Max Payne is the game where your life has fallen apart in a New York minute, and you have to get revenge before you can move on. Dark and gritty just went to a whole new level!
Max Payne's wife and baby daughter were slain by junkies hopped up on a dangerous new synthetic drug. For three years, Max has worked undercover to find the source of these drugs, and, just when he's almost got it figured out, somebody ices his superior and pins the murder on him. Now it's payback time as Max faces off against the Mob, the police, and much, much worse. Max Payne has jumped from the computer screen to the PlayStation2 and there's going to be hell to pay.
Max Payne uses extremely realistic graphics to showcase a gritty film-noir-inspired New York City. Payne stalks subways, tenements, nightclubs, and even government installations as he takes his vengeance out on a horde of gun-toting bad guys. Taking a page from the visual style of famed director John Woo, as well as The Matrix, Max Payne lets the player launch into a slow-motion mode generally known as "bullet time," which makes dodging enemy fire and dishing out your own return fire a breeze, all while leaping side to side. While this looks extremely cool to do, it also evens the odds and can only be used for limited amounts of time, making it a strategic as well as aesthetic option.
And speaking of aesthetics, the game is packed with exciting moments, weapons, and locations, even if the enemies get a little redundant after a while. The level design ranges from inspired (a multilevel parking garage) to humdrum (a warehouse) and several levels actually take place in the twisted wonderland of the hero's warped psyche. The graphics are state of the art, though admittedly the PlayStation2 doesn't have the power to render them as well as the Xbox or PC, but most people won't notice the difference. The introduction scenes consist of painted photos presented in graphic-novel style, which is a stylistic choice that pays dividends, even though the writing is hilariously bad and the voice acting is, if possible, even worse.
Needless to say, all this is violent, disturbing, and not at all for the kids. Pay attention to the Mature rating; it's not there for decoration. --Bob Andrews
Pros:
Photorealistic graphics
Fantastic cinematic action
Cons:
Terrible writing
Even worse voice acting
Max Payne is a stylish, urban, revenge-driven action game based in New York City's grimy underground. A groundbreaking rendering engine allows for heart-stopping, photorealistic visuals and breathtaking movie-quality effects as Max Payne fights his way to uncover the truth. The game combines elements from Hollywood action thrillers with the latest in video game technology to deliver a highly original gameplay experience.
Features:
Experience a relentless, story-driven game as Max fights for justice while uncovering plot twists and twisted thugs in the gritty bowels of New York during the century¡¯s worst blizzard
Photo-digitized textures, radiosity lighting, hardware T&L and painstaking detail combine to create super-realism
Play It Your Own Way puts the most powerful, easy-to-use game editor ever released in your creative hands
Blood and violence
Customer Reviews:
Too Repetitive I just recently got a PS2, and hoping to find some good greatest hits games, I came across Max Payne. I bought it instantly and popped it in. I noticed right away that the loading times were just TOO long. Not to mention that annoying graphic novel that explained the story line. This game has some strengths, like a variety of guns and lots of action, but the fun of killing baddies just wears off. The voice acting is horrible, and the graphics are sub-par. Only buy if you're a major fan of shooters....more info
The Game from Heaven This is one of the best games I have ever played. I would say the best but I am a big Silent Hill fan and that will always be # 1. This game is so good I am taking time to write this review. The graphics are excellent. The gameplay is Excellent. The story is Excellent. Sound is Excellent. This is one game you will not get bored with. WARNING: People Who Play This Game May Not Want To Stop this game is that good. This game was worth the money that I payed....more info
Paynefully tedious This game had a cool feature, bullet time game motion. Basically a slow motion system that allows a pseudo-matrix style game play for a few brief seconds. Apparently, they thought that such a gimmick could sell a game. Unfortunately, thousands of people fell for it. The only real revolutionary aspects of this game are the new heights of tedium that this game induces.
This game starts off with a story consisting of a comic page animation (e.g. mostly still, cheaply made) with what apparently was an English major desperately trying to use big words and a raspy voice in order to sound sophisticated, deep, and dark. This fails miserably and the darn thing never stops. Then there is the game. You can only save at the start of sub-levels, which automatically brings it down two notches.
The game basically is a sequence where you turn a corner, wait for the slow bad guy, shoot, try to open a door, then try another, enter, wait, shoot, and on and on until you hit a save point. That's it. The first level is fine, but the second level gets you. The controls are clunky and shooting is jerky and unresponsive. Bullet damage is seemingly random. Sometimes, you shoot a guy point blank with a shotgun, and he's barely touched. You shoot a guy fifty feet away with a handgun, and he might go down for no reason.
The first level is almost fun, since you might die to the randomness, but you'll have to repeat the killing of one or two guys again. The second level, you sometimes have to face up to 15 guys. It's no fun when the 15th guy, at 100 feet away and out of sight, shoots you in with a handgun and destroys all your health. And it takes forever to return the same place beforehand. The producers apparently couldn't differentiate between needless waiting and stealth. By the middle of the game, I was so frustrated by the repeating, waiting, random deaths; I just turned it off and sold the game immediately. I have never gone that far in a game and not finished it. Just totally frustrating.
The best way to describe this game is like the non-car missions of Grand Theft Auto, without the fun. I know why this is called Max Payne now. It hurts....more info
Dive right in with Guns Blazing!!! Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses
Max Payne
PS2
Reviewed by
B.L.Morgan
4 1/2 Stars
I gotta get this out of the way right at the very beginning. I bought Max Payne because the box cover and pictures on the back reminded me of my own anti-hero detective John Dark. After I played the game, he still reminds me of my boy.
That said, I can now get on to the review.
If you like gritty, old-fashioned, hard-boiled detective novels or movies, the two-fisted kind that Mickey Spillane used to write, then you'll love Max Payne. This game is tough and as gritty as back-alley gravel.
It's got a hero that's out for revenge and down on his luck in a big way. This game has got all kinds of gunfights and fist-fights. It's extremely heavy on action. I also do want to say that Max Payne is a heavily adult game too. There's quite a few four letter words sprinkled throughout the dialogue and sexual behavior (I should say misbehavior) is the norm in Max Payne's world. To tell you the truth, I didn't mind that one bit.
The atmosphere during the entire game is classic noir. You'll feel as though you are living through an old time hard-boiled movie where no one can ever be trusted. The action takes place in rundown hotels, dirty rainy city streets and all kinds of places you normally avoid in the real world.
But this isn't the real world. This is a game so dive right on in with guns blazing.
