Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

"Phenomenal."

It would seem that Remedy has done it again. Or was it 3D Realms the first time around? Who can keep track these days? Despite shifting publishers and developers, however, the games they put out are still top-friggin' notch, and Max Payne 2 is definitely no exception. It might even be the rule, if this kind of quality pervades the market...

Graphics: 3 of 10

Anyway, let me start this little shin-dig out by stating that the PC version is indeed the best version of the game graphically. By far. I mean, really far, as in not even in the same quadrant as the other versions.

Controls: 9 1/2 of 10

As far as controls go, I've never played The fall of Max Payne on anything but the PS2, so I can't speak for PC or Xbox. However, I'm betting that they're superb, because on the PS2, they blaze. Heard the talk about bullet time being better? Remember thinking that topping the original Max Payne's imminently addictive and revolutionary bullet time would be near impossible? You're dead wrong. Bullet time 2.0 rocks the house to the ground, and you'll wonder how you played a Max Payne game any other way. I found myself shootdodging 98% of the enemies in the original, but in this game, 92% of my bullet time usage was with standard bullet time. This is because for every enemy you kill in bullet time, you not only recharge your meter, but you also become more hyper. I.e., time goes slower while Max goes faster. After killing the third baddie, (at which time, no further increases in bullet time speed occur) you're pretty much moving at the speed of sound, able to outmaneuver, outshoot, outclass, and outlast your enemies in ways you only dreamt of before. Awesome. Half a point detracted because Max turns around somewhat slower this time around.

Storyline and Plot: 10 of 10

To justify my grading scheme, let me tell you that I'm a writer. I'm not bragging, I'm simply stating that plot, characters, and mood all play very heavily in my scoring, especially with a game as story-intensive as this. Yes, it's self-parodying, corny and so-serious-that-its-not-serious, but I still got chills watching the ending. Maybe I apply myself too much. ^_^ Anyway, the storyline is both more serious than its predecessor, and more humorous. That's the magic of this game; You can be laughing, then grimacing, then smiling, then (depending on your sensitivity level) crying, all within a single cutscene's length. Also, all the old TV shows from the original Payne return, but with somewhat different names. That weird show with the mirrors and the disturbing talking flamingo? It's now called Address Unknown. Lords and Ladies? Still as melodramatic and corny as ever. Also, Captain Baseballbat Boy returns as a TV show, as well as a Max Payne parody show called Dick Justice, a blaxploitation crime drama. They're all quite funny in their own way, and their stories unfold at the same rate as the main story. This doesn't add anything to the gameplay, mind you, but it does help to make it a complete world.

Gameplay: 9 of 10

Menus are a little clumsy and hesitant, the framerate hurts your chances of survival in high-intensity places, and saving is a pain in the arse. Aside from that, this is as good as it gets. Max is as agile as ever, and if you ruled in Max Payne 1, you'll dominate in 2. I actually noticed that Max is somewhat stronger, faster, and more agile than before as well. He can jump pretty much the same height as before, but his moves are more fluid and good looking. Also, the above-mentioned advances in bullet time make for a compulsively playable experience. I know that's cliche, but I'm dead serious; I played the entire final half of the game in one sitting without even the temptation to quit. It's also just as challenging as ever, as it plays mind games with you during the trademark dream sequences (which are noticeably less psychotic this go around) and it has a few pretty challenging puzzles.

Sound: 10 of 10

A Desert Eagle round shatters the silence of the night, whining off into the darkness as it ricochets out of control. Your last shotgun blast charges its way into your eardrums with a pounding thud. You step behind a wall for cover, hearing Max's shoes pounding the pavement and his trademark leather jacket creaking against itself with every step. You reload your dual Berettas, the sounds of the clips sliding out of your weapons and hitting the ground followed by silence after fresh ones ready themselves for action. You wait until the enemy is within optimal range, then you step out, blasting him to kingdom come. The plinking sounds of the empty shells hitting the ground follow the dull thud of the enemy's already cooling corpse. You're out of Beretta ammo, so you pull leather with your dual Ingrams. You hear three guards swearing to themselves, then reluctantly entering your range of fire. You pop out and activate bullet time. Any ambient sounds that are prevalent in the immediate area are now muffled and low, easing you into a sort of battle-calm as your rounds pierce your enemies' flesh. Kill one, your Ingrams fire slower while you move faster. Kill two, your bullet time meter is becoming brighter and brighter yellow as they slow and you accelerate. kill three, and you've achieved Maximum Capacity, as I like to call it. You're now walking as fast as you would without bullet time, save for now, everyone else seems to be wading through an atmosphere made of molasses. After you've cleared the room, you reload. Make sure to do this as many times as possible, because reloading after killing three or more enemies gives you one of the coolest reloading animations I've ever seen. Also, the music is moving and deep, the voice acting is completely improved over the original, and the credits song ''Late Goodbye'' courtesy of Poets of the Fall, perfectly matches the game's feeling. Awesome.

Overall: 10 of 10

This game rules. It's short, yes, and it's quite challenging even on the Detective setting, but it rules. I've found myself wanting to restart the game immediately after completing it. I even liked the muddy, choppy, low-res graphics that the PS2 version is cursed with. However, if you're a graphics hound, I'd suggest getting the PC version, and failing that, the Xbox version. Any way you play it, however, you've got to play it. Just go out and buy it now.

Like Max Payne? Love Max Payne 2.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/19/04