Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne

by Rockstar Games

Product Features

• Max is back on the NYPD as a detective, still haunted by his dark, bloody past. Responding to a police dispatch at a warehouse leads Max down the same violent path he'd abandoned before, with old friends and new enemies along the way.
• Team up with the beautiful and deadly Mona Sax from the first game, as you control her intense sniping missions
• All-new Bullet Time features -- the more enemies you kill the faster Max moves
• New fighting moves and new weapons, like the MP5 and the twin Desert Eagles -- plus Max can equip grenades and Molotov Cocktails, and throw them while shooting
• Advanced AI and superior graphics bring this twisted tale of revenge and murder to life

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000A92KZ
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: December 1, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,584 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Game Informer Review

The original Max Payne opened up a new frontier of shooter gameplay. By allowing players to slow the passage of time while performing acrobatic John Woo-inspired gun maneuvers, the game set a new standard in the genre. You won't have to think too long to come up with a list of titles that took a lot of inspiration from Remedy's innovations, and, as a result, Max Payne 2 doesn't offer the same shock of the new that its predecessor did.

In addition, Remedy hasn't really added much to the formula – this is a sequel in the purest sense, meaning that it essentially gives you more of the same. For those of you that had high expectations for Max 2, this might be a disappointment. However, I would argue that, in this case, I'm very content with Remedy's decision. In my mind, trying to make Max Payne a more complex experience would only diminish the very thing that makes it so great to begin with. I mean, do you really want your sublime violence watered-down with puzzle-solving or exploration? No thanks; there are plenty of other games that provide that – but few that make gunplay as gripping as this title does.

Another big draw of the series is the film-noir, graphic novel-inspired cutscenes. This time around, the story is even more mysterious, cutting back and forth in time as Max tries to escape his fate as an accused murderer. While I've heard some complain that the plot is a bit overblown and intrusive, I actually appreciate the effort that went into creating a compelling story and finely drawn characters. Over the top? Sure, but I'll take it over the usual "let's get the terrorists" tripe that usually passes for writing in a video game. I especially like taking control of Mona's character and experiencing the events I'd just played as Max from a different perspective, à la Pulp Fiction.

While it's clear that Max Payne 2 is an experience tailored for a PC keyboard-and-mouse configuration, this port admirably recreates the experience on the Xbox. Obviously, the developers realized that your targeting could never be as precise with an analog stick, so they helpfully added an unobtrusive auto-aim feature, which translates into a frustration-free experience. Sadly, the graphics had to take a bit of a hit to run on Xbox. However, the PC version was absolutely stunning, so in its reduced form, Max Payne 2 is now merely a really, really good-looking game. Think of it like this: It was like Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, now it's like that cute girl that waited on you at Applebee's. Either way, she's way out of your league and you should be happy that she's even talking to you.

A few might complain that the journey is all too brief, and it is. Still, I wouldn't trade my time with Max Payne 2 for anything.

Concept:
Remedy returns to the dark, twisted saga of the coolest detective in video games

Graphics:
Sacrifices have been made in the explosive effects and texturing, but it looks remarkably like the PC version

Sound:
Great voiceovers, a gothic soundtrack, and ambient sounds abound

Playability:
Does a good job of tweaking the gameplay for the console

Entertainment:
Brilliant in its simplicity, Max Payne 2 is pure shooter excitement

Replay:
Moderate

Rated: 8.75 out of 10
Editor: Matt Helgeson
Issue: February 2004

2nd Opinion:
Without a doubt, The Fall of Max Payne on PC was one of the most polished games I've ever played. What comes as a surprise to me is the fact that this Xbox version, though slightly downgraded graphically from its forerunner, is a freakin' incredible title. The control is delightful by default, and you can even re-map the buttons. Barring these obvious differences and a slight auto-aim option in this release, it is identical in every way to its larger cousin. I honestly would not have known that this is a PC-to-console port if I had played this first – it feels like the Xbox has been Max's house from the beginning. Nothing at all has been cut; Max is taking out the trash in his full glory. I can recommend with a clear conscience that even if you have a PC that can run Max Payne 2, getting this instead would not be a waste of money.

Rated: 9 out of 10
Editor: Adam Biessener


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Product Description

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne brings back the film-noir and gritty gaming of the popular anti-hero, Max Payne -- a good cop who turns his back on the law, and goes after revenge. Cinematic twists and turn as you uncover an incredible plot and uncover the secrets of Max Payne's past

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "...looking down in the grave of your lover", January 19, 2004

By 

Porter "moonlightbingerased" (In the shadows) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne (Video Game)

Never has there been a crime game saga like that of "Max Payne". It has revolutionized it's genre of gaming. "Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne" is a mesmerizing follow up to the original. The first one set the standard and this second chapter followed the original very well. Once again the game has a breath- taking storyline filled with stunning visuals of brutal and mesmerizing action. This time we guide Max through the web of controversy revolving around his love interest Mona Sax. At the climax we see her perspective as we have the chance to guide her through the adventure as our battered hero is fighting for his life. The game holds your intrigue throughout and delivers a heart pounding climax at the end. After completing the detective mode you then test your endurance in 4 more intense perspectives of the crime epic of Mr. Payne. This one is an original along with its predecessor. The "Max Payne" saga will go down as one of the greatest and most influential games in video game history.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bullet Ballet, December 13, 2003

By 

Matthew Warner (Providence, RI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne (Video Game)

When the original Max Payne hit PC users in 2001, it was generally considered a success. Bullet Time in videogames was still a shiny new concept and the unexpectedly over-the-top "film noir" style kept fans shooting away, despite complaints that, really, you were just doing the same thing over and over.