The one thing that knocked a point off the score was that the controls were sometimes a bit too stiff and sometimes the animation was a little blocky. But even with those flaws this is a fully immersive video game that hard-boiled fans will love.
I highly recommend Max Payne. I had a blast playing it and so will anyone who likes good old-fashioned shoot-em-up detective stories. ...more info
Awsome First of all John Bell told you that his son was murdered. Nope, it was his infant daughter and his wife. The game was great! It had a wide variety of weapons and lots of levels.I like the bulletdodging with the otomatic.Over all I think the game was great....more info
THE MOTHER OF ALL DISSAPOINTMENT this game is a bummer.i just finished hitman II silant assasin great game,so many things your guy can do.lots of gadgets and tricks,great balance of violence and strategy,well thought out.max payne is none of that.it should be a ps1 game.dont buy it,rent first....more info
3.5 Stars. One cop with nothing left to lose Max Payne was one of the first games I played when I bought my Playstation 2. But I hadn't gotten around to purchasing it till recently. Though while still very good, with other games pushing the PS2's graphical power, the Max Payne is looking a little long in the tooth.
Max Payne is a New York detective who's wife and young child are brutally murdured. Three years later, the story is about to come full circle as Payne finally discovers who has shattered his entire world.
Max Payne's biggest strength is it's story. The storyline is very compelling and will make you keep wanting to play the game. Full of mobsters, wise guys, low-lifes, and all around scum bags, the developers are Remedy and Rockstar Games have painted a very dark and gritty picture of the New York underworld. If Max Payne were made into a movie, I'm thinking it could very easily make the transition from game to screen. The cutscenes however leave something to be desired. They consist of comic book style frames with voice overs. But the story does manage to make it's way through them.
Although while still good, Max Payne's graphics are somewhat subpar when you compare them to other games that have been released in the past few years. The character models are somewhat primitive by today's standards. Where as a game like the Getaway has more photo-realistic renderings, Max Payne's are almost stick figure like. What Max Payne'graphics do very well, however, is portray New York City extremely accurately. Everything from the graffitti on the walls to the subway stations has a very "New York feel" to it. The framerate, however, suffers from considerable slowdown. Often time it slows to a crawl. The sounds are very good. Guns have loud "Bangs" and you hear bullet casings hit the ground. The games music is very ominous sounding, giving you a chilling foreshadowing of things to come.
Max Payne's controlls are a little difficult to grasp at first. The targeting reticule consists of a white "dot" in the center of the screen, and you aim by moving the right analog stick. It's a bit tricky and takes some getting used to. One of the game's standout features is Bullet Time. Max can slow down time around him and execute Matrix-like moves. Max Payne restores his health by rummaging in medicine cabinets and closets for painkillers. A bit of a unique change from the standard med-packs and meal rations.
Overall Max Payne is a good game. The only thing really "wrong" is it looks a little dated. Otherwise it's well worth the new Greatest Hits price (even if it's just to pad your game library) and definitley worth the discounted $9.99 PC game price. ...more info
Fun Third Person Shooter but... I doubt it if I would play it again at least once a month like my other games that I have. Yes, I agree with the editorial review on this game but I would like to add that there are two levels that you have to play/endure as a involuntary drugged-induced Max Payne running and jumping through this blood-trail maze. What really sucks is that if you step off the path you have to keep repeating the level until you make it through. This is SO STUPID! I don't know why the programmers didn't just make these into cutscenes....more info
The WORST voice acting ever in a videogame... I will begin by saying that this game is COOL SLOW-MO ACTION PACKED!!! Just imagine a mix of the movie Payback, Hard Boiled, Die Hard and Matrix and put them on a videogame. This gameplay is like Metal Gear Solid but fast and with so-so graphics.
The voice acting is HORRIBLE AND SILLY but funny at the same time. Max's voice is a cheap rip-off from Mel Gibson's voice and the game say stufs like this:
"OH!! NO! NO! PLEASE GOD NO!!! OHHH BABY!!!", "NOOO PLEASE MAX!!! I JUST NEED YOU!!!", "YOU WILL DYEEEAR!", "COOL ACTION MOVIES AND I TALKING ABOUT THE COOLEST OF THE COOL", "I don't know about angels but is fear that gives men wings", "I made like Chow Yun Fat", "OHH HUHUHUHU!!!! I FELL THE WRATH OF THE FALLEN ANGEL!!", "Maxy, Maxy, Maxy, come out wherever you are!", "I didn't like the way the show started, they gave me the best sit in the house"
In the heat this is pretty warm (true review of game) In the heat of good games such as Madden NFL 2004, GTA Vice City, and others this is warm while others consider it fire in the heat of a good game. I'd give this a 4.7 out of 5 stars with gun fighting, blood flying, slow motion bullet time matrix-like action with a great story of Max Payne's revenge against gangsters after his kid and his wife is murdered. But be warned though...Lots of blood, and adult issues such as the first level. The first level is when Max finds his wife and baby murdered...and you can't skip the graphic parts....its well for mature gamers but is very graphic with chilling realistic comic-like transitions throughout levels. But after that first level it isn't so bad. Believe it or not it's cheesy in some parts with bad guys not even cussing (which is weird because the story is so serious). This game is fun but be warned...Only turn on cheats after you beat the game...if you do it before you beat it the game will seem repetitive...just PLAY THE GAME REGULAR WITHOUT ANY CHEATS AND BEAT IT...IT FUN THAT WAY!...more info
MAXED out... this game is a excellent! great graphics, gameplay, sound. i especailly liked the slo-mo Matrix style action. thats good stuff. this game is great, but a bit cheesey when you catch on fire....more info
Solid FPS You are Max Payne, an undercover cop gone bad. Your family was murdered for an unknown reason, and you're out for revenge. I'm not going to get into the story very much because most of the other reviews explain that.
First off I'd like to say that a lot of people have given this game a terrible score simply because they thought the controls were hard. I find the controls a bit tricky to get used to, but if you use the tutorial, you will probably be fine. My guess is that the people who criticize the game because of control issues probably suck at the game, got frustrated, and need something to gripe about ;-). Some more complaints that a lot of people seem to have are that it has terrible graphics, the loading times are extremely long, and the frame-rate is slow. These people are simply comparing it to the PC and X-Box verisons of Max Payne. I have played the PC, X-Box, AND the PS2 version, and I barely noticed a difference in the three. The main noticeable drawback on the PS2 version is the long loading times. Every time you die the game has to re-load the level. During this loading time, I usually just try to strategize a way to get past the area I just died at. I only noticed the framerate slow down a couple of times throughout beating the whole game, mainly during a boss scene when 10 goons are after you ;-). The less-detailed graphics of the PS2 version are made up by the "blur" feature that is exclusive to the PS2 version. It slightly blurs all the movements in the game, making the textures smoother and putting a "Metal Gear Solid 2 movie scene" feel to the game.
