New Max Payne 3 video is informative, badass

Max Payne 3 brings a lot of changes for gamers to take in; a new locale, a new look for Max and a slew of new visual and gameplay changes for the series, for starters. Luckily, to help us make sense of it all, Rockstar’s continuing its fairly recent habit of releasing deep, lingering, explanation-heavy “Design and Technology” gameplay videos that aren’t so much trailers as they are pre-packaged previews. The latest presents a loving look at the game’s somewhat breathtakingly fluid gunplay, specifically the surprising nuances of its targeting system and arsenal.

OK, so, this one covers some of the same ground as the last D&T video, but it’s also one of the prettier looks at the game we’ve had yet; as you’re nodding to its explanations of first-person-style targeting, enemy AI and carefully balanced firearm management, take a moment to appreciate Max’s realistic range of movement, his destructible surroundings and the way his enemies spasm and jerk as bullet-time projectiles rip through them. This is clearly shaping up to be more than a standard run-and-cover shooter, and it’s got us more fired up than ever for the game’s release this May.