Score: 88
Overall User Average: 8.79 / 10 (87.8%)
Gameplay User Average: 9.05 / 10
Graphics User Average: 8.63 / 10
Sound User Average: 8.79 / 10
Wolf
Date reviewed: September 11, 2005.
Overall: Max Payne 2 is a very fun game and is how a 3rd person shooter game should be made. It has a great story and a great setup with the comic book feel to it.
Gameplay: the bullet time-like feature is a wonderful one that was carried over from the first game. There is a good selection of weapons, some of which can be dual wielded. the control scheme is basically perfect for this kind of game. the only downside is the game is a little too short.
Graphics: the visuals are pretty good. The in-game graphics and the player models are decent. The cut-scenes are done similar to a comic book, with the talk and thinking boxes. Some parts of the game have an eerie feel to them because of the good visuals.
Sound: The voice acting is exceptional, with the crazy baddies sounding genuianely insane. Another major contributing factor to the eerieness of the game is the creepy sounds.
Suggestions: Make a Max Payne 3!
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 90 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 80 %
Xbox Masta 4
Date reviewed: August 31, 2005.
Overall: Once again they do it again. Improving from the last, and making this sequel that much better. In this one he is on NYPD. Finds a woman named Mona sax, which who Max Payne thought passed away. She holds the answers to the questions that haunt May Payne himself. Thugs stand in the way of Max and the answers he seeks. Hell continues throughout his journey, once again.
Gameplay: If you played the first, you'll like this one. Great guns, and sleek movies that you can do. Dive stuff here and there, or slow down time here and there. It's so fun.
Graphics: Graphics have improved from the last Max Payne. I couldn't believe it. It does look great however. Realistic type of features, especially close ups of Max Payne himself.
Sound: The story line and the voices that are heard are tremendiously done. Also the slow motion and regular type with gunshots are amazing.
Suggestions: Keep on making this game. I'd suggest hitting this on Xbox Live, sounds like it could be made fun. Maybe main characters can battle it out?
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 90 %
mrmp3
Date reviewed: August 28, 2005.
Overall: Because the only difference is controls and graphics between the Xbox and PC versions, I got the PC version cuz it came out like 1-2 months before it's console counterparts did and also the mod community prolongs the life of the game a lot. To say I enjoyed Max Payne 2 would be an understatement. Before I even installed a mod, I played the game so much, replaying certain areas just for fun, like where the guy is outside on the scaffold and the game does the slow-mo of him falling down when you shoot him as you watch in awe how amazing the ragdolls are, like the wooden planks and paint cans sometimes falling on top of him. The story is superb, even though some argue the way Max's describes things gives people a headache, Remedy knows this and even pokes fun at themselves on some of the still image TV shows you see some of the characters watching. Bravura, Witherspoon (sp?) Mona, and Vlad's voice acting is all superb. The action and controls are just top notch, The ragdoll effects are also really awesome with the full zoom sniper shot and when you land a headshot watching the guys backflip (sometimes they do sometimes not). Not to mention the unlockable survival mode (forgot the name of it but that's what essentially it is) where enemies constantly spawn is ridiculous amounts of fun. Since this game is most likely the last in the series unfortunately, I'd recommend buying it if you haven't played it. Loads of fun.
Gameplay: You got your usual bullet-time/bullet-dive stuff here, same affair as Max Payne 1, but the ragdoll effects and interaction with the environments have been cranked up greatly. My favorite level was probably the fun house mainly because with the aid of your nades, you can just kick the crap out of everyone without being touched for most of the level. Not to mention I believe it's the first level with the Kalishnokov which is just great hearing it in slow-mo. Another sweet thing in the level is the huge syringe like thing, when you first get there, it unlocks the gate for you when it swing down, even though it appears it'll rip your head off, but later when the cleaners get there and you pull the switch, it just rips right through the cage, knocking down a wall and kill everyone in it's path. It handles pretty much the same as Max Payne 1, but to me, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean it could handle like Enter the Matrix afterall.
Graphics: I love the detail on Max's face. As the game progresses he gets more and more beat up, and just seeing his face up close with all the bandages and blood, it's just amazing how realistic it looks. The only thing graphically that I think didn't get bumped up since MP1 was probably the image quality of the stills on the television, but other than that, the enviroments, the empty shells (there's a lot more the game can handle now), the character models, the explosions, everything just looks better while still retaining the noir setting.
