Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, cinematic gameplay, good story, so-so levels
Review: There's a lot to like about this game. It has an actual STORY to go along with the action, which is pretty rare for an FPS game. The graphics are beautiful, and the voice acting and sounds are very well done. The gameplay is outstanding. I bought Max Payne 1 and 2 together, and while the Bullet-time implementation in MP1 is good, MP2 is even better. Part of this is because MP2 uses the Havok physics engine, which causes objects in the environment to react to the player's actions in a lifelike way (for example, if you run into a small chair it will fall over). It's so good it's nearly cinematic! I replayed a few early encounters several times just to see Max in Bullet-time, dodging, firing and reloading -- all of it's executed brilliantly, and a visual treat.

The game does have a few weak points. The story is weaker, less noir-ish than in MP1. There's a twist in the story, but it was such a break with the MP1 story that I had a hard time swallowing it. And they ended up killing so many of the original characters, sometimes it seemed they were killing the characters off for the heck of it. On the other hand, the novel telling the story was much improved over MP1 (less obfuscation and bombast), so perhaps those cancel out. I also felt that the level design was rather uninspired at times. For example, there are two or three pairs of levels where you climb to the top floor of a building, then climb back down. Not very imaginative. Finally, there is no possibility of stealth gameplay. This can be quite a surprise if you've played games like No one Lives Forever 2 or Splinter Cell. You can't shoot out any lights. Worse, enemies have "radar sense" -- they'll see you the instant you enter an area, even if you're hiding behind a car and a hundred yards away. This can be annoying at times. On the whole, though, gameplay was so smooth that these drawbacks seemed minor to me.

Between MP1 and MP2, I liked MP2 much better. Several aspects of the original have been improved in MP2: the graphics (obviously), the storytelling (though not so much the story), and the gameplay. Of these, the major enhancement was the gameplay. The game's pacing is *MUCH* better controlled than MP1's frenetic pace: kill 5 enemies, turn a corner, kill 5 more, open door, kill 5 more, walk down ladder, kill 5 more and do it all with no health packs ("painkillers"). Playing MP1 was a reload-fest for me; not at all enjoyable. In contrast, MP2 is paced more reasonably; there are a few puzzle solving levels and dream levels between the fighting levels,and in the fighting levels, there are areas to let the player catch their breath after a major battle (and even watch TV!). On the default difficulty level, I needed to reload just a few times - a big plus in my book.

On the whole, I'd recommend MP2 to anyone who likes FPS games and/or action movies. Hopefully there'll be a sequel to this series which combines the strengths of the story of MP1 and the gameplay/graphics of MP2. Maybe it will reveal that Max Payne is a comic-book character and the *real* heroes are Captain Baseball-Batboy and Bicycle-Helmetgirl. :-)

Rating:
Summary: Too short to be true
Review: It's funny how some people will stoop to low level lying like 5 year olds just to desperately hype or actually resuscitate a boring game like Max Payne 2 which is hardly better than the first except for perhaps the slightly sharper graphic details and slightly more flexible movement such as moving or knocking down a box but beyond that crapshoot at best. Even with the harder skill modes, after the first two levels, the game gets easier after that. In fact, half the time in the game you don't fight anyone but instead run aimlessly through a maze with Max Payne rambling more baloney with his droning voice. Best bet would be to get it at a cheaper price like below $13.

And good luck waiting for Max Payne 3 since it ain't likely to come.

Rating:
Summary: Great Game
Review: I was really into the first game, not because of the violence and gore effects. But because of the story line. Max Payne has amazing story lines that really get you into the game. The Opening Suite is great, the characters are unforgettable, and the Closing Song, "Late Goodbye" by the music group Poets Of The Fall really make this game worthwhile.
Ive played both games over and over again and know them like the back of my hand.
If you are a fan of the game, like me, you are currently in angst due to the rumours of a possible movie and third title...

Rating:
Summary: Maybe Im stoopit
Review: Everyone says this game is so short. People complain because its only 8 hours of game play. Well Ive been playing for weeks and I still havent finished it. Maybe its the way that I play. The game is so engaging that I love to play every combat scene over and over until I get it perfect. Then I save and go a little further. It usually takes 4-5 times going through each area to get everything right.

People who complain about the length of this game are like people who complain about the small portions of food at a 5 star restaurant. Its quality, not quantity, folx. Max Payne 2 is not like McDonalds. Take smaller bites and savor the experience.

Rating:
Summary: Every bit as amazing as the first...
Review: The original Max Payne was one of the most innovative and amazing games of the year when it was first released. I loved every minute of the experience, and was not dissapointed by the sequel. Part 2 has all the strengths of the first game: amazing graphics, innovative game play, a great story, and is just extremely fun to play. It also sports the trademark cheesy diologue of the original. Which I personally think is rapidly becoming part of this series that I love. You also get the chance to play a couple missions as Max's mysterious love interest Mona Sax as their stories unfold together. My only problem with the game is that it's way too short, and doesn't have much replay value. The additional time based game modes are not very fun beyond one or two tries. Overall though, Max Payne 2 is an amazing gaming experience, and I cannot wait for part 3. Now that it's under 20 bucks, there's no reason not to pick up a copy of one of the best games on the PC.

Rating:
Summary: Hey it still has good gameplay
Review: I'm not saying the games sucks it does not I'm just saying that iwhile it has good gameplay there are some problems

Main Problem
Max will not stop moaning about his lost love his lost wife and his lost child.
I did like the twist in the story line however why did I just spend 29.99 for 8 hours of gameplay when you come right down to it???? Just not worth it period sorry at least not for its current price. I mean seriously you can finish it in half a day without any problem at all.

Rating:
Summary: Fun, but nothing special...
Review: Good game play and as fun as the original, however the dream sequences were a royal pain in the ass and completely disrupted the flow of the game.

Is it just me or are the game makers taking heavy drugs whilst designing these games?????!!!!