As Rockstar gets ready to release GTA 6, there are many positive lessons the development team could learn from one of its own previous games, Max Payne 3, which is considered one of its most refined and well-made shooting games. Even though that game came out twelve years ago, it continues to be remarkable and memorable for several specific reasons. These reasons include its gunfighting mechanics that react instantly to player commands, its smooth and graceful character motion, and its intelligent and understated method of adjusting the game’s challenge. If GTA 6 takes cues from these systems, its combat and pacing could reach a whole new level. Note: Parts of this article are subjective and represent the author’s views. What GTA 6 can learn from Max Payne 3? 1) More responsive, impactful shooting One of the biggest takeaways from Max Payne 3 is its sense of weight and precision during firefights. Every bullet has impact, every recoil animation matters, and the game never feels floaty or disconnected. I believe Max Payne 3 has the best gunplay Rockstar has ever produced aside from Red Dead Redemption 2. GTA’s combat has improved over time, but certain moments still feel loose compared to the tight, immediate responses in Max Payne 3. If GTA 6 blends Max Payne 3’s punchy shooting with RDR2’s Deadeye-style cinematic flair, gunfights could feel both grounded and stylish. Max Payne 3 also excelled at making the player feel in control, like the shots land where they should, hit reactions are clear and satisfying and enemy feedback makes firefights readable. 2) Better animation system Max Payne 3’s animation system allowed players to move between cover points without breaking the flow of combat. Sliding into cover, switching angles, or diving across a room never felt clunky. That fluidity is something GTA has struggled with, especially in crowded indoor battles or moments where the player wants to move quickly without getting stuck in sticky-cover animations. If GTA VI improves movement and cover transitions using Max Payne III as a blueprint, players would gain faster repositioning, more reliable cover switching, and combat movement that doesn’t feel like it’s fighting the player Even the signature shoot-dodge, the dramatic slow-motion dive, would fit perfectly in GTA 6, just like how Red Dead Redemption 2 adapted the idea with Deadeye. 3) A smarter difficulty-balancing system Max Payne III is a difficult game, but it never forces the player into situations they cannot win that just repeat over and over. What it does instead is make small, unseen changes after the player dies multiple times. After the first time a player dies, the game starts them again with their health completely refilled. If the player dies even more times after that, they will then find painkiller items and more bullets for their weapons when they restart. The hostile characters in the game do not become less powerful, and the game does not make the fights less difficult; it simply gives the player a little bit of help so they can take a moment to recover. This approach maintains challenge but avoids frustration. Rockstar could use this same structure in GTA 6’s hardest missions. Instead of lowering enemy damage or making fights easier, it could give the player slight boosts after multiple failures: A few more bullets A healing item A stronger starting loadout at the checkpoint It keeps the game fair and difficult, but still gives players a way forward if they hit a rough patch. If this article is to your liking, you can check other GTA content below: Should the GTA 6 protagonists be anti-heroes? Which version of GTA 4 is the best in 2025? 5 best GTA Online DLCs ever released, ranked.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/gta/3-things-gta-6-learn-max-payne-3
3 things GTA 6 should learn from Max Payne 3
