JsARCLIGHT Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 After my horrid, horrid disappointment with that turd called Halo PC I was in the dumps, depressed, and wanting some nice bleak blood-soaked death to sate my lust for revenge on Microsoft for loosing such a suckass game on me. Then today at Best Buy... I saw it... sitting there on the shelf... calling to me... begging to be bought... MAX PAYNE 2: The Fall of Max Payne I have been playing it all afternoon and only two words have entered my mind the whole time. HELL YEAH! Followed immediately by "About F@*King Time!" and "Who needs sleep?" To anyone who has played Max Payne, this game is just more of the same... ON STEROIDS! Here is my review: PROS: - Third person view lets you see things that a normal FPS game would not let you see and do things you would not be able to do like look around corners without putting your head there, dodge, spin, flip and "dance" between bullets and just appreciate how intricate and fluid your player character looks and moves - The GRAPHICS are THE S#!T. Remember Max Payne 1? Forget it. Those graphics are crap compared to The Fall of Max Payne. Yes, you need a kick ass system to run the game with a kick ass video and audio card to even so much as play it... but the reward is sooooooo sweet. Minute details, blood splatter, photometric effects, fog, debris, physics, shell casings everywhere, player characters dropping mags you name it... as EA Sports says: it's in the game. - Play control is smooth, fluid and easy to learn... but the hard moves like shoot dodges, leaps while shooting and spins take some time to master. Old Max Payne players will have no trouble at all picking up the familiar controls and themes - GUNS, GUNS, GUUUUUUUUUNS! Every popular real world gun you could want is hiding in the game... Dual Berettas, Desert Eagles, Ingrams, Shotguns, M4A1s... and with added melee attacks and sniper weapons there is a gun for everyone! - The Noir. It wouldn't be Max Payne without the gritty, overacted and dark and moody "comic book" cutscenes and the hard boiled evil plotline. I'm only a tenth of the way through the game and loving every hammy cheesy and over the top black minute of it! - The Physics. Can I knock over that thing? Probably. Can I shoot that box? Yup. Can I somehow knock over that really big shelf onto the guys behind it? Ouch, that left a mark. - The level designs are pure reality and they feel very, very moody... from the hospital to the warehouse to the old Ragnarock club the textures and effects combined with the layout and playability of the levels make for one smart and fun to play game. - BULLET TIME THAT WORKS. Sick of the Enter the Matrix? Play this game. The originator of PC game bullet time does it right, again. It gives you just enough to be effective but not too much as to make you invincible. Max can do some crazy stunts in bullet time but they are all still somehow believeable... did I just dodge a burst from that Ingram? Yep, Somehow I did! - (this is a personal thing) the packaging. it is beautiful. Bravo Rockstar, you have impressed me again. Much like the first Max Payne which had a DVD case as it's package, this new installment has an even fancier two DVD cardboard and plastic folding case as it's package. Themed and well layed out it is a nice departure from the tired CD jewel case and booklet you get with every other game out there and it adds to the "noir" experience... makes you feel like you are playing a DVD rather than a game CONS: - Crazy, crazy, crazy system requirements mean that only the rich and powerful... or those who bought new computers like me specifically made to play games ... can run this thing and see it in all it's wonder. - The "adaptive difficulty level" feature is on and cannot be turned off, meaning the easy parts are way too easy and the hard parts, unless you are just kicking the computer's butt up and down the level, are also way too easy. Beating the game (just like MP1) unlocks the really, really hard settings which would balance the game out more... but not having that option at the beginning is a little lame - if you are looking for a non convoluded story, look elsewhere. The story of this game is so twisting and "noir" that some people will be laughing when they should be crying and crying when they should be laughing. The art direction and voice acting help a lot but sometimes the dialogue is just so corny and cliche that you have to laugh - if you have not played the first game you will be a little lost at the beginning of this game as it picks up right where MP1 eneded - NO MULTIPLAYER. That's right, just like MP1 this game has no online, no LAN and no Deathmatch. It's player one versus the story and that's it. - I will be