The review you just read was to explain the rants and raves I have heard about the PS2 version of Max Payne. I'm here to tell you that the setbacks aren't NEARLY as bad as people say, and now that MP is a greates hit, ... Go out and buy it!
If you want to know more about bullet time or the story or gameplay of Max Payne, check out these other reviews, as mine doesn't explain any of that....more info
Great game to take your mind off of things This game is great!! The slow down action is cool. It's like the focus in the matrix. You can dodge bullets when in this mode, & everything is enhanced. You can see the blast of your sawed off & the bullet. I like it better then GTA Vice city. Vice city is a better game overall. I just prefer Max Payne. The gore, gun play, & the underworld people are fun to interact with. The story is really good. The intro to the game is nice. You start out at home finding your wife & kid dead.. Ugh. What a start.
I can't wait to get the Xbox version. I'm very jealous of you Xbox owners. I know the games much better on your system. I might buy a Xbox just for this game. The PS2 version is GOOD!! But has glitches & the framerate isn't as good as it should be. Without those flaws on the Xbox version its a must to get.....more info
A real ANNOYING GAME if you want to get a decent game, get metal gear solid or medal of honor. this game is a terrible one, controls are horrible. I didnt read the review above because there is nothing about this game to talk about in so much paragraphs. A WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME!!!...more info
Awesome I was hesitent buying this game, but now that I have, I am very glad that I did. If you are into the Grand Theft Auto Series, you will also like this game. It also deals with a mob, and any game with a mob in it is awesome. It isn't as good as GTA, but it is still really fun. Buy this game....more info
Not Gonna Cut It with games such as Grand theft auto: San Andreas, driv3r,true crime, etc. the competition is fierce and a game like this won't cut it. first when max talks it sounds like he is mumbling second the graphics suck third the game just sucks in general i am so glad i got this used for $6 i bet it was returned because it was too dumb for the previous owner. i saw it at EB games for only $5 that must mean it sucks and i read rockstar game the rights to remedy because the sales for the sequel max payne 2 were so low i have no clue how this was made a "greatest hit" play GTA or true crime instead...more info
the first game i ever beat this game is very good
it jsut sucks u in and u cant quit, and before u know it, it is done...more info
New Yaak's Finest This game is the best third person shooter ever invented, there is cool weapons like molotovs, baseball bats, m16 and grenades. It is really fun when you see a druggie sitting on the floor reciting strange words and then you walk up to him and beat him with a bat or burn him to death with a molotov. This game does'nt seem like it should be rated m but there is alot of blood and adult themes like hookers, drugs and some wiseguys with dirty mouths so keep this away from the kiddies. ...more info
Max athon I like max payne he is cool. I love action games. Hopefully i will get it....more info
So Help me god ,you dont have Max Payne? There is no way you dont have this game. its is 100% action Packed. The Bullet Time and Shot Dodgeing is incredable!The Sections are short but they make up chapters and those chapters make up parts and it is a little longer than it looks. One huge hint, if you buy this game push the action button to find extra ammo and maybe a few videos, Check everywhere. But be careful its not all easy. There are only a few bosses but they are challenging enough to keep you in a Gamers Daze. This game is more than worth what you pay for it, So Get it man....more info
sucks sucks this game is just a waste of time everything about this crap game gave me a huge headache think god for advil they said that it took then a long time to make this game and for what its not worth nothing cameras are very bad it makes you dizzy when you play it there also a part in this game were you have to follow a maze in pich dark all you see is the lines from the maze you fall off almost every time plus that baby crying too just does it help you. like I said just a waste of time. plus max payne looks fuuny in this game take a good look at his face it looks like he from resident evil the walking dead. and they said it took then a long time to make this game. this game should have never been release....more info
Should have been alot better I had high hopes on this game but I was disapointed. The controls are horrible and definately the voice acting throughout 90% was bad. The story line was basically typical, it really didn't hold my interest for long. I did beat the game because I spent $50 on it the day it came out and I figured I would at least do that. I gave the game to a friend of mine after I beat it and he had the same opinion as I did. It's worth renting but definately not worth buying. Hopefully those who decide to buy or rent this game can devote a good bit of time trying to learn the controls....more info
Payne Is A Pleasure I've had this game since it first came out and I have over a hundred video games. Some I've sold because they suck (specifically, No One Lives Forever) and some I've held on to for their replay value. This game is a keeper!
I enjoyed the story line, the controls were good, and I loved the maturity level, i.e, language and violence of the game. I never tire of painting the walls with my enemy's blood. The points at which your game were saved were decent.
The load times could've been sped up (yawn). The nightmare levels in which you're running around in slow motion through dark hallways were stupid and just weren't fun to play, so....I skipped them.
This game is unlike no other and I would be surprised if Max didn't return for a sequel on the PS2. Definitely buy this game! This Payne will bring you more pleasure than most relationships....more info
One of the Best A classic, an absolute classic. It's like playing within a Mickey Spillane novel: great action, great story, and great babes (well, I think there's one babe, but she's hot). A must-have for third-person shooter lovers....more info
Game Noir I really, really wanted to like this game (especially with it's new price tag), but often found myself facing a sense of deja vu level after level after level. All the characters looked pretty much alike (aside from the the ones wearing skirts) and all I seemed to do was shoot (no puzzles to solve here as the game plows forward as you kill off bad guys). Max Payne is a pretty straight-forward shoot-em-up game that only offers the unique "Bullet Time" to enhance game play (which I often just found to be too distracting to ever use). Filled with a good amount of violence and a decent story line and some okay graphics, Max Payne wasn't a complete waste as it offer a few twists while you discover who has framed Max for a serious of brutal murders. However, the ending was a little lack-luster and made me wonder if they'd ever produce a sequel (considering that the game has been around for a few years for the PC)....more info
I highly suggest a rental, or borrow it first. Max Payne was one of my favorite games last year, but now the thrills of the game just didn't last that long. Pros: Nice aresonel of weapons Bullet time really helps A port of a superb PC game Go through a good story full or twists Fun while it lasts Cons: Long loading times graphics not as good as Xbox or PCs version after beating it, there's little thrills to play it again No extras can't skip boring movies No shadows at all The game gets repetitive as well Killin level after level sure gets boring If you brought it, sooner or later you're gonna wish u rented it The voice acting is ugly, and horable
The game was addictive at first, and I ended up trading state of emergency, one of the wackest games ever 4 dis. Well this is better than it, but the loading times are what [make me mad] the most, cuz when I die, I have to sit throught the loading times again and again. Like I said, rent or borrow B4 u buy....more info
Pleasure and Payne I had just finished Max Payne and it was a fun game with a story line. After finishing it, I do feel like playing it again (Good thing because Xmas is close and you never know what you get in your stocking). The levels that go into Max psyche are a little creepy for my tastes. I had to turn it off when my 2 year old daughter goes in because if it gives me nightmares I shudder to think what it could do to her. There is also a lot of violence to boot. In case you have not figured it out, this is not one for kids. The action is good and the bullet time is a nice feature when you seem to be out numbered. My wife doesn't care for the painkillers, which seem to promote drug use. Then again, this is one of the reasons it gets a mature rating I'm sure.
