects when hit some explosions (in gameplay and cutscenes) result in dismembered limbs or bloodstained surroundings.
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Slow-motion effects (i.e., “bullet time”) can be utilized for improved targeting precision, and killing certain enemies triggers a zoomed-in “bullet cam” (close-ups of entry/exit wounds/headshots).
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As the noir–style storyline unfolds, players use machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and explosives to kill human adversaries (e.g., armed thugs, gang members, paramilitary units) in frenetic combat. In this third-person shooter, players assume the role of Max Payne, an NYPD detective-turned-bodyguard for a wealthy Brazilian family.
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