14 Mind-Blowing Video Game Fan Theories That Change Everything

2. The Ex-Cop Is A Figment Of Max's Imagination - Max Payne 3

Rockstar's take on the iconic dive n' shoot Max Payne formula really doesn't get the recognition it deserves, but being the plot-spinning maestros they are when away from GTA, there's actually a pretty cool insight into Max's mind in the game.

Firstly, Max is very much at the end of his tether throughout MP3. He's drinking profuse amounts just to get to sleep, is addicted to painkillers, and barely does anything day-to-day other than kill people. To that end, it's easy to forget his origin was as a hardworking detective with a loving wife and kid on the way, until they were killed by drug addicts.

The theory then, states that the tubby cop you encounter multiple times across Max Payne 3 is actually how Max sees himself, had his life not been consumed by revenge and alcohol.

When Max talks to him, all context is disregarded. You have conversations about the ex-cop's family amidst a bloody club shooting, then about taking a vacation when lost in the favelas, and again during the game's airport climax. It's worth noting that the character never joins you or flees, either, happy to remain in the place you find him, as though he has no real motivation other than to reflect on Max's psyche.