honest, if you did not like MP1 then you will not like the sequel... but the opposite is even more true: if you loved MP1 then Max 2 will be a dream come true. MY THOUGHTS: Gee, do I really need this part of the review? Are my opinions on this game so elusive that you can't pick up on the fact that I think this game is boss? Well then... I think this game is boss. From the graphics to the playability to the bullet time to the dank, dark levels this game oozes style and "noir". It is cliche and played in the story realm but the true meat of the game... the gunplay and levels... are the best of the best. Being someone who has a kick booty system I will not fall prey to the insane requirements needed to make the game look good and play good but some may fall victim. If you loved Max Payne 1, if you loved GTA: Vice City (just without the cars) and if you wish Enter the Matrix did not suck the chrome off a trailer hitch then run out and buy this game. My rating: 9 out of 10 (not getting a perfect score due to the insane system requirements and no multiplayer) So what says you guys? Am I the only Payne junkie on this board? Quote
Max Jenius Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 I like the game too... but its annoying that everything can get knocked down... but that's the only level of interaction. Makes for some nice deaths though for baddies Quote
bsu legato Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 No multiplayer...? Bah, you escape my wrath, JsARCLIGHT. For now... Otherwise, it sound good to me. Quote
JsARCLIGHT Posted October 18, 2003 Author Posted October 18, 2003 I like the game too... but its annoying that everything can get knocked down... but that's the only level of interaction. Makes for some nice deaths though for baddies That bugs me a little too, on some levels when you run through things and just start knocking everything over it gets to be a little too much. Quote
Max Jenius Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 No multiplayer...? It doesn't seem like it would be very fun multiplayer. How would bullet time work? Would it slow EVERYONE down? Quote
Abombz!! Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 Do they still have those stupid stupid nightmare levels that made me stop playing the first one half way through? <_ Quote
Commander McBride Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 (edited) Hey, just curious, what did you dislike so much about Halo PC? I got it the other day, and I don't think it's bad at all. If anything, though, it's too easy. I've had the game for only two days, and I already go into packed servers and lead the match. I think that's a result of all my BF1942, though, which, for some reason, really hones FPS skills. As for MP2, how powerful of a PC does it require? I only have a Ti4200 and an Athlon 2500, i'm guessing that won't be up to par? I've got better comps, though. Maybe I'll go pick up a cheap copy of MP1, since I only rented it on XBOX and played a bit, and get through it, then pick up MP2... Edited October 18, 2003 by Commander McBride Quote
imode Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 Do they still have those stupid stupid nightmare levels that made me stop playing the first one half way through? Yeah. Nothing so crazy as the thin red line though. And the nightmare levels are harmless. There's no way you can die in them. Quote
Abombz!! Posted October 18, 2003 Posted October 18, 2003 What does the Kung Fu patch does in the original? Quote
JsARCLIGHT Posted October 19, 2003 Author Posted October 19, 2003 Hey, just curious, what did you dislike so much about Halo PC? I got it the other day, and I don't think it's bad at all. If anything, though, it's too easy. I've had the game for only two days, and I already go into packed servers and lead the match. I think that's a result of all my BF1942, though, which, for some reason, really hones FPS skills. Halo PC is horrid. The level designs are boring, the gameplay is tiresome, the graphics really show their age and the weapons selection is pathetic. All in all if Halo PC had come out when the original Halo on Xbox came out it would have been somewhat nice but now it is just a dated console port... you have to admit the game reeks of "console simplicity". As for MP2, how powerful of a PC does it require? I only have a Ti4200 and an Athlon 2500, i'm guessing that won't be up to par? The two monster things about MP2 are the video card and the processor/memory requirements. If you have anything lower than a pentium 4 2 gig or a 1.5 gig Athlon don't even try playing the game as it will bog like a swamp (according to most accounts I have read). When it comes to video cards the box says you can run it on a 32meg minimum card, but it says something else that pretty much contradicts that: 32 BIT ONLY. All the complex textures in the game are only 32 bit, which will kill most slow and outdated cards right off the bat. It reccomends a 64 bit Dx9 AGP card that must have Hardware T&L support. I'm running the card they claim the game was "made to be run on", a Raedon 9800 Pro and it runs in best/best/best with everything on just fine at well over 30fps. I'm taking it to work with me monday to see how it runs on some slower/older boxes. Quote
