Max Payne 3 now available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

It's been 8 years since fans last played new Max Payne game.  Today, marks the return of the action-shooter Max Payne 3 and its groundbreaking Bullet Time feature.

Combining highly sophisticated gunplay and fluid movement with a dark, twisted narrative, and intensely cinematic presentation, Max Payne 3, once again, brings the franchise's signature movie aesthetics to video games.

"Max Payne 3 picks up the story of fallen former New York City detective Max Payne – several years after the events of the original games," the game's description reads. "Close to washed up and addicted to painkillers, Max accepts a job offer of private security work in São Paulo, Brazil, protecting wealthy businessman Rodrigo Branco and his beautiful trophy wife Fabiana in the hopes of an escape from his tragic past. When Fabiana is abducted while under Max’s protection, Max finds himself caught up in something much larger than a simple kidnapping, looking for answers on the streets of an unfamiliar city as his personal demons return to haunt him once again."

For the first time in the series, however, Max Payne 3 will bring its innovative gameplay to online multiplayer, with a range of co-operative and competitive modes that allow you to compete in free-for-all matches, fight for the chance to play as Max Payne himself in Payne Killer, or build out events from the single-player story in the dynamically branching Gang Wars mode.

In addition, Max Payne 3 is also the first Rockstar title to feature crews, persistent clans of friends that can play online together.  Using this feature you can play together online, building alliances and rivalries while tracking progress and Crew Feuds through the Social Club. Though a first for Max Payne 3, Crews will soon be featured in additional Rockstar Games like the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 5.

Max Payne 3 is now available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America.  This Friday, May 18 it will be released in Europe.  The PC version will be launching on May 29 in North America and

Max Payne 3 isn't the only release in a franchise that has been long overdue for a new installment. After a 12 year wait, Diablo fans are finally able to play Diablo 3.