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Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Review for PlayStation 2 (PS2)
Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 @ 08:04:44 pm E.S.T Max Payne is back in action in this sequel to one of the best action games ever created. With Max Payne’s life in ruins, he finds himself once again working for the NYPD. On going is a mob-war in the city of New York, and Max finds himself right in the middle of it. In the midst of the confusion Payne must deal with the harmful memories of his past. The only thing that can come between Payne and the answers he seeks is an army of mobsters. Will Payne be able to settle his problems?
It seems as though Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is too much for the PlayStation 2. Most of the time the gameplay is quite choppy, most likely due to poor optimization for the PS2. On the other hand, there are portions of the game which run well and look superb. For example, the fires, explosions and action during bullet time look great. It's a shame, as these are only minor details; the major graphical portions of the games are really lacking. The small comic-book style video clips that make up the cut scene sections look excellent.
Max Payne 2 is a third-person shooting game that is full of great gameplay and action. The controls are easy to get a hang of except for the aiming scheme, which can be changed if you aren't comfortable with it. Nevertheless, after the first few levels you should have a good feel for the way Max controls, and you'll have a grip over the game. The first Max Payne made bullet time famous in video games, and this game brings it back once again with Bullet Time 2.0. Bullet time allows players to slow the action down in order to gain a slight advantage over the enemies. It also allows you to dive through mid-air in slow motion while still being able to aim in real time.
Max can find a variety of weapons throughout the game. These weapons include grenades, assault rifles, and shotguns. Each weapon has its own specific strengths and weaknesses, making certain weapons ideal for certain situations.
There are three different difficulties and 3 gameplay modes in Payne 2. The only mode unlocked when you begin the game is 'Detective', which is the easy mode that allows you to take Max through his single player campaign. After completing 'Detective' mode, three new modes open up. The 'Hard Boiled' campaign, which is the story's medium difficulty mode. 'Dead on Arrival' is the second gameplay mode unlocked, in which you are placed in one of several areas in a survival type mode; you are given a few weapons and take on an unlimited number of enemies, the goal being to stay alive for as long as possible. The last gameplay mode unlocked in your first trip through Max Payne 2 is 'New York Minute', in which you'll play through each level, but racing to obtain the shortest time possible to complete the level. Once you've completed 'Hard Boiled', you'll unlock the last difficulty: 'Dead Man Walking'. This is the hardest difficulty for the campaign mode. Each level starts with one enemy, and more and more spawn over time. In this mode, the longer you stay alive the better your score will be.
Following the trend from the original game, the story plays an intricate role in the game. You'll be compelled to play on, to discover the fate of Max and company. Rockstar really hit the mark with the story, as it's both interesting and intriguing.
On the bad side of things, load times plague Max Payne 2. If you save a lot (which is a vital strategy), it seems like it takes up more time than actually playing the game. This can be majorly irritating.
Return of the Three Stooges.
The sound and music in Max Payne 2 are fantastic. Each weapon has its own specific sound effect. The sounds differ when you strike different surfaces with bullets. Explosions sound wonderful, as does nearly everything else in the game. From rain to Max's footsteps, the sound effects are right on. The only issue with this portion of the game is that the title music tends to get on your nerves after hearing it several times.
This game will keep you at the edge of your seat until its beaten, but unfortunately that won’t take very long. After beating the game once, you most won't want to play through it many more times, due to how repetitive ot becomes.
Max Payne 2 is a solid game worth purchasing, but the PlayStation 2 versionis clearly inferior to the PC and Xbox versions. While you'll have quite a bit of fun with this title, a purchase on either of the other systems is recommended. Review By: Mike Bellovin - 1389 Reads
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Review Scores for PS2 :
| Gameplay |
| 9 |
| Graphics |
| 6 |
| Sound |
| 8.5 |
| Replay |
| 7 |
| Overall |
| 7 |
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