ZFR: Just one more question then, does finishing the game on highest difficulty give any different endings like in the previous 2 games?
I am talking by memory here, but no. There is only one ending, with a
minor choice before the cutscene, but this choice doesn't affect the ending in any way (just different achievements and pre-final cutscene). Without entering in spoilers nor details, the ending is very self-conclusive and ties all the plot, so no alternatives.
The game is more linear than the previous ones, but I found the levels to be detailed enough for mild exploring. The game itself encourages this with clues, "hidden" painkillers and golden parts for weapons. It's just more an arcade experience, i.e enter this room, clear it, exit, cutscene and repeat. But you can usually sniff around to a point. Don't expect anything like first game's buffy easter egg though.
If you want to read my opinion, I really enjoyed the game. I was
very skeptic when first heard about this game. I waited a long time and bought on a sale. The new narrative, even if lacks the charm of the comics, is interesting enough. The gameplay, even if suffering of nowadays' scripting abuse and "modern gaming sins", is very satisfying and enjoyable. I ended up loving the new setting and storyline too.
The game might not be as important as the first one, but , IMO, still is an above average 3rd Person Shooter and, despite the hate it got, even if inferior, I think it is worthy of the Max Payne name.
Smannesman: There are.
They're stashed around the levels and I believe that if you get all the gold parts for a gun you get to use a bling version of said weapon. Which is purely cosmetic I think.
It might even be just for the multiplayer portion, I don't know.
You can use them in the campaign too. I recall them being slighty better (expanded magazine I guess), but I ended up disabling the Golden Guns options because I hate the skin.