Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

"Don't listen to that Gamespot BS..."

Max Payne 2 is not nearly as bad as some people are making it out to be. Let's read on!

Graphics: 7.5
The graphics are definitely better than in the first game and look good when compared to certain titles, but unfortunately, they obviously could have been better. The 3-D models are nice and smooth, as we have all come to expect on recent consoles, but the texturing can range from ''nice-looking'' to ''pathetic''. For example, Max's coat and other pieces of clothing look very nice, and real-time lighting is good as well, but for example of bad texture, enter a bathroom. Look toward the towel rack and you will see the most pathetic excuses for 2-D towels ever seen in a 3rd person shooter. Of course, this is only nit picking, and the graphics are noticeably better than the first, but they could have been further improved. Unfortunately, the inexcusably bad frame-rate drop still occurs, but not as frequently and for no apparent reasons. In MP1, the framerate drop happened when lots of bullets were flying at once, especially with Bullet Time engaged (when the bullets are being physically modeled.) This time around, the bullets are always modeled, and you may notice them even outside of Bullet Time. But this is not the cause of the slowdown. It just happens when you're standing there, sometimes, but this doesn't happen nearly as often.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Now, on to the part that truly matters, gameplay. Anybody who enjoyed the first game will enjoy this one, as the gameplay is very similar, only now, Shoot Dodges no longer use Bullet Time and there are enhancements made to the Slo-Mo engine itself. When in Bullet Time, quickly killing thugs will increase Max's concentration and force him deeper into ''The Zone'', essentially giving him an even bigger advantage than before. In short, Max moves at a very continuous speed, as do the enemies, and when you first enter Bullet Time things aren't that much slower, BUT, cap one of those punks and you'll be forced into a higher gear, making killing the next guy easier. Watch the Bullet Timer for a color-change; The darker shade of yellow, the greater ass-kicking power Max currently has. Linking kills will essentially make you unstoppable, and this new skill is very useful in Dead Man Walking, a new mode unlocked after beating the game once on Detective difficulty. The other difficulty levels are still there, with Detective replacing the last game's Fugitive; Hard-Boiled, Dead On Arrival, and New York Minute are still here for your slo-mo slaughtering pleasure. As for experience, the game is noticeably shorter, and R* opted for a ''shorter but harder'' outlook. MP2's first play-though will give even MP1 vets a run for their money. Weapons from the first have returned, as for a couple new ones. You can now hold Dual Desert Eagles, and the AK-47 and MP5 have been added. There is also a nice new two-weapon setup, in which one fire button has a gun on it and the second fire button has either a melee attack or hand-held explosive. Now you don't have to leave yourself open when using melees, grenades or cocktails... As for replay, I'll get to that in a while...

Control: 8/10
This has also been improved over the last game, although R* still doesn't know the meaning of ''Analog Stick''. Max moves at the same speed no matter how hard you press, but thankfully there's almost no precision jumping, and when there is, it's less of a pain due to the fact that you can save anywhere. (Press Select mid-game and choose save. One of the best additions to the memory system.) Controls are now fully customizable, and you can map any command to any button. If you are used to the first games controls, you'll probably try to remap them as similarly as you can to the original's, as I did. You can also choose your crosshair by type and/or color. You can choose a dot, circle, or cross in the hues of white, yellow, and red. I do just fine with the classic white dot, but Payne newbies may want something else. Controls become very intuitive very fast. You'll be blasting thugs effortlessly pretty fast, but that's only on the easy difficulty...

Storyline: 9/10
IMO, Sam Lake (the writer for both games) is a friggin' genius, but this topic has very differing opinions. This game is loaded with just as many twists and turns as the first, if not moreso. For people who never played MP1, R* thoughtfully added a special in-game extra graphic novel that sums up everything you need to know from the 1st game to understand this one. I don't wanna ***spoil*** things, but the title ''The Fall of Max Payne'' only reefers to how the first stage occurs. Don't worry, he doesn't die, he just comes damn close... Several times... Oh, and Mona isn't dead...

Buy or Rent?: For most people... Rent first, then maybe Buy...
This really depends... If you're the type who just plays a game once on the easiest difficulty and then quits, don't buy this. If you were in love with the first game and played it about a zillion times like I did, just buy it, because the same difficulty levels are there plus those extra ''Survival Mode'' type stages, Dead Man Walking. VERY CHALLENGING, THAT IS... It may remind you of the Finale ''End Combat'' stage from the first one, only this time Max is far from invincible and the baddies just keep comin'... Anyhow, Max Payne fanboys/whores, buy it. Everyone else, rent first, then possibly buy it. Overall a good game, but a little iffy on replay value for some people. I'm die-hard, I dunno about you...

Final (NOT AN AVERAGE): 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/08/03