Rockstar Newswire

Now that both the Max Payne 3 Hostage Negotiation and Painful Memories DLC packs are out in the wild (get the full lowdown here and here in case you missed them) we've been checking out how the best players in the community use the new Bursts, weapons and Loadout Items to their advantage. Taking this into account, along with input from the top players at our dev studios, here's our tips on how to make the most of your arsenal.

The M24 is the first bolt-action sniper rifle in the game and provides impressive stopping power at long range for those accurate enough to wield it. We recommend equipping the Supressor to mask its distinctive sound and protect your position, even though that slightly impairs the range.

The IA2 AR is one of the most powerful and accurate assault rifles in Max Payne 3 multiplayer, and it's best used to keep enemies at bay from around mid-range. While it's fire rate means it not as efficient up-close, you may want to consider a punchy side-arm like the Sawn-off or the 608 Bull for those intimate encounters.

The UAR-21 is a good all-round assault rifle with a particularly fearsome fire rate that makes it more effective up close than some others. However, that does mean you're going to get through plenty of ammunition so we recommend adding the Extended Mag attachment, along with the Barrel Upgrade and Gas Systems kit if you can spare the Loadout weight.

Highly accurate across mid to long-range and with plenty of ammunition in reserve, the IMG 5.56 is a solid choice for those large, open maps like Canal De Panamá and New Jersey Cemetery.

The Explosives Burst provides plenty of bang for your buck at all three levels, with the following benefits:

Picking up sizeable multikills at Level 3 is all about positioning, as enemies will only drop explosives if you can see them when you activate the Burst. A smart player will use this to get an intimate round of Last Man Standing off to a devastating start, or to take out an entire enemy team as they cluster to take a checkpoint, in Gang Wars. If you're playing Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch, try finding a high vantage point, such as the helipad on the Rooftop of the Moderno, to broaden your view of the battlefield.

At Level 2, the Explosives Burst grants ammunition that deals explosive damage as well as the damage inflicted by the bullet itself. The resulting splash damage makes it a formidable crowd controller, so look you use it when enemies are cramped together in tight spots, or have been funneled into a bottleneck.

At Level 1 you can booby trap all existing bodies for the opposing team, so think of it as sweet revenge whenever your team has suffered a sudden loss, perhaps following a hostile Level 3 Weapon Double-Dealer.

The Hangover Burst leaves your enemies with that morning-after-the-night-before feeling, impairing the vision, health and Adrenaline of the next six opponents that spawn. The precise effects are as follows:

The Heavy Helmet is well worth considering for any heavier Loadouts you roll with: it provides 75% protection against head damage and is only slightly heavier than the standard Helmet.

The Bomb Suit offers superior protection against ballistic and explosive damage but that comes at cost, as it is also one of the heaviest Loadout options. As the name suggests, it's extremely effective for those times when the frags are flying, like when planting bombs or claiming heavily-guarded checkpoints, and it also offers sturdy protection against players partial to an RPG.

The Intimidation Mask strikes fear to the heart of any enemy inside your field of vision (within 10 meters) and increases the time it takes for them to reload their weapons - an effective antidote any time you find yourself against players wielding the Sawn-Off.

Sick of your Crew mates popping that decisive shot into an enemy when you've already done most of the dirty work? The Calculator will grant you a kill for every two assists. A good way to see if you should be equipping this or not is to check through your match reports at the Rockstar Social Club. If your assists count is around 50% of your kill count or above, then you should be equipping it in your Loadout.

The Hip Flask serves a dual role: not only does it counter the effects of the Hangover Burst (what makes you bad makes you better) it also protects you from a single sniper rifle round. It's a good item to equip in those situations where you're most susceptible from range, such as when planting a bomb or trying to survive assassination in Gang Wars.

The Betting Slip is a great way to earn cash and should boost the coffers for when you hit levels 20 and 40 and there's more hardware on offer than your pockets allow.

Now that you've had some time to test out these Loadout Items, as well as the new maps in the Hostage Negotiation and Painful Memories packs, let us know in the comments if you've any fresh strategies of your own.