You are right, Ubergeek... everyone needs a change once in a while. But, there are certain things, characteristics that makes a game unique and that's what people like to identify with.
Say, would like to play Doom 3 or F.E.A.R. in bright outdoors, lush scenarios... or Hitman in Quake 3 style, guns blazing, eyeball tearing fast action? I understand what you mean by getting redundant with Noir style, but it won't unless they come-up with new gripping storyline and gameplay features.
Look at Prince of Persia 4, they didn't change the entire look of the game rather they enhanced with new available features technology can offer, they came up with new storyline, new characters but when you play it, it still feels very PoP. People loved that about Max Payne, the cold, ruthless environment, a very hollywood b-grade action-thriller feel and typical burnt, revenge-driven cop anti-hero personality of protagonist... and of course there was bullet time and other gimmickry. Can you really feel playing like Max Payne, even with bullet-time effect, in this new game (judging by the screenshot)?
I'm not saying this will be bad game... it might turn out to be really really good game in itself, and I might even enjoy playing it... but in back of my head, it would still feel odd, it won't feel like playing Max Payne.
