Hmm... Did you play the first Max Payne? Yes.... did you enjoy it, no not just enjoy it, think it was special? Yes, then stop now and go buy it. If you didn't play the first one then I am sure you can afford $20 and go buy it... while you are at it buy them both because the only thing I can find wrong with either overall is the length.
Graphics/Sound - Gritty, beautiful and stunning are just not enough to describe the graphics. From the facial expressions, to the particles flying everywhere during a gunfight, to the textures living a breathing within the world the game looks great. I have noticed some spotty clipping issues and a few strange looking death animations with the physics engine but they only barely register in my book of negatives. The sound is almost as good, the bullets flying by you and shattering the tiles behind you is great. The sound on my machine sometimes sounds annoying while engaged in bullet time, a little high pitched and whining but I am not sure if that is something in my set up or not. Overall 23/25
Gameplay - Ok I will admit that there is a great thrill in playing a game that gives you more than just running around and killing stuff as an option, (i.e. GTA III, Battlefield 1942) but when it is done in such a stylized intensity you forget that little point needing other things to do. Between the John Woo action sequences and the Matrix like bullet time this game still feels fresh to me. I enjoy the mayhem so much that I have actually played thru a number of gunfights multiple times in an attempt to walk thru it untouched. Overall 28/30
Bang for $ - I was hoping to get thru this review without saying a single negative thing about it but I can't the game is supposedly very short 6-10 hours. If this only gets me 8 hours of play that is just a little too expensive for my $50. No multi, but the gaming community expects that a great number of mods will be released in the near term for additional play time. Me, I am not much for mods or replaying on higher difficulties so I have to say this is dissappointing, just like the short game time of the first one. Overall 15/25.
Personal View - Outside the game being too short, this game would be one of my favorite single player FPS's of all time. As it stands it is still terrific but not quite up to games like Dues Ex, NOLF, Half Life. If you like straight shooters then you can't miss, if you like a pot boiler detective novels from the 50's and 60's you can't miss, but if you need a game to last you until Half Life 2 then you need a different thrill ride than this one. Overall 20/20
Grand Total 86/100
Please Note: Take away the 10 spot I took off for length and I would be talking 91-96.
Create an Account
Member Login