The levels are not too hard, however I had to resort to the cheats to get through the exploding restaurant, because the walkthrough didn't explain it well enough. Please bear in mind if you do resort to the cheats, the game will make it real easy. If you want to challenge yourself but you get stuck at a level you can make Max god-like to get through the level and then at the next save, just load the level and you will be mortal again.
If you like games like syphon filter or metal gear solid you will like this game....more info
Great action with an awesome story!! This is easily one of my favorite games ever. The story in so good it could be a movie. Max's wife is murdered and while trying to find out why he is framed for murder of a cop. The who game is about him taking revenge for his wifes death and signlehandedly dismantling a drug empire. all of the lines are so clever and funny and wity. the guns are awesome and plentiful. my favorite is the dual ingrams. bullettime makes the game so much fun esspecialy when jumping out from corners and slow motion slaughtering badguys. the game is challenging in that there are parts where you have to interact with the environment to complete a level. there are tons of levels in the game too. there are three parts whth about 14 chapters each with 3-5 levels per chapter. this game is all around fun, challenging and extremely well writen. i could not more strongly recomend it. really gets your heart pounding!!!...more info
Great Visuals, Distracting and Irritating Play Control This game is gorgeous, and the perspective is unique and fantastic. Unfortunately, some controls do not translate as well from computer mouse (or gamepad) to PS2 as they could.
I had such high hopes for this game, but I am just not able to use both analog joysticks, the L1/2 and R1/2 buttons, and the button pad at the same time. Call me uncoordinated (despite the fact that I have been playing video games since before there were home video game systems!), but I don't want to give myself carpal tunnel syndrome from playing a game!
I would also like to state that "bullet-time" was a neat style of visual effect in the Matrix. It is not something I want to see in shooting games in the future, as it just adds a level of implausibility to an otherwise realistic game....more info
max payne The game is pretty cool. The story is great, keeping thing moving and having you want to see what happens next. Pretty good graphics, although they are grainy. The controls suck. I played the whole game through and was never able to work them smoothly and control customizations are very limited. I found myself switching between configurations for different situations. I did start to get tired with it about 3/4 of the way through and was ready for it to end, but the story kept me coming back. If you are content just shooting people then this may be for you. But there are virtually no puzzles and the game is extremely linear. You go from point A to point B and never have really have to find your way. Great story, some fun and no brains needed....more info
alright game Graphics 8.5/10 This isn't what counts. As it is a PS2, they could improve the characters a little, improve them like they are in Ghost Recon. There is a lot of fire in this game but no smoke. I'm wondering why we aren't suffocating. Minor flaw. the biggest problem (as well as the biggest problem in the game) is the Frame rate per minute. the FPM kind of lags a lot during gameplay, but after a while you really get used to it, and the gameplay still remains high
Gameplay 7.5/10 The only problem I have with this game is the camera and sometimes the unfair surprise of explosions, causing the game to spend about 2 minutes loading again. Otherwise the gameplay was smooth and rather fun
this game does have the tendacy to get EXTREMELY boring, so beware
Storyline 6/10 Ehhh... it's pretty much like every other PS2 game out there. You're framed for murder and you go out to seek revenge/solitude. The whole wife and baby deal comes into play a lot in this game.
the voices suck in this game, the writing is even worse. they sound like a loser i know in the seventh grade.
Controls 9.5/10 Nicely done. the trigger button is r1, which i really respect. it takes about 5 minutes until you memorize the controls completely.
Music and Sounds 6/10 the only reason i gave this section a 6 out of 10 is because of the sole reason that there IS no music during the game. but when there IS music (main menu and some cutscenes) i completely love it. it is mere piano music, but very seductive to my ears. The sounds are superior, as the gunshots sound like gunshots, there are grunts at the right time, and it sounds like you are actually really in a gunfight!
Overall 3/5 This is not a score where if you multiply it it will come to be 8/10. i would really give this game a 7.5 out of 10. _______------------->>>>END REVIEW<<<<----------------__________...more info
The Has the Two B'S It is a game that has the 2 B's. B- Extrememly Bloody and Gorey, and extremely Boring. It has very, very violent scenes terrible for little kids, like my brothers. It also contains some pretty harsh, cussin' too. The M rating for it is perfect.....more info
One of the best PS2 games ever made... This game is so awesome! It's really realistic. The graphics look like real life! You also get realistic weapons, such as the Colt Commando (an assault rifle), a Sniper Rifle (which has a scope and a camera that follows the bullet!), a Desert Eagle (really powerful handgun), a Jackhammer (an auto-shotgun), and many more. Unfortunately, you only get the most powerful weapons towards the end of the game.
This game is mostly shooting bad guys, not really stealth or anything. But this game has a VERY cool feature that will save you many times called Bullet Time. Bullet Time allows you to move in slow motion, so you have a better chance to dodge bullets and hide behind walls/sculptures/etc.
Max Payne is one of the coolest characters in video game history. This game is kind of old (released in December 2001), but it's still great. Many PS1 games were old, and many people still play them, so it doesn't really matter how old a game is.
This game is not that hard, however, not that easy. In the last part, there are a lot of traps (like lasers that explode once you touch them). You will die several times in this game if you don't pay attention.
Overall, this is one of the best PS2 games that I own. This game is a classic....more info
Frustrating At Times, But Still One Of The Best Games Out There!! I bought this came for the computer when it came out in '91, just because it looked cool. It ran sluggish on my computer, so I gave up after a while. Then it came out for Playstation 2 and I was all over it!
