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"Hey listen man, we better look lively, this place is a nightmare. They just got cowboys running security downstairs, and something rotten in the air."
Raul Passos

Something Rotten in the Air is the first chapter of Max Payne 3.

Plot[]

Max, who has just arrived in his apartment in Sao Paulo, finishes drinking his alcohol and heads back to bed. It soon forwards to the future, where he confronts the mutilated Becker who is dying and trying to get away from Max. Max monologues how they used him and suffer the consequences as he points out, that they were right; that he couldn't differentiate between good and evil.

It cuts to the beginning of the chapter, where Max is working as a bodyguard for his employer, Rodrigo Branco, a real estate businessman alongside his colleague, Raul Passos. They are protecting Rodrigo at a fundraising party with many rich people and celebrities as well. Max is drinking as he looks upon the view of Sao Paulo with its favelas. Max and Passos talk about the party discussing the people there before Passos is joined by his girlfriend, Giovanna.

Max observes the party to see the other Branco family members, Fabiana, Rodrigo's trophy wife who partys with Rodrigo's younger brother Marcelo, a party animal and an idiot. Victor, a local politician, comes into the party and talks with Becker. They soon leave together. As the party continues, masked gangsters enter the party through the elevator, kill one of the bodyguards and kidnap both Rodrigo and Fabiana. After they leave the scene, Max and Passos pursue the kidnappers with Max checking one of the floors.

He kills 5 gangsters in the floor and heard Fabiana scream near the balcony. The security with Passos and Becker cornered the criminal holding Fabiana hostage. Max slide down through the roof to kill the hostage taker before falling into the pool. Although they save Fabiana, Max leave the scene to find Rodrigo while Becker and Marcelo calm Fabiana.

Max takes an elevator down to ground floor to pursue the kidnappers and kill many of the criminals on the way and reach the parking lot where they are escaping. The security is engage with the criminals while Max kill and wound many gangsters to save Rodrigo. The gangsters attempted to escape with a van but Max shot the tires out, forcing them fight with Max.

After the battle, Max open the van door with a panicked Rodrigo run out with 2 gangsters attempted to kill Rodrigo. Max quickly kill them both and free Rodrigo from his binds and calm him down. Soon, an heavily armed police arrived the scene and kill any wounded criminals much to a detective chagrin. Becker and the detective argue about UFE actions before leaving while the detective tend to the remaining wounded. Passos brief Max about the detective and UFE which he didn't like discussing politics. The chapter ends with the Brancos saved from the gangsters from a favela gang called Comando Sombra.

Characters[]

Weapons[]

Walkthrough[]

First Floor[]

When Max first encounters the thugs, players can dispatch them easily, but to best avoid damage, shootdive all of the enemies, as they take time to react. There is a magazine on the coffee table near the sofas. Inspect it for a clue. There is a Golden Gun near the end window in the corridor where Max first enters. Once all of the enemies are dead, head out to the balcony, where Fabiana is seen being held hostage. After the cutscene, Max jumps and slides on the roof. Quickly shoot the thug before he executes Fabiana and be careful to avoid hitting her. Once she is saved, the next segment begins.

Second Floor[]

After Max exits the elevator, quickly shoot the CS thug at the receptionist desk before he runs for cover, then continue forward and Shootdive. Kill the two entering CS members and be sure to shootdive once you have to turn the corner and quickly shoot the CS thug with the shotgun. Once they are dealt with, shootdive once you approach the door and shoot the entering thug. There is a Golden Gun in the lobby. Look for it. After they are all dead, head downstairs to the garage.

First Garage[]

Once you enter the first garage area, shootdive or run while entering Bullet Time to quickly dispatch any enemies that are not in cover, and take some time in ambushing those that are in cover. Shooting the thugs in the next area is optional, but worth points in Score Attack. Once they are dead, push the button and rush for the next area. On the way, there is a Golden Gun in the corner of one of the garage areas. Find it. There is also a picture of Fabiana and Rodrigo. Inspect it for a Clue.

