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Max Payne: the Videogame and Film

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Max Payne: the Videogame and Film Max Payne: Videogame / Film; Narrative Comparative Analysis Declan Dovell Many video games have been adapted to film since the inception of interactive storytelling on early home entertainment consoles. One of these video games is Remedy’s 2001 Noir-centric third person shooter Max Payne. A corresponding film adaptation released in 2008 under the same name by Fox presents many differences in narrative structure and substance. In order to compare and analyse differences in narrative fairly, it is imperative to understand that game and film are two fundamentally different mediums catering for different audiences. Games are interactive and rely on an active responder to control the progression of a non-linear storyline whereas film is passive and self-propelled with a predetermined, linear storyline which the responder merely watches. Understanding this, narrative differences between the game and film versions of Max Payne can be analytically compared by observing their application of Vogler’s twelve step version of The Hero’s Journey (2007). The game Max Payne does not start out as interactive. A premise to the narrative is set up in linear cut-scene format which draws upon aspects of Vogler’s Journey. Hancock (2002) The opening image links to the final scene of the game; Return with the Elixir whereby Max has defeated Shadow Nicole Horne and justice is served. Max stands atop a high rise building grinning over the city below him, while police voices in the background order him to surrender. Initial thoughts of Max as a criminal are immediately reasserted when his Ordinary World is introduced as a prologue set three years in the past. Max is a New York detective living out a happy life with a wife and child. His first Call to Adventure occurs when his wife and child are found brutally slain by junkies high on the drug Valkyr; he must seek justice for their deaths. Interactivity and non-linearity is injected into the narrative as the player enters Max’s shoes. Time has readvanced three years, before the events of Return with the Elixir. A breakthrough in the case has reiterated the Call to Adventure. Max now has a lead to Jack Lupino, a Mafia boss distributing the drug Valkyr. However, the Refusal of the Call to Adventure hasn’t occurred. The player has already interactively chosen to accept the call by playing the game so a refusal isn’t necessary. Champagnat et al. (2010) Another instance where interactivity fractures Vogler’s Journey in the game’s narrative is in the Meeting with the Mentor; or lack thereof such a specific meeting. Mentors are presented throughout the game as entities the players can interact with to retrieve additional narrative information. Lindley (2002) When the player is near such an entity represented as a telephone or newspaper for instance, an exclamation appears on screen and a choice is made whether or not to interact with the object to further flesh out the narrative. The First Threshold follows the Call to Adventure. Max crosses into Roscoe Street station to meet with his detective ally Alex. The moment the two meet Alex is killed, supposedly by Threshold Guardian Jack Lupino; reiterating the urgency of the Call to Adventure. The shooter element to Max Payne’s interactive game plays a big role in determining how the Tests, Allies and Enemies component of Vogler’s Journey is executed. It can be argued that this component is spread throughout the game from Call to Adventure through to Return with the Elixir in constant interactive combat sequences against guardians. Pearce (2004) However it still has a strong presence in the Narrative structure itself; clearly embedded between the First Threshold and Approach to the Inmost Cave. It follows Max’s battle against the hierarchies associated with Valkyr distribution and production to uncover information concerning his wife’s death. Key figures in this hierarchy Max encounters being Lupino, Punchinello and Nicole Horne. The narrative behind the film release of Max Payne is essentially a streamlined and simplified derivative of the core narrative within the twelve hour narrative rich game. It places focus on the Valkyr story arc in relation to Aesir Corporation. Other story arcs and their associated characters such as the Mafia hierarchy found in the game are not used in the film adaptation. The Ordinary World and Call to Adventure remains the same as the game but the opening image is a link to The Supreme Ordeal where the hero Max is at his lowest point; different to the game. Max is depicted sinking to the bottom of an icy lake, his escape seems intangible. More emphasis is placed on Max’s dark side here to reveal his flaws as a hero. Vogler (2007, p.33) Due to the passive nature of film conflict and drama is required to engage the audience with the protagonist; this occurs when the hero encounters complication. Unlike the game, the Refusal of the Call outlined in Vogler’s theory is evident in the film as an example of such complication. In the film Max denies several Calls to Adventure which do not relate directly to achieving his goal of justice; or threaten to endanger his inner needs of trust and loyalty. Vogler (2007, p.109) For example Natasha’s offer to exchange meaningless sexual desires for information is not accepted by Max who is still in mourning after his late wife’s murder. The film also recognises the Meeting with the Mentor as an important step in directing Max the hero onwards. Character’s BB, Horne and Alex’s Wife mentor Max onto the path to seek justice. Vogler (2007, p.45) Lupino is still an enemy in the film but he is military rather than mafia as depicted in the game and he is defeated at the Approach to the Inmost Cave, this follows Max discovering in the Supreme Ordeal that BB is the shape-shifter shadow subsequently hope is lost. Horne’s complex ties to the mafia and secret societies in the game make it illogical for her to share the same role in the film adaptation where these story arcs are cut. Instead Max defeats Shadow BB in The Resurrection. Ultimately the nature of the medium be it an interactive, non-linear game or a passive, linear film determines the structure of its subsequent narrative. As for Max Payne, a game to film adaptation has meant many interactive elements which affected the narrative in game had to be replaced with devices of linear, self-propelled storytelling. Furthermore the sheer scale of the game’s narrative meant story arcs not core to the main narrative progression were excised from the film. Also implying no compromise was made in reaching Max’s goal for justice in the Return with the Elixir; as this was core in both iterations of the story. Nevertheless, both instances of Max Payne were seen to adhere in their own way to Vogler’s twelve step version of The Hero’s Journey, based on their associated medium. Wordcount: 1091 Bibliography: Augeraud, M., Champagnat, R., & Delmas, G. (2010). A storytelling model for educational games: Hero's interactive journey. [Article]. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2(1/2), 4. Broussard, G., & Miller, S. (2001). Max payne (Version 1.0.4.0) [Computer software]. Espoo, Finland: 3D Realms. Faye, S., Moore, J., & Yorn, J. [Producer]. (2008). Max payne. United States, Canada. 20th Century Fox. Hancock, H. (2002). Better game design through cutscenes. Retrieved from http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20020401/hancock_01.htm Lindley, C.A. (2002) The gameplay gestalt, narrative, and interactive storytelling. Sweden: Zero game studio; The interactive institute. Pearce, C. (2004). Towards a game theory of game. In N.Wardrip-Fruin & P.Harrigan (Eds.), First person: New media as story, performance and game. MIT Press Vogler C. (2007). The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters. 3rd edition. London: Michael Wiese Productions. www.deckoder.com .
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