So much has been written about this game that I'll just give my perspective on it.
The Good: The graphics are top-notch, especially for the time when it came out. Despite what others have said, the storyline, writing, and voice acting are superbly executed!! I love the graphic novel feel of the game, especially Max's dialogue. I love the new twists taken by an action game, really pulling you into each scene. Deaths are realistic, as well as the explosions that happen all over the place. Grenades come out of nowhere, bullets take you down quickly, and you can't fall too far without dying...which brings me to the bad parts of the game.
The Bad: The controls on the PS2 were shoddy at best. I found it EXTREMELY frustrating to manuever across the rooftops and during the dream sequence (I guarantee you'll die at LEAST 50x's during that part), and the aiming was frustratingly way off! In the early stages the health were in short supply, but the later stages I found crates of health (or pills) when I didn't really need it. Maybe I was just getting better at not dying. I don't know. But the more you die, chances are you'll have to watch cutscenes over and over again with no way to skip them (except for the graphic novel parts), but at least you don't have a certain number of lives; you just keep trying until you beat the level.
Despite these few points, the game is really fun to play. The release of the movie inspired me to play the game again, and NOT to go see the movie. I just don't see Marky Mark as Max Payne at all; he's too beefy, to much muscle. Max is slick, slender, almost boney. They should have used Same Lake, who was the writer of the game and also played Max in the graphic novel cutscenes. Or they could have used Dean Winters (Ryan O'Reilly) from Oz, or Peter Krause (Nate) from Six Feet Under. I MIGHT rent it when it comes out, but that's it....more info
Sux juicy, creamy balls Max Payne sux balls! Im sik of his ass bein in my face! Ive died many times just to see him burn in hell. My names Franky rizzo and once i turned this game on I new it would suc balls more than my neighbor ed. If you buy this game you might as well use it for an object to shove up your hairy ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Plus this guy is as ugly as my left nut! Once I saw his gay penny loafers I just wanted to rip them off and shove em down his dirty throat!!!Dont buy this crappy game unless you want to slit your own throat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...more info
Well conceived, flawed gameplay One of the most critically acclaimed and popular computer games in recent years has been the MAX PAYNE series, created by a Finland company called Remedy. The first two games were best sellers in 2001 and '03, and a third is planned for '05. Essentially a 3rd-person shooter like TOMB RAIDER, this game has a genuinely compelling atmosphere, with its dark and noirish story about hard-boiled cops and gangsters, and a well-conceived graphic-novel style cut-scenes. The first MAX PAYNE takes place entirely in one snowy night in New York City, and it has you visit diverse places and achieve various objectives. But mostly, as in many action games, you just shoot and kill whoever that is in your way.
You play the title character, an NYPD detective whose wife is murdered at home in the beginning of the game. You then go undercover and seek out various New York gangs and informants, and discover an evil conspiracy involving a deadly drug. The thick plot and stylish dialogs may be a turn-off to some, but they are obviously a homage to film noirs. In fact, the game makes references to Humphrey Bogart a few times. A nice touch is having cut-scenes shown in a graphic-novel style -- a panel of painterly still drawings with dialog balloons and voice overs. The cut-scenes can be skipped, and are always replayable by pressing F1 during gameplay.
In a game that has no multiplayer feature, the level design and A.I. for single-player become vital. The 22 levels in MAX PAYNE show great variety and challenge. You go to many different places: subway platforms, warehouses, shipyards, seedy apartments, high-rise buildings, laboratories, luxurious mansions, and even inside the dreams of the protagonist. Each level is not too large, and took me about half hour to finish. You have considerable interaction with the environment, such as the ability to break windows, break open boxes, leave bullet holes on objects, open cabinet doors, switch on appliances, flush toilets, etc. -- many of these are nothing new since HALF-LIFE in 1999 or even earlier games. Sometimes you are required to interact with something, and a big exclamation point appears above your head to remind you.
The A.I. (artificial intelligence for computer-controlled characters), however, is not the greatest. Your enemies always seem to misfire when you dive left or right to floor. They also don't move around or try to dodge your bullets often enough, making them easier to kill. Sometimes they come out of their hiding places for no reason and run straight towards you. Very often, A.I. behavior seems "scripted", with enemies running the same routes and stopping at the same way points every time you replay the scene. I have never been a fan of games with a lot of scripted A.I. (such as MEDAL OF HONOR: ALLIED ASSAULT).
In a 3rd-person action game, where you are able to see your on-screen character, movement controls become important. They have to work nicely with the gameplay and the results have to look good. Sadly, movement controls are rather limited in MAX PAYNE. Even in an old game like TOMB RAIDER, you can do all kinds of neat moves such as shimmying at the edge of a cliff, somersaulting, swimming, climbing, doing a handstand, etc. You have none of that in MAX PAYNE, which only allows you to strafe left or right, and dive left, right, or backward.
The game's designers obviously wanted to augment the movements with perhaps the game's greatest selling point: a feature called "bullet-time," which lets you move in super slow-motion for a limited time. This feature is supposedly helpful when you are greatly outnumbered in a gunfight, and it makes the game look good (a la the movie THE MATRIX). Surprisingly, I rarely needed to use bullet-time during the game! I was able to effectively dodge every bullet by simply diving left or right after every shot, even when there were 4 of 5 guys shooting at me. Also, during every dive, time seemed to slow down a little bit, essentially giving me a mini bullet-time segment.
More suspension of disbelief. Typical in action games, you just have to willingly accept the fact that you are able to carry 13 heavy weapons and still be able to move around acrobatically. (Thankfully, newer games such as FAR CRY put a limit on the number of weapons you carry.)
There are plenty of weapons at your disposal. Many of them are standard items such as pistols, shotguns, automatics, grenades, grenade launcher, sniper rifle. Strangely, I rarely had to use the sniper rifle. It was a design oversight not to create more situations for long-distance sniping, which would have made the game more fun (as in DEUS EX).
The game I bought was the unpatched, original PC version. Be sure to install the latest patch from 3D Realms' web site ( http://www.3drealms.com/downloads.html ) or the game may not run on a Windows XP system. On my Pentium 2.4 GHz, with an aging GeForce4 Ti4200 graphics card, I can run the game at 1280x1024x32 with maximum details pretty smoothly at 20-50 frames a second. The game comes with, and is made for, DirectX 8. But I had no problem running it under the latest DirectX 9.0b. You may download a playable demo of the game from the above link and test your PC with it. Also, be sure your PC is compatible with the system requirements listed at http://www.rockstargames.com/maxpayne/support/ ....more info
The PS2 might sell more, but its limitations hurt this version of Max Payne. While the PS2 version is not really bad, it is horrible next to the near perfect versions on the Xbox and PC. The PS2's sound and music to Max Payne is uneven and really scatchy when the narrative scenes are on. The gameplay is still good, even though some areas are cut off do to the PS2's limitations but that doesn't hurt the gameplay too much.
