Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

Maybe it's because it was already four years old somehow when I played it, but Max Payne 2 didn't impress me as much as the first game. The core gameplay is basically the same, and there's nothing wrong with it, it's just not as fresh. Bullet Time works a little differently, as Max moves at almost the same speed as he does normally while everyone else is stuck in slow motion, and it's an interesting dynamic. It almost changes Bullet Time to more of a Win Button than a helpful assist, but I didn't overuse it because I find shoot-dodging to be more entertaining. The nightmare levels are back, and they're less annoying while still being interesting breaks in the action. It's also a short game. The first wasn't long either, but I beat this is just a few sessions, none of which were particularly lengthy. It doesn't feel like anything was missing or too rushed, it just seemed like maybe it was a little lacking in value.

The graphics are significantly improved for the sequel. Max's face looked silly in the first game, with a digitized face lazily slapped onto a character model. Max Payne 2 actually has facial models, and everything looks much more natural. The comic book style cut-scenes are back, and they're still pretty cool. The dialog is the same stilted, over-dramatic noir stuff, but it's entertaining anyway. The story is all right, but it has a problem with tone. The actual plot is fairly dark in depressing, but there's an awful lot of jokey lines between guards and a stupidly over-the-top whacky mob boss that doesn't really fit. It's a pretty good game, but it holds itself back from greatness.