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Perhaps the one big fault with the original Max Payne was his lack of replayability. Once you fired your way through non-stop action and the black, brooding narration, that was pretty much it. Mind you, the first game was already a stylistic bag of grim irony, touching on true grandeur. If you like the Max Payne franchise, then you may like to play and have a lot of fun to play. Max Payne 2 has crossed the threshold of perfection into the world of excellent cinematic storytelling that eludes the vast majority of big-budget movies.
The real film noir yarn is rife with bleak undertones and a defective protagonist trying to meet a dramatic conclusion. Max Payne 2 The Collapse of Max Payne offers a dramatic, single-player experience, full of heart-wrenching deception, grim recurring themes, and frantic, chest-wrenching action. In reality, the damage and the horrific body count is astounding. The plot advances in an artful graphic novel approach that occurs between chapters and stages of superb voice-overs. Scripted events and the monotonous plot of Max himself hold the story going in the middle of the game. You will go back and see the cutscenes any time you wish them to be unlocked.
The graphics deliver striking photo-realistic textures portraying dilapidated factories, dingy homes, a neglected police station, and an eerie funhouse in Coney Island just to name a couple of my favorites. Incredible attention to detail merits high praise and really builds a grim, gaming world dripping with somber emotions. When I reached the end of the game, I was so attached to the characters that I began to feel sad that the experience would soon be over. The story is so nuanced, though, that it needs to be played more than once to understand all the finer points of the storyline. References to the game, there are some activities that you may overlook for the first time, such as scripted dialog from your opponents, or some excellent TV show clips that play in the background and actually advance along with the game.
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The Havoc Physics Engine is included in Max Payne Payne 2 and brings a life-like depth to the game environment. Particularly during a slow-mo kill sequence where someone is fired and the force from the bullet sends a rag doll body to the edge of a pile of boxes or a rusty shelf that is toppled by the weight. Standard Shooter controls work well with Max 2. Bullet Time is an asset that Max uses to slow down time to make him one of the many different people that are trying to kill him. Pressing the right mouse button will trigger a heart to thud as the game world fades in color and everything slows down. Bullets by leaving a Matrix-style trail behind them and a blast of swelling air stream out of the speakers, putting you right now.
The gunshot is loud and varies depending on the firearm used. My favorite option was to run around with Dual 9 MM Handguns in Max's hands, but there are a number of other guns to choose from. The Dragunov Sniper rifle is imperative at many levels because the scope is crucial to the precision of the sniper rifle. The MP5 automatic also has a variety and is very rewarding. This time around, it's possible for Max to throw grenades while using a pistol at the same time. Many of the gun battles create a sense of urgency due to the excellent direction of sensitive sound effects.
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The stage style is outstanding for Max Payne 2 as well. There's plenty of shooting, of course, but there are also other sections that don't need shooting that the developers used to keep speed exciting and full of variety. The dream sequence returns, but this time these layers are even more intriguing and full of revealing aspects of the storyline. Unfortunately, I can't tell anything else without destroying the plot, but I advise everybody to get out of their way to enjoy the game and not to read some story spoilers. Believe me, it's worth a lot of time, effort, resources, and sleepless nights.
Anything else I'd like to note here is music. Although there is no overabundance of it, the music excels and offers a true sense of mood that stimulates emotion. I've heard a few gamers challenge the duration of this game. The first Max Payne wasn't that long, and Max 2 could probably be a little shorter. However, the amount of consistency, focus, depth, and time that went into this game is very clear. Value over quantity gets my vote every time and Max Payne 2 won't disappoint me. Max Payne 2 was a dedicated contestant for the game of the year.
@kentzz001