Unveiling the Enthralling Nostalgia: A Promising New Indie Pays Homage to Remedy's Roots

Highlights

El Paso, Elsewhere pays homage to Remedy Entertainment's classic Max Payne games, featuring similar gameplay mechanics and a noir-inspired narrative.

The game incorporates supernatural elements and a visual style reminiscent of the original PlayStation console, effectively setting itself apart while still capturing the essence of Max Payne.

The successful launch of El Paso, Elsewhere indicates a hopeful future for the long-awaited remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2, eagerly awaited by fans for a considerable time.

Remedy Entertainment has been consistently delivering unique action games to fans for 28 years. They have managed to combine digital worlds with live-action footage, creating a distinct and peculiar style. Now, indie developer Strange Scaffold has finally released their highly anticipated third-person action game, El Paso, Elsewhere. This game pays tribute to Remedy's groundbreaking debut in the industry, the acclaimed Max Payne. With features like bullet-time dives, dual-wielded pistols, and an abundance of painkillers for healing, El Paso, Elsewhere proudly showcases its inspiration from Max Payne, while also establishing its own identity in the "noir action hero" subgenre.

In El Paso, Elsewhere, Strange Scaffold follows the format set by Remedy's Max Payne and Max Payne 2, but adds a supernatural twist with werewolves, vampires, and even the protagonist's world-ending ex-girlfriend. However, instead of replicating the visuals of the original Max Payne, the game adopts a "PS1 demake" visual style. While it leans more heavily into the supernatural elements, El Paso, Elsewhere remains a heartfelt tribute to Remedy's action-noir masterpiece, complete with brooding "hard-boiled detective" voice-overs and a femme fatale determined to hinder the protagonist at every turn.

El Paso, Elsewhere Amps Up Max Payne's Supernatural Elements to 11

Both Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne incorporate supernatural elements, which have become a defining trait of Remedy Entertainment. On the other hand, the original games that introduced Remedy to the world take a more grounded approach. However, El Paso, Elsewhere sets itself apart by delving into a Max Payne-inspired noir story, where the protagonist strives to prevent his vampire ex-girlfriend from causing the apocalypse.

Similar to Max Payne, the game is divided into levels, but in El Paso, Elsewhere, these stages are shorter as the protagonist navigates through a supernatural motel floor by floor. However, each floor is infested with numerous malicious creatures who aim to hinder the player's progress or hold hostages captive. Unlike the thugs and henchmen in the Max Payne games, the adversaries in El Paso, Elsewhere encompass vampires, werewolves, and biblically-accurate angels. While the implementation of bullet-time dodges and painkillers for healing may evoke Remedy's signature style, the emergence of these enemies indicates that El Paso aims for a darker tone.

Response to El Paso, Elsewhere Is a Good Sign for the Max Payne Remakes

With the imminent release of Alan Wake 2, fans are eagerly anticipating Remedy's next focus, which, hopefully, will be the remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2. It has been over ten years since the release of the original Alan Wake and its sequel, and with the upcoming 20th anniversary of Max Payne 2 on October 14, there is no better time than now to resurrect the Max Payne series. The recent success of El Paso, Elsewhere, a game by Strange Scaffold that pays homage to Max Payne and shares similar gameplay mechanics, has only added to the excitement surrounding the potential Max Payne remakes. While fans may have to wait a little longer for the remakes, El Paso, Elsewhere offers a satisfying alternative to indulge in for the time being.

El Paso, Elsewhere is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.