Graphics are also very scratchy, and so are the characters, even though all the versions of Max Payne don't have great character models, the PS2 version looks even more out of order.
But the controls are better for PS2, the smaller controller the PS2 has really helps compared the Xbox controller and a keyboard.
Still highly enjoyable, the game is still an intense action game with a lot of violence. If you can't get your hands on any other version, then the PS2 is perfect for you. ...more info
Great game, but not for kids by any means I am not the biggest fan of 1st person shooter games. The only two games of this nature that have interested me has been Rainbow Six and Max Payne. With that being said, I must say Rainbow Six is a way up there in the ranking and Max Payne is by no means number 2.
The rating for this game needs to be taken extremely seriously. Although they show Max Payne (player) being holed up in an impossible situation (thus what he does can probably be viewed as ethical), he is required to get out of a violent battle between mafia groups and politicians. A lot of drug and sex reference in the game. Obviously, not a game for kids in my opinion.
The game is very much fun to play, the story is great and justice is served in the end, as is revealed at the beginning of Max Payne 2. This game will not work in Vista because of issues with drivers for sound cards that Vista does not have. Unless you get those drivers first, don't even think of getting this game. This game is currently not supported in 64-bit systems. So, watch out. ...more info
It's Fear That Gives Men Wings..... While we're on the subject of epic genres, it's only fitting to note Max Payne. While only composed of two games thus far, the Max Payne series offers some of the most innovative gameplay of all time. It's in the original Max Payne that the concept Bullet Time was first introduced. Allowing the player to put his surroundings in slow motion and pump the enemy full of lead made the game worth playing all on its own. The fact that Max Payne is one of the best games ever constructed for the PS2 seems a mere afterthought. Here we have a story centering on a detective looking for his family's killers in the New York City underground in the dead of winter. Now that's cool. Max Payne himself is a revolutionary character; your grade A badass with a take-no-prisoners mentality. Max looks a little like Mel Gibson, and acts a little like Charles Manson. He doesn't care, he swears, he breaks the law he has defended for years; he's a rebel without a cause. The plot of the game is awesome, told to the player through the use of a graphic novel, pieced together by Payne just as if Batman is were on the case. Max Payne is trule a must for any PS2 owner, a game which breaks new boundraries in video gaming, much like Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto franchise. With the first installment being that damn good, surely Max Payne 2 would match if not exceed its predecessor, right?...more info
In the heat this is pretty warm In the heat of good games such as Madden NFL 2004, GTA Vice City, and others this is warm while others consider it fire in the heat of a good game. I'd give this a 4.7 out of 5 stars with gun fighting, blood flying, slow motion bullet time matrix-like action with a great story of Max Payne's revenge against gangsters after his kid and his wife is murdered. But be warned though...Lots of blood, and adult isues such as the first level. The first level is when Max fines his wife and baby murdered...and you can't skip the graphic parts....its well for mature gamers but is very graphic with chilling realistic comic-like transitions throughout levels. But after that first level it isn't so bad. Believe it or not it's cheesy in some parts with bad guys not even cussing (which is weird because the story is so serious). This game is fun but be warned...Only turn on cheats after you beat the game...if you do it before you beat it the game will seem repetitive...just PLAY THE GAME REGULAR WITHOUT ANY CHEATS AND BEAT IT...IT FUN THAT WAY!...more info
Awesome game for PS2 or PC Dont let those low ratings or comments deter you MAX PAYNE is
one of the best third person games that have come out in the last 10 yrs, it was one of the best games for the PC next
to Half Life and its gritty violent realism and "bullet time"
mode are being used systematically in many games.
The story is that as Max Payne you a cop turned DEA detective
you find your family murdered by drugged thugs infautated with
the drug V.
As Max you turned into a "Dirty Harry" persona where you look
clues, crooks and criminals while exacting revenge on those
who have murdered your family and friends.
The game is for adults, but that is not to say its a bad game,
its not, the scenes in each game are wonderfully created, and
the intense realism during these one on one shootout still
sends a shiver down my spine. I wouldnt be surprised
if realy cops played the game for real life training as you
have to be quick on your toes.
Graphics 9
Awesomely detailed from New York City to Max Payne himself,
heck even the bad guys look good. You also see those cool
shaded effects that come from good 3d environment. Lastly
the game comes loaded with FMV movies for your enjoyment.
Sound and Music 5
Well yeah there is hardly music, but this is the rare occasion
where lack of music helps not hurts the game, especially
in those shootouts. The sound is equally incredible, using digitized speech throughout the game via Max Payne, his friend Alex and all the characters in the game including the Mob bosses.
Control 7
Well in the PC/WINDOWS version you had to use the keyboard
and mouse only which was very tiring and offered few
flexibility but now for the PS2, you could your joystick to kick
butt in the game. This was a very warm welcome. The programmers
stuck pretty to the PC port, depending on how you assigned your
controls the buttons are the same. One for aiming and shooting,
another to changed weapons and of course the famous
"Bullet Time" mode.
Bonuses:
Just like the PC port, the game does offer cool bonuses like
difficulty settings, but lacks of course the mods and maps
that the pc port has.
Still this is a great port for your PS2!!!!...more info
Max Payne - Prepared to be Enthralled and Annoyed From the commercials, Max Payne was a third-person shooter with a twist; the twist being able to kill mobsters, junkies and mercenaries in slow motion. Truly, one gets hooked on being able to leap backward in slow motion whilst rapidly firing dual handguns to put the kibosh on those that are trying to do the same to you.
Aside from the slow-mo, Max Payne is essentially a third-person shooter whereupon you take control of the title undercover cop turned anti-hero, Max Payne. The story unfolds dramatically as you delve into the game. The jist of it is Max's wife and baby were brutally murdered by junkies and he's on the hunt for revenge. The plot widens, thickens and nearly bursts as you progress through the game. One can never tell who truly is on Max's side until the moment the credits roll at the end.