Second and Third Garage[]

This part is relatively easy. Shootdive once you pass the first garage column to the left and kill the thugs that are exposed. If you fail to kill all of them, quickly take cover and finish them off when they show themselves. Once they are dealt with, the cutscene for the third garage will be shown, where Max quickly rushes to stop the escaping van. He enters Bullet Time to focus his aim. Shoot one of the tires before they escape with Rodrigo. After this, the men crash and exit the vehicle to fight. Shootdive the two first henchmen and wait for the third thug to show himself and gun him down. Then head for the back van doors, where Rodrigo exits, but knocks Max down. Then, three thugs enter to shoot Rodrigo. Quickly shoot them before they kill Rodrigo. After this, the level is complete.

Special Fail Scenes[]

  • If Max does not shoot the Comando Sombra member that took Fabiana hostage, the member will shoot Fabiana in the head.
  • If Max accidentally shoots Fabiana, it will show Fabiana falling dead with the member being shocked by this.
  • If Max fails to shoot the van's tires, the van will drive out of the garage with Rodrigo in tow.
  • If Max fails to shoot the advancing Comando Sombra after he was knocked down by Rodrigo, OR he leaves the parking garage before helping Rodrigo, a Comando Sombra member will shoot Rodrigo with a bullet cam.

Video Walkthrough[]

Max_Payne_3_-_Hardcore_Walkthrough_-_Intro_&_Chapter_1_-_Something_Rotten_in_the_Air

Max Payne 3 - Hardcore Walkthrough - Intro & Chapter 1 - Something Rotten in the Air

Collectibles[]

Max_Payne_3_-_Collectables_Guide_-_Chapter_1_Golden_Guns_&_Clues

Max Payne 3 - Collectables Guide - Chapter 1 Golden Guns & Clues

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The intro scene where Max confront Becker is using a PT92 whereas in the chapter One Card Left to Play, Max uses a DE.50, 1911, Auto 9mm or 608 Bull.
  • Both Becker and Victor left the party just before the Comando Sombra attack, it shows that they were aware on the kidnapping attempt. The fact the UFE arrival after the shootout make the scenario more suspicious.
  • The name, although being said by Passos for a different reason, may be a foreshadowing to Victor and Becker's betrayal later in the game, with the saying likely ironically meaning "smelling a rat".
Max Payne Chapters
The American Dream Prologue · Roscoe Street Station · Live from the Crime Scene · Playing It Bogart · The Blood Veins of New York · Let the Gun Do the Talking · Fear That Gives Men Wings · Police Brutality · Ragna Rock · An Empire of Evil
A Cold Day in Hell Prologue · The Baseball Bat · An Offer You Can't Refuse · With Rats and Oily Water · Put Out My Flames With Gasoline · Angel of Death
A Bit Closer to Heaven Prologue · Take Me to Cold Steel · Hidden Truths · The Deep Six · Backstabbing Bastard · In the Land of the Blind · Byzantine Power Game · Nothing to Lose · Pain and Suffering
The Darkness Inside Prologue · Elevator Doors · A Criminal Mastermind · The Depths of My Brain · No 'Us' in This · A Sign of Her Passage · A Linear Sequence of Scares · The Million Dollar Question
A Binary Choice Prologue · The Things that I Want · In the Middle of Something · Blowing Up · Routing Her Synapses · Out of the Window · The Genius of the Hole
Waking Up from the American Dream Prologue · Too Stubborn to Die · On a Crash Course · A Mob-War · Dearest of All My Friends · A Losing Game · There Are No Happy Endings · Love Hurts · That Old Familiar Feeling
Part I Something Rotten in the Air · Nothing But The Second Best · Just Another Day at the Office · Anyone Can Buy Me a Drink · Alive If Not Exactly Well
Part II A Dame, A Dork, and A Drunk · A Hangover Sent Direct from Mother Nature · Ain't No Reprievement Gonna Be Found Otherwise · Here I Was Again, Halfway Down the World · It's Drive or Shoot, Sister
Part III Sun Tan Oil, Stale Margaritas and Greed · The Great American Savior of the Poor · A Fat Bald Dude with a Bad Temper · One Card Left to Play
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