Sound: Voice acting is still top notch and the writing for the story I believe was excellent. The gun sound effects both in and out of bullet-time just sound devastating, maybe not the dual standard pistols, but the desert eagles and all of the automatics pack a nasty punch. The lead track is great too as is the rest of the music.
Suggestions: I really hope this isn't the last one. Please make another one. I know developers don't like to be one dimensional, but look at the sales! And the fact you got a movie based on the game coming out! Please do not abandon this series.
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 100 %
T-Dub
Date reviewed: August 28, 2005.
Overall: The new Max Payne does what every sequel should do and make improvements on an alreadt awesome game. The graphics are better and there is a much better weapon selection.
Gameplay: The gameplay is very similar to the last Max Payne with a few improvements. It still has bullet time which was what made this game so great in the first place. They have also added more levels and one more chracter you get to play as further on in the game. The only thing i dont like is that they enede this game like the last one.
Graphics: The visuals have also been improved. Max doesn't have his cheesy grin all the time either. The visuals in levels are much more realistic and the chracters look much better.
Sound: The sounds are very accurate all the way from gunshots to crys of pain. The music is there and adds to the gameplays intensity.
Suggestions: They need to keep coming out with these games, because they are awesome and I love the story lines twists and turns. Keep up the good work.
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 100 %
The Jackal
Date reviewed: June 5, 2005.
Overall: The game is good but it isn't what it should be in my opinion. With how fun the first game was this game had my expectations really high. The slow motion in the original was ground breaking and this one just pretty much played off of that again. You can't look for success with a feature that has already been done in the other game and a few games since. The game would get a higher score from me if it was the first of its kind but since it was the second of the MP games I really am not impressed.
Gameplay: The gameplay was ok. It was fun yes but there wasn't a whole lot that was different than the original. The slow motion was upped a bit and there was some other new things but really not that much made this game beat the older version. They're should have been a lot more added and you think the makers would have made the game longer after the first one was so !&%$@#* short. But, no... still short.
Graphics: Visually it was decent. But, it wasn't that much better than the original which was a huge let down. This is the 2nd installment people! Up the game a bit.
Sound: Sound was the better part of the game. Great voice overs, music, and sound effects. It all really added a lot to the game and it suited each scenario as good as it could have.
Suggestions: Don't play so much of off the slow motion! Add something new to keep the consumer coming.
Overall: 70 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 100 %
callum
Date reviewed: July 29, 2004.
Overall: I think this game is very good great story like and everything this is definatly the on to buy.
Gameplay: The game play is just simply amazing,Outstanding,out of this world i just love it i have actually just game off playing it about 1 hour ago.
Graphics: Visual is very good great graphics on buildings characters and other enviromental structures.
Sound: The sounds are ok appart from the gun noises could have been made a little more realistic appart from that ok.
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 100 %
Sound: 90 %
GimmeSomaThat24
Date reviewed: February 21, 2004.
Overall: They were right on the money when they titled this game "The **FALL** of Max Payne" because this game was definately a disappointment compared to the first Max Payne. Just like in the movies, the sequel is never as good. The problem with this sequel is the fact that people knew what was coming when they bought this game, which is true with most sequels. When you played the first Max Payne, you didn't know what it was like until you played. I guess the problem with sequels is that they are too predictable. I knew before I bought Max Payne II that I was going to get a game similar in plot to the first one, where its Max Payne against the world. Max Payne and Max Payne II are like two exactly the same word problems in math, except in the second one you just change the numbers.
Gameplay: Gameplay is OK. Max Payne II lacked new weapons, and change from the first Max Payne. It would have been a better game if they had thrown something new into the game, for instance, being able to drive a car in some levels, or maybe co-operative missions.
Graphics: Overall, the graphics were good, but I'm not one to criticize them because I dont pay attention to them, they don't mean that much to me. I wouldn't dislike a game because graphics were bad.
Sound: Another area that I don't relly pay attention to. From what I remember though, the sounds were pretty accurate. Gunshots sounded authentic.
Suggestions: If you make another one, make it so you are able to drive cars in the game.
Overall: 70 %
Gameplay: 80 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 90 %
DocHoliday78
Date reviewed: February 19, 2004.