The bottom line is this game is very much based on the slow motion "bullet time". Gunfights would be nearly impossible without the ability to slow them down to aim and fire with apt precision. That brings about the issue with controls. One of the cons of the game are the controls. Many times have I fallen off balconies and ledges due to the analog stick making Max move just so to the right. The heavy load times can also add to the agony, especially when after over a dozen tries one still cannot overcome the obstacles in your way.
The game is definitely run on a sliding scale. The chapters start out a cake-walk and progress to a veritable teeth-grinder. At one point, I was so fed up and enraged by the game that I had to go outside and take a walk. If, however, you can take the time out to relax, focus and be patient, you should have little problem with the game. As for guns - there are lots of them. And more ammo than you can handle. Oftentimes you'll find a gun you really like and stick with it, in the process having to leave ammo behind on the corpses of your enemies. That being said, guns don't hold as much ammo as one would want, especially given the fact there is a huge surplus of ammunition abounds. Max also chews up painkillers like chocolate chips in order to heal himself - proof that he's not a guy to be messed with!
I, personally, was very much hooked on it. The cutscenes are treated in a comic book style with dialogue and inner-soliloquies lifted from a Dashiell Hammett novel. However, simply put, one will either love or detest this game. I was reeled in by it, but am very glad I've beaten and seen the end of it. However, if you just cannot get enough Max Payne, there are two additional difficulty settings unlocked after beating it along with a third, even harder setting unlocked after those.
The game was in parts extremely easy and in other parts extremely challenging. I wouldn't recommend picking this game up unless you're ready for oftentimes graphic violence, innuendo and potty-mouthery. I also wouldn't recommend picking up this game if you're not ready to be put on the verge of ripping your hair out in frustration. It is, however, conquerable and you'll very much be pleased once you do overcome the challenges....more info
wow this game is good but there is 1 flaw i am going to mention and is the scariest. u are playing in a dream i mean nightmear u are walking through the hall and it seems like ur getting farther away and when u get close to the black u see cloud wallpaper wit blood all over the place then u here the baby crying like it is dyeing then u get to the end of the hall and u see total darkness u have to walk on a blood trail trying to find the end of the dream. and the bad thing is u dont want to fall off the trail cause the baby will screem and cry really loud then u end up at the beginnig and u have to do it all over again poor baby...more info
Great Game.... for PC Max Payne is a great in every sense of the word. The engaging twisting storyline, and combat, the music, the graphics (for '01). Everything.
But the controls suck.
Never have I played a game with such bad controls that it made me depressed. Do NOT buy this for PS2. Buy it for PC....more info
max payne max payne is a third person shooter that's a lot of fun the games best feature it the bullet time that allow player to slow down time i would recommend this game very fun and great story ...more info
sucks sucks this game is really bad I mean everything about it. they took so long to make this and for what.its just a waste off time and your money I gave it 1star because the guns are the best thing about this crap game...more info
Must Play Max Payne is a very enjoyable game. Although the story is aimed toward a more mature adience, hence the mature rating from ESRB. It is an excellent game for people who enjoy action shooters. The graphics aren't the best I have seen the PS2 produce although that doesn't affect the over all enjoyabilityof Max Payne. The plot of the game is a cop (Max Payne) who's family was murdered. So he goes to find out who killed them and to prove he didn't kill his friend Alex. The game is a great I would recomend it to any hardcore gamer or just an average person who enjoys a fun easy to get into game....more info
You have never played a game like this before(unless you played max payne 2 already). This is a game about max payne and how his life got all screwed up.
It is a short game. The action is not all that exciting. The graphics are so-so.
The high point of this game is the way it presents the story too you. If you are a movie lover like me, you will definitely be into the way they give you the story. It's like a really cool comic book with pretty good voice acting, not great, but better than any kungfu movie dub. You will really get into the story, I guarantee it. I found judt sitting back and watching the game is better than playing.
Another wierd thing about this game is pretty much everything is more fun in the game than actually shooting people. For instance, a t.v. will be on and you can sit and watch a whole 5 minute episode of a stupid made-up soap opera. There is always a phone ringing, and it is always interesting when you pick it up.
Also this game really deserves it's mature rating, I have to say that it was a good little movie thriller inside of a game....more info
My Opinion This game is great. If you like Grand Theft Auto, you will LOVE this game. I can hardly pull myself away. It doesn't cost as much as other PS2 games and it's really fun....more info
Great with a few flaws I throughly enjoyed this game. The voice acting may not be the greatest, but I think the gameplay is really well done and the atmospheres are fantastic. The controls take some getting used too and are not for everyone. They are a problem and could have been better to control, surprisenly I can do it very well. The major problem I have is that as the game progresses it gives you less times to save, so you have to go through almost an entire level (though short) and complete it WITHOUT saving once. That is so stupid because if you die at the end you have to do the entire level over again, that is the dumbest thing ever in a video game. I just feel it's unfair for the game makers to make a fairly difficult level then make you do it over and over if you slip and die toward the end. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
The levels can be a bit difficult if you're not one to be quick on the trigger. And as much I gripe on the camera angles, they're useful in stopping Max at the end a hall, swing the camera around and see if an enemy is around the corner, waiting on the steps, right inside the next room, etc. It gives you a heads up and makes it easier to stay alive.
However, I still really liked it. I didn't enjoy MP2 as much, but MP3 (which should end the series I think) should, (re: SHOULD) be much better. I'm looking forward to it. ...more info
A classic in action gaming... This incredible game is one of the best in the action genre, setting a new standard in action gaming. The characters are complex, the violence dark, and the story involved and constantly engaging. You are Max Payne, fugitive cop out to bring down the baddies of the big city. Now, you've launched a one-man war after you lose everything you know and love. The graphics in this game are pretty good, but it is the story that keeps this game constantly interesting and fun to play for hours on end. It takes a while to get used to the controls, but once you can handle it, the fun never stops!...more info
Gritty New York Syphon Filter with slo-mo The controls of this game & the graphics remind me very much of Syphon Filter, only looser and sloppier. Aiming is difficult unless you engage auto-lock, and then it's too easy. I'm about 3/4 the way through the game and none too impressed.
The graphics are good, but c'mon, this is PS2. I guess it's a port of an older PC game, but I can't help thinking they're just updated Doom/Syphon Filter graphics. Plus, there are NO CUTSCENES. That's right. None whatsoever. Instead, they've been replaced them all with cheesy graphic novel looking static images.
The missions are boring and confusing. I commented to my girlfriend while playing that I constantly felt lost, but Max seemed to 'know' where he was going. The only way I could tell I wasn't backtracking was that people would come out to shoot me. In fact, with auto-lock mode on, you could pretty much run straight foward while shooting and auto-lock would point you the right direction - that's where the enemies are coming from, that's where I have to go.
