Rating: Summary: Food for thought Review: It is rare that one can play a video-game and actually care about the fate of the characters that you interact with.This to my mind is really the strongest point that Max Payne 2 has to offer. It is more than a game... the characters feel real...they have flaws, strengths, dreams, ambitions, people that care about them. The graphics and sounds drip quality. Plain and simple. Alot of reviews have criticized the length of the game. While I can see their point, I don't think this is really fair. The game is meant to put you straight into an action movie: Fight alongside hobo ex-cops, prostitutes and killers while executing spectacular stunts with bullets flying everywhere. How long does the average action movie last ? My point is that the length is just right. You can only mow down so many gangsters before things get ridiculous. Besides, if you want more of the same then you have the option to play again with increased difficulty. I beat the game on all 3 settings and enjoyed it each and every time. The love that develops between Mona and Max is beautiful to experience. The ending changes if you beat the game on "dead on arrival" mode ! You have to work for it, but it is very satisfying and worthwhile...and it is the _real_ ending.
Rating: Summary: Great game but too short Review: If you played the first Max Payne then you're going to enjoy this but be warned it's short. The graphics are breathtaking and luscious. Gameplay is fast and the story helps to keep the pace up. A new bullet time feature is now part of the bag of tricks that Max has and Mona is perhaps the most gorgeous female PC character to come around since Lara Croft. Overall, I had a blast but I wished that there was a bit more than the 8 hrs. that I ended up getting from this game. If you haven't played the Max Payne series then pick up the first one as well and sit back for some fun!
Rating: Summary: Amazing followup to the first game Review: The first Max Payne game was amazing and was the first game to suck me in and keep me up late at night playing for hours on end b/c it was so good. This followup doesn't fail in any aspect and is even better than the first! The gameplay is amazing, addicting and challenging. The graphics are beautiful and realistic and are so well done that you forget you are playing a game sometimes! The ability to react with everyday items like the trashcan (you can stumble over it and move it) or chairs is an especially nice touch. I like the look of this new Max Payne vs the first one. They did a good job with the panels and cut scenes with Max Payne and Mona as well. The character development is good for both of these main characters. The weapons are fun to use, need I say more? I love sniper mode the best because the bullet is followed from the moment it leaves the barrel, and it is a beautiful shot watching it shoot towards your enemies. Overall I loved this game, and the only negative thing I have to comment on is that sometimes the game would get sticky in crazy scenes where lots of shooting was going on, but my computer is not tweaked at optimal performance with the choicest hardwares, so I blame it on that. :)
Rating: Summary: Great game, falls a little short! Review: With some of the best controls on the market and graphics that were suprissingly better then the first Max Payne 2 had all the great aspects the first Max payne had, but fell through when it was time to deliver. If you played the first Max Payne then chances are you will buy this game hands down, possibly for story reasons. However Max Payne 2 does not live up to its former self. With only about 12 hours of gameplay it is possible to sit down and finish the game in one sitting. Before long you will be engrosed with the so-so plot and end up just wanting to beat the next level to see how everything plays out, but when the game comes to a sudden stop, you will find yourself asking "Thats It?" Max 2 still has the great action elements that made the first one such a hit, and with unlockable difficulties you may find yourself playing through this game more then once. Nothing new is added (sadly), so if you liked the first Max you will probably love this one, but there is not enough change to sway new players into buying this game!
Rating: Summary: Awesome game, albeit with little replay value. Review: This game is a worthy successor to the classic Max Payne, which brought action gaming to a new level, with beautifully drawn comic-book shots that drive the game graphically and emotionally. This game is basically a rehash, or an upgrade if you will, of the original game. The graphics are noticeably better while the Havok physics engine makes the game feel clustered and more real than before. My only reason for not giving this game a perfect score is for it's length, which is very short, and little replay value. You'll probably beat it once or twice, on a harder mode to get the alternative ending. If you're looking for an action game with great graphics, lots of fun (you're your own John Woo as you ballet through the levels, guns-ablazing and using Bullet Time!), look no further! Just don't expect a long game.
Rating: Summary: Ah...the Pain of Love...and a Gunshot Wound Review: WOW! I found it hard to believe that anything could live up to the incredible standard set by the original Max Payne. I was wrong. Max Payne 2 is an incredible follow up to the hugely successful tale of A DEA agent framed for murder. Now, Max is back with a vengeance as a tough New York City cop. This game boast some improvements on the original with its improved graphics, redesigned bullet time feature, and a much more intricate plot. This game is like playing a movie with a well developed plot line, and let me tell you, the action is every bit as intense as the first! I give this game 5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great third person shooter with a story!
Rating: Summary: Wow! Review: One of the most satisfying games I've played. The graphics are perfect. I noticed hardly any bugs in the whole game. The ragdoll effects are stunning. The music is hypnotic and the overall sound was awesome in THX. The characters are great (Vince being a little like Joe Pesci in the 'Lethal Weapon' movies). On a high end PC it don't get much better than this. I certainly didn't want it to end. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: Great fun while it lasts, which turns out to be not long Review: I rented this game on Saturday afternoon, and two and a half hours later, I was finished. Visually and in terms of gameplay, atmosphere and immersion, 'Max Payne 2' is practically at the top of the pile. Some of the levels are incredibly inventive and original, and it's good to be able to step into the shoes of another character from time to time. But two and a half hours of gameplay? Even 'Call Of Duty', much lamented for its shortness, lasts much longer than that. I'm glad I rented 'MP2' and didn't pay full price. Sure you can go back and play it on higher levels of difficulty, or try the various other modes, but why bother? You know what's going to happen and how - all that's changed is the damage you take. My advice is to either rent this game, borrow it from a friend, or wait until it drops into the budget zone, which should only take a few months. As far as games go it's wonderful, but as for length, I've had pizzas that took me longer to complete.
Rating: Summary: The Prime of Max Payne Review: Compared to Deus Ex Invisible War, Halo, UT 2004 for the PC; Max Payne 2 runs two to four times smoother in the graphics perspective. That's why you will love the bullet time and shootdodging effects. In The Detective and Hard-boiled modes is not differently noticeable in difficulty. But you will be satisified, the last graphic novel mode, in Dead on Arrival. The challenge is there. Diversity in locations is evident. Evesdropping on the bad guys is enough comedy to let them live for an extra second. Hell you can watch TV through the levels. The story is well screenplayed enough for a good film. Mona Sax ultimately gives Max a reason to go on. It will all make sense towards the end. Don't make it a late goodbye.
Rating: Summary: Awesome game, but short Review: This is a great game - similar enough to the original one so that it won't alienate existing fans, but with enough new things to spice it up. The new "shootdodge" feature is awesome, plus it doesn't use up any bullet-time. I especially love the graphics during bullet-time when reloading. Gameplay is smoooth, much like the original. The storyline is a definite improvement, as it involves love, deception, and betrayal (rather than simple revenge). Graphics are fine, with more realistic facial expressions and greater detail. Very good sound effects as well. The computer AI was sophisticated, although there were some instances when enemies failed to react until I went over some imaginary boundary. This made it easy to pick some of them off from a distance. The larger arsenal is nice, but no major innovations here. The main downside is the short nature of the game. This was also a problem in Max Payne 1. I guess it helps keep the game fresh, but it seemed over way too fast, even for my short attention span. Also, the final "boss battle" reminds me a little too much of the first game. (Why do bosses always like high places?) And the dream sequences seem to be getting a little stale, although there are no annoying jumping puzzles. Overall, though, Max Payne 2 is first-rate entertainment. It almost seems like a movie in some places.
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