This is one of those games that never seems to end. There are no real set chapters. It just has a cinematic that links one action packed scene to the next. And I don't mean that in a bad way either. I played this game for a good 10 hours straight, because it just kept going and I kept on going with it. If I didn't stop for food, I probably would have finished it in the first 24 hours of having the game. But thanks to that break, I managed to give the game a rest, and come back to it later on.
The game has two predecessors, and uses the history of the franchise to form the personality of the character, without the need to constantly refer back to it with flashbacks to the first game. Flashbacks do occur, but the game starts far enough forward that is is all relevant to the storyline.
The gameplay is rather simple, with assisted targeting, however, this game is very much trying to move away from the “run in and shoot blindly” strategy that got me through the first two games. I found myself frequently running out of ammo, and ended up having to use a lot more strategy, moving slower, with long-ranged weapons; the shorter range automatic weapons would often be too inaccurate and run out of ammo too frequently.
One of the pet peeves of this game was the constant resetting. By this I mean, you have managed to scavenge and save up some ammo by fighting conservatively (boringly), just to get mugged, or have a cinematic and come out on the other side with only a pistol and a handful of ammo. In a game where you are meant to be playing one continuous storyline, it does become frustrating to keep losing your stuff. (It is understandable in games such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, or Halo where you are part of a military regime, that has standard requirements for supplies when leaving for missions)
I enjoyed the change of scenery, away from the snowy urban backdrop, towards the sunny slums, and I thoroughly enjoyed the constant challenges to the plots, and perceived bad guys. This is a journey of enlightenment for Max, and he learns a lot about himself, and what he is along the way.