Max Payne 2 Review

World of Payne

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne picks up shortly after the events of the first game. Max, having lost his wife and his child to drug-addicted criminals, is back working as a detective for the New York Police Department. Things can only stay normal for so long, though. Soon enough, Max finds himself protecting the lead suspect in a murder case, a woman he also happens to be in love with: Mona Sax. Things aren’t always what they seem, and soon things start to involve Max’s own past.

And that’s it. I’m not going to tell you anymore. The story behind Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is one of absolute brilliance, done in a fantastic film-noir style, and told through beautiful comic book panels. Max himself narrates with a stone-cold deadpan monologue that will send shivers down your spine and make you glad that you aren’t Max Payne.

Max Payne is set in New York on a cold winter’s night, where snow is falling and blood is being shed. The ambience that Max Payne just resonates through the setting, voiceovers, and music is just jaw-dropping. It’s such a meticulously crafted tale and is the best storytelling that I’ve ever seen in a videogame. It’s games like Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne that really elevate the video game medium and show what it’s capable of.

Dishin’ It Out

The gameplay in Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne reminds me of a toned down John Woo film. Stylized and hardcore, with Max diving through doors and taking out bad guys by the boat load, but unafraid to drag Max through the mud. Max is the ultimate gritty hero. While gunplay and the seedy New York underbelly are usually staples of an anti-hero tale, Max is very much a good guy.

The gameplay is insanely fun, with all of the diving and the shooting and whatnot. The first Max Payne implemented bullet-time wonderfully and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne has only improved on an already winning formula. You can either hit L1 to dive in bullet-time, where you’ll hit the ground and slide (very, very cool) and bullet-time will come to a stop with your slide, or simply tap L2 and activate bullet-time while you run around and do your bullet-time business. The AI in the game works well, with enemies constantly running for cover. My only complaint is that they won’t notice Max until he’s in line of sight of them, even where you’re in the next room making all kinds of ruckus.

Audio and Visuals

Sadly, I’m reviewing the Playstation 2 port of Max Payne 2, and it shows. The game didn’t translate well at all. The graphics looks flat, especially up-close. It’s not too big a concern though. That doesn’t really remove any of the fun, and as fast as everything happens, you won’t notice too much. The sound effects are alright. The gunshots and explosions don’t sound horrible, but I’ve heard far better. However, this is more than made up for with the fantastic voice acting and perfect score.

Wrap-Up

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is a fantastic game that everyone deserves to try. While the Playstation 2 port is easily the least polished, it’s still definitely worth picking up if you don’t have a PC or an Xbox.