Max Payne, a former NYPD detective, returns home to find his wife and child murdered by users of the experimental drug Valkyr. Three years later, he secretly works for the DEA and tries to dismantle the Valkyr trafficking network. When his partner Alex Balder is murdered and Max himself is framed for the crime, he becomes a fugitive, hunted by the police, the mafia, and a secret corporation connected to the drug.

As he progresses, he discovers that behind Valkyr is the Aesir Corporation and the mysterious Nicole Horne, who ran the Valkyr program as a military experiment. Max embarks on a personal campaign of revenge, immersed in a world of violence, betrayal, and inner torment. The game stands out for its noir atmosphere, comic-style cutscenes, and innovative use of bullet time, which allows slow-motion during battles.

Max Payne is considered groundbreaking for its time, with intense storytelling, solid controls, and a cinematic approach, laying the foundation for the cinematic shooter genre.