Abombz!! Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 (edited) Any chance MP2 coming out for PS2? It due out on PS2 and Xbox sometime in the next few months. EDIT: Both versions are due out in december end. Edited October 19, 2003 by Abombz!! Quote
BoBe-Patt Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 Any chance MP2 coming out for PS2? It due out on PS2 and Xbox sometime in the next few months. EDIT: Both versions are due out in december end. Yeah, cool! thanx! I'll be waiting for that and FFX2! Quote
Akilae Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 What does the Kung Fu patch does in the original? well, the latest Kung Fu 3.0 gives you all sortes of kicks, punches, combos, etc... plus stick fighting On top of that, limited wall running, backflip kicks on baddies, and the chance for baddies to use kung fu moves on you... overall, a MUST for anybody that loved Max Payne. Quote
CoryHolmes Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 XBox version is due out Dec. 2/03, actually I like how the developers are taking the time to do the ports right, and not just slapped together, like the PS2 version was. Yes, believe it or not, the PS2 version is the worst of the three. That alone tells you how good the others were (and yes, I played it on PS2) Quote
Akilae Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 As for MP2, how powerful of a PC does it require? I only have a Ti4200 and an Athlon 2500, i'm guessing that won't be up to par? I've got better comps, though. Maybe I'll go pick up a cheap copy of MP1, since I only rented it on XBOX and played a bit, and get through it, then pick up MP2... Well, for reference, I'm running MP2 on a Ti4800 (Ti4x00 on AGP 8x.. but trust me, performance is actually LOWER than a vanilla Ti4x00), P4 1.6 OC'd to 2.2, running the game on max resolution, all graphical details, and the game runs like butter. I don't have AA or AF turned on though, too much of a performance hit for not enough graphical improvement. Get a cheap copy of MP1, download Kung Fu 3.0, and enjoy a totally new level of game play =) Quote
Murphy Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 a little off topic...i downloaded halo demo to my pc and all i have to say its not really a great game IMO, im used to playing tom clancy games online and i love them, hiding in the bushes untill the time is right for the kill...but in halo i run up to the other guy and empty half a clip into him and hes not even dead yet..i was really interested on buying an xbox for this game but the pc demo is a real let down so now im not intersted in an xbox anymore..... sorry rant mode off....... but yea max payne 2 looks cool Quote
SuperOstrich Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 After my horrid, horrid disappointment with that turd called Halo PC I was in the dumps, depressed, and wanting some nice bleak blood-soaked death to sate my lust for revenge on Microsoft for loosing such a suckass game on me. Then today at Best Buy... I saw it... sitting there on the shelf... calling to me... begging to be bought... Nice review. I'm about 90% complete with the game, so let me add my two cents: -System requirements aren't as high as you make them out to be. I'm running an Athlon 1.6 Ghz with a Geforce 4 4200. While it chugs a little bit occasionally, it runs perfectly fine for playability. I have the details turned up all the way. -Max Payne 2 actually begins quite some time after the events in Max Payne 1. Max has quit the DEA and has rejoined the NYPD. -The game gets MUCH harder as you progress. The AI is pretty much just like the first game (which was pretty good for the time, but not anymore). So to make the game harder, enemies pretty much only start carrying SMG's or better after awhile. What happened to the AI's grenade-throwing ability? It was actually better in Max Payne 1. Nowadays, they throw grenades that blow up themselves all the time. -This game is basically just an extension of the first Max Payne. Nothing has really progressed except for the graphics. It feels identical to the first one. But why change a winner? Quote
UN Spacy Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 Hey JsARCLIGHT. What are the minimum system spec requirements to run this game? How much do you need to make it run nicely? B) Quote