To a lot of people, however, Max Payne was a game that was far more than the sum of it's parts. Many people (myself included) fell in love with the gritty, absurdly heavy style of the game. Those that didn't really "get it" complained about Max's constant use of insanely overwrought metaphors, ever-present gloom, and ridiculous storyline, but everyone who was able to see it as the campy homage that it was had a blast.

When part 2 was announced, I was thrilled. Max Payne is a series that lends itself pretty well to a sequel because, really, you don't have to change much about the game mechanics. They're pretty simple, and they work fine. It had already come to light that there were going to be no fundamental changes beyond some minor tweaks to Bullet Time and a completely different plot, so it sounded good to me.

And, upon playing through the game in one sitting, that's exactly what I got.

What this means is, if you liked the first Max Payne, you'll like the second one, if you didn't, you won't. Easy as that. Gameplay is IDENTICAL. There are a few alterations to some of Max's moves and skills (i.e. There are now deeper levels of Bullet Time, attained by winning gunfights while under the effects of slo-mo) and a few new weapons (An AK-47 and a somewhat impossible dual-Desert Eagle approach) but that's it.

The really marked improvements over the first game in the gameplay/technical regard are the graphics, which are gorgeous (and Max no longer looks horribly constipated), and the physics engine, which now means Max can bump into and knock over things.

The biggest change, though, is the level design, which is absolutely outstanding. The Fun House stage gets special mention for sheer brilliance in showing what can be done within the game engine if you're creative enough, and thankfully the more annoying stages from the first game (namely, Max's fever dreams) have been completely redone to be much more playable.

Plot wise, this game has me with some mixed feelings. The story is much tighter this time around, and both it and the rest of the game feel toned down from the slightly insane events of the first game. Depending on what you actually thought of the first game, this can be seen as either a good or bad thing.

For example, while the game has kept the much-beloved "graphic novel" storytelling, Max's own personal narration on things (read: some of the most ridiculous metaphors ever recorded) has been mostly dropped in favor of dialouge. There's no massive snowstorm this time around to act as a parallel to Max's own battle, and neither killer designer drugs, evil corporations, shadowy secret societies, or the occult play a role in the story. Instead we have the less fantastic but more solid plot concerning gangsters, lovers, assassins, and lots and lots (and lots) of bullets.

Again, this garners mixed feelings. If you liked Max Payne 1 but thought it was just a little too warped in the story department, then part 2 will be dead-on for you. Personally, I slightly prefer the story from part 1, but there's no denying that Max Payne 2 is the better game in all other regards, and it's not such a radical departure that it feels weird. This is still Max Payne, and the game developers were well aware of this, make no mistake.

On a final note, someone on the Dev. Team also figured "Hey, since the game is M-rated, why have we been censoring the curse words, anyway?" It's a good question, and one I was asking myself during Max Payne 1. I don't think that games should be loaded with curse words just for the fun of it, but when I have a mob foot soldier calling me a "freakin' cop" repeatedly, I almost feel more insulted than if he'd just let fly with the F-word. I mean, Max Payne (either of them) make no bones about the fact that they're adult games, and they're already violent enough that kids should be nowhere near them, so maybe we could actually let our mafia bullet-sponges let out a blue word or two?

Max Payne 2 does just that, and thank God. In the same way that The Sopranos does, Max Payne 2 lets it all hang without actually drawing attention to it, and the result is dialouge that sounds a lot less, well, video game-y.

So, bottom line, Max Payne 2 is an outstanding game in it's field, which is straight-up, heavily stylized action. It's about as long as the first game, has better graphics, has MUCH better level design, and is really everything fans of the series could have asked for. PC and Xbox versions are near-identical, so go with whichever is more comfortable, and get ready for a Max Payne love story.

A violent, bullet-riddled, hard-boiled love story, but is there really any other kind?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Masterpiece on all levels, March 10, 2004

By 

The Dove (here and there) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Max Payne 2 The Fall of Max Payne (Video Game)

When Max Payne first came out in 2001, I was blown away. The voice-acting, action sequences, bullet-time, incredible story, along with a great cast of characters. In Max Payne 2, everything is better or improved. One thing that made this game so great was its story. Torn between right and wrong, love and hate, not to mention a dark tragic past, is a great background to set the story. This is perhaps one of the best games ever made on any system. I have this game for the computer. I reccomend that you buy it for pc. You can download cool mods,etc. In addition, the ending you could see coming frim a mile away. However, the ending is great but very sad. After the last scene, the song "late goodbye" plays which fits in with the theme of the game. Never have I played a game that contains so much emotion and violence. PARENTS!! THIS IS GAME IS NOT FOR YOUNG KIDS. This is a game that is truly hard to top. The only bad thing was that it is short. The story alone is a good reason to buy the game, not to mention bullet-time. The story unfolds like a movie, which makes for an incredible gaming experience.IF YOU DONT HAVE IT ALREADY, BUY IT. Now i am waiting for max payne 3 to come out and raise the standards for action games again.