I haven't had a chance to listen to this show yet, so maybe you guys went over this.

Does anybody else feel a little annoyed that Rockstar felt the need to include a cover system in Max Payne 3?

On the surface, it works within the concept of what they were doing with Max Payne - making everything a little more gritty, stylized, and a little less cartoony. The writing and characters were adjusted, and so was the gameplay.

No longer can battles be one by hopping back and forth in slow-mo like a jack-rabbit on an acid-trip. You have choose when to dive, and try to ensure you land close to cover because you'll get annihilated if you're in the open struggling to your feet.

The problem is that the game is balanced so heavily in favor of cover, with bullets doing so much damn damage, that I almost always prioritize staying in cover and taking pot shots over charging in for some cinematic, hong-kong style action.

I've died more playing MP3 than I have any other game on normal in recent memory, and it's because of the adjustment period where I learn 'ok, here's the really fun part of this game.... now don't use it too much, cause you'll get killed'. I've been conditioned to take cover now, and I'm fairing much better, but I'm thinking a second play-through on easy, where I can fulfill my Hong Kong action dream-sequences will actually be more enjoyable.

Still another GREAT game from Rockstar. They've owned this generation with the quality of their lineup.