Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne mini-review

I truly enjoyed the first Max Payne game. It wasn't long, but with its 'bullet-time' system, it does make for a more unique third person shooter experience. I installed it on the family's Dell and it runs as smooth as the first game did, which is a blessing as upgrading a computer just for one game is a hassle.

Like the original Max Payne game, Max Payne 2 is presented in a film noir style with stylistic cinematography reminiscent of The Matrix. Tying it up are novel style panels used to tell stories rather than FMV sequences. Unlike in the orginal bullet time can 'refill' by itself over time giving players more chance to use them sparingly.

In this game you play as Max Payne, now cleared and working with the NYPD as a homicide detective after he quit his job at the DEA. While on the job he finds out that a woman whom he thought was dead from the first game is in fact still very much alive. Such a meeting only provides as a catalyst to Max in reminding him of the events from the first game when his wife was butchered. The two team up to investigate the criminal underworld that runs New York's crimes as well as the death of Max's family.

Remedy Entertainment has provided some upgrades to the Max Payne engine with much improved physics interaction based on the 'Havoc' engine. Visuals are also improved with Max now sporting a very different but lifelike face. While the gameplay isn't as good as Half-Life, the storyline is pretty good and a fresh change from tough guy versus hundreds of aliens plot that plagues the computer games industry. I truly recommend playing Max Payne and Max Payne 2. While it isn't as ground breaking as the original game but you owe it to yourself to play it.

9/10