I watched Max Payne take cover, and I inhaled sharply. I watched him jump out of it into bullet time, and I let out my breath.

Max Payne 3 is the most precarious situation Rockstar has gotten itself into in years. It's been eight years since the last Max Payne title, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. To give you a bit of perspective, Max Payne 2 came out just a few weeks after Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and Grand Theft Auto 3 had just released on the Xbox.

Feel old yet? If not, there's a good chance you haven't played a Max Payne game before.