I'd say the difference between the old "what have I become" and modern is (Spoilers ahead)
"what have I become, killing my own family by accident because I got goaded into by deception and my pride by the God of War, after selling my soul to him to win in battle, and now I'm sad I killed my family, but I'm going to make him pay even if I get cast into hell itself (hades) and have to crawl back out and take him out dethroning him"
and "what have I become....a violent and unapologetically masculine man that is at odds with modern liberal values...the horror!"
Max Payne had a bit of self-loathing in his original game[s], things tinged with tragedy, his family getting killed, and reflections on if he's more of a cop or a criminal in the second game with choices he makes in terms of murder if I remember the plot, but it's a far cry from mopeyness. That key word there is "bit". It's not the predominant defining characteristic. There's a line between intentional tragedy in writing and feminine "critique on masculinity" and Max Payne and original God of War games fall squarely in the former category and things like Max Payne 3, God of War reboot, Star Wars reboots, etc fall squarely in the latter category.
I'd say the difference between the old "what have I become" and modern is (Spoilers ahead)
"what have I become, killing my own family by accident because I got goaded into by deception and my pride by the God of War, after selling my soul to him to win in battle, and now I'm sad I killed my family, but I'm going to make him pay even if I get cast into hell itself (hades) and have to crawl back out and take him out dethroning him"
and "what have I become....a violent and unapologetically masculine man that is at odds with modern liberal values...the horror!"
Max Payne had a bit of self-loathing in his original game[s], things tinged with tragedy, his family getting killed, and reflections on if he's more of a cop or a criminal in the second game with choices he makes in terms of murder if I remember the plot, but it's a far cry from mopeyness. That key word there is "bit". It's not the predominant defining characteristic. There's a line between self aware tragedy in writing and feminine "critique on masculinity" and Max Payne and original God of War games fall squarely in the former category and things like Max Payne 3, God of War reboot, Star Wars reboots, etc fall squarely in the latter category.
I'd say the difference between the old "what have I become" and modern is (Spoilers ahead)
"what have I become, killing my own family by accident because I got goaded into by deception and my pride by the God of War, after selling my soul to him to win in battle, and now I'm sad I killed my family, but I'm going to make him pay even if I get cast into hell itself (hades) and have to crawl back out and take him out dethroning him"
and "what have I become....a violent and unapologetic ally masculine man that is at odds with modern liberal values...the horror!"
Max Payne had a bit of self-loathing in his original game[s], things tinged with tragedy, his family getting killed, and reflections on if he's more of a cop or a criminal in the second game with choices he makes in terms of murder if I remember the plot, but it's a far cry from mopeyness. That key word there is "bit". It's not the predominant defining characteristic. There's a line between self aware tragedy in writing and feminine "critique on masculinity" and Max Payne and original God of War games fall squarely in the former category and things like Max Payne 3, God of War reboot, Star Wars reboots, etc fall squarely in the latter category.