Overall: This is the stunning sequel to last year's hit fps shooter Max Payne. With longer gameplay and some tweaks to bullet time this should be fun.
Gameplay: Nothing from last year's MP has dissapeared but some new bullet time options have been added. The physics are good, but the game is short
Graphics: Better graphics then MP1 but not up to par with lets say a game as far cry or sometimes even halo. Textures can sometimes be plain though.
Sound: Great bullet soundaffects, i love the comic theme and the voice overs are perfect. Mona adds some new humor to the game.
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 90 %
Graphics: 100 %
Sound: 90 %
X-Factor
Date reviewed: February 18, 2004.
Overall: There have been a lot of imitators of bullet-time, but none have come close to matching the greatness of the Max Payne series. Max Payne 2 not only improves upon bullet-time, but pretty much every aspect of the May Payne universe. Some of the best presentation and production values I've ever seen in a videogame?a complex story that is handled very well, outstanding voice acting, nice audio/visual presentation, tremendous gameplay merits, interesting characters, and the list goes on. Max Payne 2 is a must-play game.
Gameplay: The gameplay feels about the same as the original Max Payne, but overall it feels more refined. The level design and mission layout are first-class, and the pacing of the game feels just right. You'll never feel bored, and always you'll have the feeling of progression. The control mechanics are well designed, and the learning curve is less than an hour. Of course, bullet-time is back and better than ever, and no game has ever done it so beautifully. My only real complaint is there are too many "instant death" situations, but other than that it's all good.
Graphics: The art style of Max Payne 2 is even darker and grittier than the first game. For the most part, the graphics are smooth and realistic looking, with the exception of some quick jobs on certain objects (car models being a good example). The lighting and shading are pretty decent, but it bothers me that only the main characters have self-shadows. Characters in the game actually have facial animation this time around; the faces aren't pasted on. Most everything in the game is interactive, which really adds to the game in my opinion. Max Payne 2 definitely looks better than its predecessor, but still is lacking in a few aspects.
Sound: This is one department the game really shines in?excellent voice acting, sound effects, music, and so forth. The music is noteable, and usually fitting for every situation in the game (it really adds to the action and drama), and the sounds in the game are most pleasing. Well done indeed.
Suggestions: The game could have been longer.
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 80 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 90 %
xj74
Date reviewed: January 3, 2004.
Overall: An excellent 3rd person action title. The story is well done and better than the first. The game has a more polished feel than the first with a more refined bullet time. The only problem I have with this game is the length is lacking, I beat it in under 7 hours and there is little to no replay value. This game screams hollywood production. A must rent!!
Side note: This game is not for kids in anyway, it gets the MATURE rating for a good reason.
Gameplay: The gameplay is exactly the same as the first title with a better implentation of the bullet time feature. Overall the game doesn't feel as difficult as the first one so its more accessible to people who aren't particularly good at action games. The controls are accurate and responsive.
Graphics: A great way of presenting a story through comic book like cutscenes and very well done cutscenes. I only noticed a framerate drop a couple times and it was hardly noticable. The game has a polished look to it with good detail and ultra smooth animation.
Sound: Some of the best voice acting I've experienced in a game thus far. The weapons all sound superb and the sound effect for the bullet time fits perfectly.
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 90 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 90 %
sk8man300300
Date reviewed: December 18, 2003.
Overall: An all around awsome game, much
better then the first in all aspects,
graphics, plot, everything!!! A deffinent
must for the xbox!!!
Gameplay: great story line, so sad and exciting, it's
very fast paced it keeps your heart
pounding the entire time.
Graphics: Graphics are much better then the first
but are still on the edgy side. i would say
then could have done beter on the facial
expressions.
Sound: The sound is crystal clear u can hear
every shoot, every shell hitting the floor,
its just so intense.
Suggestions: Keep doing this!!!
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 50 %
Sound: 50 %
wbio
Date reviewed: December 15, 2003.
Overall: Max Payne 2 is an awesome game. It might not be real long, but the gameplay is awesome. Bullet Tim 2.0 is even better than in the first MP.
Gameplay: The gameplay is great. This is the coolest part of the game. You can go up against tons of enemies, and still have a chance. Bullet Tim is awesome just like the first one, but this time it helps you be more of an offensive player, rather then a defensive player. It's seriously cool when you have the bullet time bar yellow, and your in bullet time, but your going at a near normal speed, while your opponents are moving like slugs.