JsARCLIGHT Posted October 19, 2003 Author Posted October 19, 2003 I took it into work this morning for a quick tryout while no one was there to hawk me to play it. Here is my rundown on it's operational abilities on various systems: Pent 3 1.2 Gig system with a nVidia Ti4200 64 meg card and 1 gig of ram This is the "oldest" box in my end of the office. It had lots of problems running the game smoothly at medium detail in "game res" of 1024x most of the time choking and coughing up like 15fps framerates. Setting the game settings lower to half and half lows and mediums and reducing the resolution seems to fix that problem to a degree but the game looses almost all of it's pizazz, looks blocky and still runs clunky... not too playable IMHO. Pent 4 2.4 Gig system with a Raedon 9700 card and 1 gig of ram These are the newest, common machines at the office. It seemed to run the game fine in best/best/best and only hung up once or twice... when more than three or four people would get on the screen with effects at once you could notice the dip in the framerate. I would say the game ran just fine for the casual player... but not for my caviar tastes. Pent 4 HT 3 Gig system with a Raedon 9800 Pro and 2 gig of ram My home system. Game runs in a very high res at 30+ fps in best/best/best. No slowdowns, no hiccups. I recommend having a really good audio card with a receiver and speaker setup to get the best sound out of it. I'm running an Audigy 2 with a denon receiver and KLH speakers. I'm a person who needs the game to run best/best/best at 30+ fps in high res with dolby digital sound to consider the game a good one. With the new uber titles on the horizon I'm starting to see Max Payne 2 as the precursor "you need to upgrade that old paperweight computer" game. I jumped the gun and bought my new box in foresight of HL2 and Doom 3 but now it is proving it's worth on the other new titles as well. And just to put the last nail in it, Halo looks like dog piss next to MP2 on a high end system. It really shows it's repetitious console origins. Quote
Akilae Posted October 19, 2003 Posted October 19, 2003 Pent 4 2.4 Gig system with a Raedon 9700 card and 1 gig of ramThese are the newest, common machines at the office. It seemed to run the game fine in best/best/best and only hung up once or twice... when more than three or four people would get on the screen with effects at once you could notice the dip in the framerate. I would say the game ran just fine for the casual player... but not for my caviar tastes. damn... and I thought the game had automatically entered bullet time mode for me when the going got tough... <_< j/k I've played Dead Man Walking with up to 7-8 guys on the screen with no ill effects though... so I guess YMMV? I wonder if that RDRAM I installed last year makes a terriblly large difference... Quote
SuperOstrich Posted October 20, 2003 Posted October 20, 2003 Beat the game today. The ending was entirely too easy. Oh well, so was Max Payne 1. Time for the harder difficulty modes. Quote
JsARCLIGHT Posted October 20, 2003 Author Posted October 20, 2003 Time for the harder difficulty modes. I'm near the end and wishing I had those harder difficulty levels right now the first time through. Quote
GobotFool Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 (edited) playing it now, man is it awsome Not to get too off topic but a while back I heard about a game that was gonna be written by Orson Scott Card, what game was that? Edited October 27, 2003 by GobotFool Quote
Cdr Fokker Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 A little short, but definitely kicks ass. Beginning work on modding it now... (already have put bullet-drop ballistic effects in and tweaked damages and ROFs of most of the weapons... I should be getting Maya 5 within the next week or two and will start on new weapons then...) BTW, the discussion about specs necessary: my setup currently is- AMD Athlon XP 2600+ GeForce4 Ti 4400 (128MB) 512MB PC3200 RAM I only run MP2 at 1024x768, but all of the details are basically maxed out. Performance is very good, didn't bother to ever check my framerate, but I had no slowdowns at all (well, besides shootdodging and bullet time... ) Quote
LePoseur Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 AMD 2200, 1 gig memory and a 9800 all-in-wonder and Max Payne 2 is the crap! Of course it's too short, but that's the same as the last one. Hopefully HL2 will secure those objects down a little more though. The Havok 2 engine is great, but man.. talk about bull in a china store. Between this and HL2, and even Second Life, I'd love to be getting a piece of the Havok pie. Quote
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