The gameplay is frustrating. You use the analogue sticks, which, being an old-time gamer, I've never quite gotten used to. I'm used to extreme slams on the stick being the same as subtle taps. Other than that, it really feels like the old Syphon Filter engine.
The left stick makes Max move, and the right one changes his direction/aims. You shoot with R1, select weapons (in real time, the game doesn't pause wile you do this) with the d-pad. Aiming with the sticks feels sloppy, and maybe that's appropriate because this is a sloppy game.... err, gritty game.
The plot is interesting, but doesn't really pick up until 2/3 of the way through the game. And the graphic-novel style cutscenes are just plain boring. Plus, the game has to load for like 20 seconds ever time it wants to flash one of them on the screen. Why?
Bullet Time. Now this feature is cool. Hit a button & everything (including Max) slows down. You can dodge in Bullet Time. It allows your reactions to be faster than those around you. This is an advantage because aiming (if you can call it that) doesn't slow down. It only lasts a few frustrating seconds, and it has to be replenished (by killing more people). Onimusha did this better.
As a shoot-em-up this game probably rates a 4 or a 5, but I'm not a big shoot-em-up fan. I'd much rather wait for the new Syphon Filter. Worth a rental or maybe buy it used. Could also use a tournament mode. What's the point of a shoot-em-up without being able to kill your friends?...more info
A decent rental... I rented this game but was not able to beat it in the short time span I had! I was able to hit in some codes and try out all the weapons, so here goes....Over all the game is good, with great action movie type visuals, great gun/explosive effects and decnt cinematic scenes. The controls are hard to get used to though, and will take about an hour or more of practice to even shoot straight. And where the game turns ugly....The storyline and voice acting in this game is truly horrible! These 2 aspects really hurt the game! If you get this game, I would skip past the stupid story sequences and just play. Now that the game [costs less], I guess it's worth buying, but I would still recommend renting it and beating the game in that amount of time, so you don't have to buy it!...more info
Lots of Fun........... Once I bought this game after playing the PC version at a friends house. The slow-mo, "bullet-time" gameplay looked and played really well, but it felt like it was simply there to keep players from getting bored of the repetitive gameplay. Every level is essentially the same, and the game plays the same way throughout. The story kept me interested, but after one run through this game simply wasn't worth the effort a second time, even with the number of playable difficulties it offers. Rent it instead....more info
Great But Corny Hello Fellow gamers. I am writing a review on Max Payne for the PS2. First off I would like to say I have NOT played the full version just a demo. So I may be wrong about some things, but this is MY experience with it. Max Payne is awesome. It has This feature called "Slow-Down" which allows you to, well, slow down time. But not like the played-out slowdown of the matrix mind you not.This slowdown makes the game become even better than it would be without it. it make it easier to kill the enemy's and it is just plain fun.Also the stpry line is fantastic.When I played it i was thinkin "this could be a movie the story line is so good". The voice acting is great at first, but becomes annoying. Like Max would say something like "The air outside was like a good drink, Stiff, but Cold" WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN! It's nice to see something different in games as opposed to saying [gee] its cold outside! It also gets kinda corny hearing [stuff] like that after a while. Also it has this feature where it reminds me of a comic book, because well sometimes it will tell a story and you can hear max but the cg is a comic book! so that is different. I gave the game a star just for the comic book feature just because it is original. Everything else is great. The blood that spatters when someone gets whacked. The weopons, are good too because they are REAL guns as opposed to many other games. No not here in Max Payne you would get a gun like Desert Eagle. or a Shotgun.Or dual berettas. So this is my review on the game. Great But it gets corny after lisening to it for a while!...more info
good but not that good I didnt buy this game. I borrowed it from my uncle. He said he couldn't figure out the controls. So since he wasn't ever going to play it, i decided to borrow it from him. I did not like the controls. I can't ever seem to get used to games that use both sticks, where the one on the left moves the guy forward and backward, but doesn't turn the guy left or right, he straifes, and the other one on the right makes him turn and moves the camera angle up and down. It anoyes the hell outa me. Why cant one stick be used to move the guy all around and the other has him straife and moves the camera angle.
At first I really liked this game, but one level got me to hate this game. I dont remember which one it was but it was one of the levels towards the end of the game. It was a dream with a very anoying baby crying and it was a very confusing maze I just couldn't seem to beat. That baby was so anoying, it wouldn't stop crying. So I stopped playing the game. I just gave up. My uncle kinda wanted it back by this time even though he probably wouldn't ever play it.
All in all, this game is alright, the graphics kinda stink, the blood kinda stinks, the weapons were cool, and the puzzles weren't too hard (Except for the dream, that darn baby, AHHH!!!) and i give it 3 stars....more info
best game ever this is the best game ever i've played it so many times and i still like it. the thing i like most is the bullet time and the realist graphics. thats why this is the best game....more info
great game this is a very good game, im a female and i got into ps2 because of this game, my boyfriend was playing it and while watching him play, i got caught up in the story, pretty soon i wanted to play, i couldnt help myself, its soooo much fun, max payne is cool, now im a gamer for life, my boyfriend is ecstatic of course, lol!!!!...more info
free trade i cant believe shipping to canada is such a big deal maybe u need a link to someone who can...more info
Here comes the Payne Owing a big debt to older John Woo films (note the reference to Chow Yun-Fat), The Matrix, and just about any crime noir film or graphic novel, Max Payne is a gritty action game that strives to be better than it is. You play as Max Payne, former undercover cop who faces off against the mafia, the police, and anyone else who stands in his way. The storyline of the game is your typical revenge thriller, and it is presented here via graphic novel pages complete with voice acting. The voice acting isn't as bad as it is reputed to be, but the characterizations are so cliche and sometimes cheesy that you'll just want to skip past these parts. The graphics are gritty looking and present the violent, gritty atmosphere of the game perfectly, and while this PS2 version of the game doesn't offer the best graphics as opposed to it's PC and XBox counterparts, they are very well done nonetheless. The control is tight for the most part, although the jumping controls and analog stick can be a bit touchy for some. The bullet-time feature adds a new dimension of strategy to the game allowing you to aim your weapon in real time while your enemies move extremely slow. True, Max Payne is a very violent game, but compared to GTA 3, Vice City, or even State of Emergency, this game pales in comparison violence wise. All in all, Max Payne is a great game despite it's shortcomings, and now that it's one of the PS2's Greatest Hits it is worth picking up....more info
