Wade Buffington
Published: February 4 2004
Fellow gamers, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Max Payne 2 (MP2) is one of the most fantastic sequel games I’ve ever played. The bad news (at least for me) – I’ll only be able to play it 10 more times before I have to write my next game review.
The Story-MP2 is everything a true Payne fan could ever hope for. It’s gritty, it’s dangerous, it’s full of attitude, and yes…it’s sexy (That’s right. I used the “s” word for a video game.) As the story opens, Max relives “Payne-ful” memories in a hospital bed while an ominous storm rages outside. As the battered Detective Payne returns from the la la land of unconsciousness, it’s plain to see that Payne is in no condition to go anywhere-but that doesn’t stop old Max-no sir, he’s got a game to play.
The story unfolds in graphic novel splendor, and the actors play their parts well. To be fair, the Max Payne story isn’t for everyone – it’s dark, it’s brooding, and it’s a tad violent – the body count is a little high. It isn’t for kids, it isn’t for your grandma, it’s for geeks who love action. The story is pure Payne. It even has a love story element that, in the end, leaves the player with a bruised, broken, bullet-perforated heart-the faint need not apply. 30 out of 30 points for story.
Game play-is much the same as it was in the first game. There are a few surprises, and a few twists, but nothing out of the ordinary. MP2 has solid game play-nothing too hard, nothing too easy, certainly nothing which detracted from game. I give it a solid score of 25 out of 30 points.
Graphics-MP2 still uses the graphic novel style for its storytelling, and quite frankly that is still one of the best things about the Max Payne series, it really fits. Additionally, the graphic engine was totally reworked for MP2. The fixes and additions are elegant and noteworthy. The realism, the physics, the models, the levels, the textures, the shadows, the flying debris, and the all around chaos in Max Payne 2 is brilliant. 30 out of 30 points.
Audio-the theme music is stirring, the sound effects subtle and appropriate, the voice acting is great. The audio worked together like the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 10 out of 10 points!
Innovation or Cool-tech-with a revamped game engine, the return of bullet-time 2.0 (with deeper levels),Yeowee! Innovation was originally what put the first Max Payne on the map of game greats. While Max Payne 2 doesn’t introduce innovations as earth-shattering as the original, with bullet-time, the subtle but significant tweaking of perfection earns MP2 – 10 points out of 10.
It’s true that I’m only a committee of one, but if Gaming Zone had a Game of the Year award for 2003, it would be given to Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne-A Film Noir Love Story. Final score: 105.
Stayed tuned in our next issue for an interview with Sam Lake, lead writer and game designer for the Max Payne series (also the face of the original Max Payne).