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Max Payne 2 Reviewed
Some random reader writes "Max Payne 2, the sequel to the awesome original game released years ago, hit shelves three days ago. The first review I've seen thus far is at PCSynapse. It seems to be what fans want, give or take a few quirks. Overall conclusion - 'MP2 was not designed to be revolutionary - but more evolutionary, and in that apparent goal it has succeeded with flying colors.'" There's a selection of other reviews collated via GameTab.
Yesterday's Penny Arcade weighs in with its own review. :)
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
So being able to slow down time and reload a shotgun in less then a second is "realistic"? You need to lay off the pills boy.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
As someone who does artwork for games, Max Payne is just great; gameplay-wise, not much new going on but as far as visuals, stylistically Max Payne is a major cut above the rest. Before Max Payne, stylism was there in FPS games, but not in the quanities as it was in MP. Throughout the game, I felt like I was fighting in a grungy, bleak and lonely version of NYC, much like the one depicted in comics and movies. Then include their photo-realistic textures that gave everything such grit and depth, and you end up with a visual masterpiece. Max Payne is not great because it brings revolutionary changes to the table, but because it raises the bar for the quality of art in games and not only that but the thought behind the stylization, not just 'because its cool'. Lets hope that other games follow suit (Doom3 is another example of good art direction and stylistic techniques.)
"What can a thoughtful man hope for mankind on Earth, given the experience of the past million years? Nothing." -Bokonon
"Fans will love the new realism this lends to the game, as the enemy shoots out your cover right in front of your face, or when you find yourself knocking over stacks of crates in search for ammunition or painkillers."
Woah. And I thought I was the only one who hid their ammunition and painkillers inside stacks of crates. Now that's what I call realism!
> and can build suspense like in a good movie.
;) We're talking about a game that set a bar for what graphics should be in a FPS. Not artistic? Look at the amazingly cinematic way the levels are laid out. The action actually flows like a movie. Lack of storytelling? You don't have to listen to me to find someone who thinks the story was simply incredible.
> There seems to be a lack of real story telling and artistic talent
> cookie cutter
You've never played Max Payne, have you?
And "cookie cutter?" That's just laughable. Sure, the game follows certain basic FPS traits (lots of guns, physics gets raped), but to say it's cookie cutter is to say that Star Wars is bad just because it uses the hackneyed "anonymous farm boy turns out to be universe-saving hero" schtick.
--Obyron