Graphics: The graphics aren't great, but the most noticeable difference in the graphics is Max's face. He isn't nearly as constipated as before, and that is a very good thing.
Sound: The sound is very good. It's very cool in bullet time, when your enemies shoot, it sounds faint, and far away, but when your not in bullet time, it sounds like they're right next to you (which they usually are)
Suggestions: Make the game longer!
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 70 %
Sound: 90 %
ScottTheKilla
Date reviewed: December 10, 2003.
Overall: Max Payne is a great game. Max Payne 2 just takes it a bit farther. Basically the storyline is kind of a love story between max and mona from the original game. Max is framed again and hes itching for some payback...again. All kinds of twists and turns in the plot pop up and Max is always right in the middle of it. Sometimes the story can get kind of crazy though but Max Payne is all about taking on the crazy and the highly armed....
Gameplay: I enjoyed playing Max Payne 2 just as much as the original. Bullet time is back and thats always cool. Basically all the weapons are the same pretty much. You can play as Mona at one point in the game and Max can enlist the help of other characters in other levels. The levels do seem to be a bit shorter is all and easier. There are different modes of play..each one unlockable after you beat the one before it. Two different endings exist in the game. Its a great game but I really dont want to play through the whole game again just to see a slightly different ending.
Graphics: Max Payne 2 is very impressive visually. It just adds to the great graphics of the original one. The crazy dream sequences are back and the crazy graphic effects really make you feel like youre dreaming. Bad guys do the rag doll effect and this is especially cool when you kill a bad guy and it shows the slow mo cutscene of his death. The details applied to the environments like the walls and even the ceilings really make the max payne story all the more better. Im definately happy with the visuals.
Sound: Audio is pretty good. Voice acting is very well done. It adds to the whole atmosphere especially in the dream sequences. The music is really good too and does a good job matching the game also. The audio can be mature themed sometimes but thats part of what the max payne series is about.
Suggestions: Make the game longer next time.
Overall: 80 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 80 %
Acid Snow
Date reviewed: December 9, 2003.
Overall: This game is pretty much the SAME thing as the first, except that the story is totally different. So what does *same mean? ...The graphics are the same, the game looks the same, the story mode looks the same, the acting is the same, the sounds are the same (quality). Blah, nothing breaks away from the original!
Gameplay: Bullet time is a fun thing to use. The game unfolds nicley. It's not too hard and not too easy. Shooting is fun.
Graphics: Exact same style of graphics. They don't look great, but they don't look bad. Semi-photo realistic. But overall the game looks very bland, and ordinary. It looks like they used the same graphics engine. BOO!
Sound: Voice acting is good, but very monotonous. The guns sound good, the music is still stellar. Overall there's not much different from the first game.
Suggestions: This visually, and audio(ly) the exact same as the first. So what's new?
Overall: 70 %
Gameplay: 90 %
Graphics: 60 %
Sound: 70 %
AlphaCigara
Date reviewed: December 6, 2003.
Overall: Despite what I?ve heard about Max Payne 2 being a sloppy port, this game, not once, disappointed me. Whether it was the heart-stopping bullet-time action, the compelling story, or the graphics and sound, I don?t know what I liked the most about Payne 2. Also, unlike what numerous websites and reviews have said, MP2 is not anywhere near 6 hours long. Only those of you marathon gamers, who skip through cut scenes and can go through a game without dying once, will find Max short. It took me at least 15 hours to beat MP2, which is the normal length of most action titles these days. Simply put, everything in Max Payne 2 is amazing.
Gameplay: I have yet to find a person that couldn?t pick up and play a MP game and not be totally addicted. Running and gunning with bullet-time got repetitive in the first game, but thanks to the new body physics system, it never gets old. You?ll want to go through levels several times, just to make a bad guy die in a more comical way (like shooting him into the air in slo-mo, then shooting an explosive behind him to launch him even further into the air, then finally reloading in the very cool new ?twirling? feature, and shooting the baddie some more). Also, despite what people have said about Max Payne 2 being 6-9 hours long, it took me over 15 to beat it. The story makes MP2 even harder to put down, which is very well written and acted, and doesn?t, not once, NOT make sense (like in the first Payne, with all the cults and prophecies and whatnot). Finally, one of my many favorite parts in Payne is when the action switches over to Mona, and you have to snipe to protect Max from the rooftops. A definite 5.
Graphics: I?ve heard people say graphics is where Max Payne disappoints. I believe the opposite. Sure, if you compare the Xbox version to the PC version, Xbox is not very impressive. But, if you don?t have the high expectations from the PC versions graphics, Max Payne 2 will do nothing but impress. Characters look very realistic, and it?s super-awesome when a bad guy falls into a pile of boxes, and his body reacts like he hit each box. Guns are also realistic; none of them look like toys in this game. My favorite graphical feature is all the characters faces. Max is no longer constipated, Mona is very sexy, and Vladimir and Vinnie have a very cool aspect to them. If not the slowdown in frame rate (and no, I?m not talking about bullet-time), MP2 would have earned a five.
Sound: Sound in Max Payne 2 is amazing. All the voices are done by professional actors, and it?s hard to find a person that can?t tell that. Whether it be Max?s hoarse voice narrating, or Mona?s sexy voice talking, I can?t decide. Also, the TV shows are very entertaining, whether you?re watching Dick Justice, The Adventures of Captain Baseball Bat Boy, or Lords and Ladies, you can watch one for almost 30 minutes without getting bored. The weapons in Payne couldn?t have sounded better; in fact they were almost too realistic. Also, the music set the mood very well, with each tune, whether it?s the slow paced opening or faced paced shooting music. The only thing that bothered me was the sound, more specifically certain voices, that skipped sometimes.
Suggestions: Lots more length. And I mean LOTS more. I want the next Max Payne to be at least 30 hours long, with an even more compelling storyline and even better graphics. Other than that, great job Rockstar.
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 90 %
Gamer_Chick
Date reviewed: November 28, 2003.
Overall: Judging by the previews and numerous claims - Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne was to be twice the game the original Max Payne was? November, quite simply, didn?t come soon enough ? or did it?
Gameplay: Despite the major graphic update all around, Max Payne 2's game play remains unchanged for the most part. The game begins right where the first left off, with Max (the NYPD pig anti hero) back on the force and trying to deal with the events of the last game. A murder investigation at a warehouse re-introduces him to Mona Sax. Remember her? The over sexed hit-woman from the last game? Max just can?t seem to stay away from her? like a bad case of herpes, she just won?t go away. Caught in the middle of his love for Mona and his pig sense of duties and responsibilities, Max finds himself once again walking the thin line between cops and robbers.
The game's 21 stages put Max in all sorts of sticky situations, from navigating the rooftops around his apartment building to protecting allies from enemy attacks. (There are some "dream" stages again, but they aren't as superfluous and annoying as before.) Bullet time is also back, of course, and this time you've got two different types: a shoot-dodge move that slows down time while you've diving in any direction, and a new function that slows everything in the game except for Max. This new ability doesn't seem like much, but it actually makes Max Payne 2 play a fair bit differently from the original -- there isn't as much impetus to take a strategic approach, carefully planning out your moves in each room. Instead, the process is more along the lines of "turn on bullet time, enter a room, kill everyone, turn off bullet time, go to next room" -- not a very graceful approach, but it does serve to make the game much more fast-paced than before. The quick save and quick load functions are back, too, ensuring that almost none of the six hours you'll spend on Max Payne 2 are mired in replaying scenes.
Despite it?s relentlessly "noir" (French for "melodramatic," I guess) storyline, Max Payne 2 does an even better job of pulling players into the game than even its predecessor -- and that's saying something.
I beat the game on default dificulty in 5 hours and 23 minutes. Making this a better rental than a purchase.
Graphics: Max Payne 2 looks great. You can almost smell the dirtiness and gritiness of the NY underworld due to the amazing graphics. Thanks the the power of the XBOX, Max Payne is presented in full visual glory as the grimy, sexy, lady killer real women swoon for...
Sound: The sound alternates between atmospheric and jarring, and the bullet-time effects (which repaint the game screen in sepia tones and make Max's heartbeat audible) are just as memorable as they were in the first game. warning: The audio is pact full of profanity, sexual inuendo and all the other adult things Rock Star is now famous for...
Suggestions: Yes, Longer gameplay! 20hrs of a Max Payne title would be down right dreamy...
Overall: 70 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 90 %
Sound: 80 %
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