PlayStation 2

Max Payne

Max Payne has all the hallmarks of a classic noir adventure but with modern characters and settings?namely, a renegade DEA agent tracking the killer drug Valkyr in a blizzard-bound New York City. Max mixes dingy textures and bleak atmosphere with panels from a graphic novel and solemn narration to create a living, breathing, bleeding New York City underworld. Payne battles Mafia enemies that sound like cartoonish wise guys, but it?s Max?s vitriolic voice-over?full of hard-boiled phrases of melodrama and desperation? that gives the game the most character.

All in all PS2 gamers should welcome Max into their lives with a contended smile; though own it on PC if they have one. The graphics are a let down in a game otherwise worthy of it’s PC original, and include all the glorious innovations and subtleties we’ve come to expect. A case of so near, yet so far…

To end it off properly, allow me to mention this: between the three consoles the only substantial differences are the visuals. The PS2 version, unfortunately, suffers from a mixed back of textures. However, it doesn't look horrendous, so don't get the wrong idea. The gameplay is edgy, fierce, and there's no doubt that those who play it will enjoy it. But take note of the game's value, as it won't take too long to beat, give it 10 hours and you're there. When it comes down to it all, it's all about Bullet Time, and that alone is worth playing the game. The audio never ceases to impress, as the sound effects kick ass! The games biggest fault is the frame rate and the controls. Altogether, if you're looking for a solid PS2 action title, and you especially love John Woo flicks and the Syphon Filter series, this comes highly recommended.

The first person shooter genre has come a long way since its inception with Wolfenstein 3D, and others. FPS’s have become the jewel of the gaming industry, often pushing computers and consoles past their limit. As these games gained popularity in the PC world they have gradually made the transition to the console realm. Max Payne takes the genre one step further, although taking place in the third-person it inherits much from the FPS style of gameplay. Max Payne on PS2 blends an excellent story with interesting gameplay, decent graphics, and a couple original twists producing a unique gaming experience that is both a hit and a miss.

There has been much ballyhooing and hype surrounding Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment’s Max Payne game, ever since the initial screen shots of the PC version. The game was delayed for a couple of years to refine and smooth out the edges. When it was released earlier this year, the reviews were rave and the game turned out to be quite a good one.

A funny thing happened to me when I finished Max Payne early this morning. I felt incredibly empowered, and kept re-thinking all of the events of the game. I wanted to talk about it with everyone, without sounding too much like a caffeine-induced cretin yahoo, and I'm quite sure I failed. But a good game will do that to you. It'll make you talk. Max Payne will do that to you.

Unfortunately, the PS2 shows its limitations when it comes to playing an acceptable port of a PC title. That being said, this is still an awesome game, and if you haven’t played it on the PC or Xbox, you’ll never know what you’re missing. It is a PS2 port of one of the best games of last year after all – that should be enough to grab anyone’s attention.

Un très bon titre même s'il perd un peu de sa qualité avec ce passage sur PS2. On se félicitera toutefois de son arrivée sur la console Sony qui permettra aux possesseurs de la machine de le découvrir enfin. Sa réalisation est remarquable, son action passionnante et sa trame bien pensée, bref, aucune raison de s'en priver.

Revenge has a new name, and in Payne. Max Payne that is. Max Payne is an undercover cop that has been framed for murdering a fellow undercover cop. You must ggive revenge on the ones who framed you and kill your wife and baby kid.

Created by Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment, Max Payne was in production for a very long time. It's a gritty third-person shooter that's clearly inspired by the stylish cinematography and choreography of the Hong Kong action movie genre, particularly the work of director John Woo. Like many of Woo's films, Max Payne is rife with gunplay that's amazing to watch--and yet actually playing it is even better. Max Payne does have a few weaknesses.

Unfortunately, many of the things I’ve been praising this title for are the same things that made the PC version so great. As a port to a console system, it isn’t any surprise that the gameplay will be really fun, given that the PC version was a complete blast. I suppose, thinking about it, this is both a drawback and a feature of the PS2 version as, while it isn’t really suited for the console environment, Remedy has still produced a fun and playable title. Still, I can’t help but caution people that as a PC owner, Max Payne for the PS2 won’t get much gameplay while I’ve still got the PC version on my shelf.

If you have read Game Informer before, you already know that we think Max Payne on the PC was one of the best titles of 2001. Hands down, the game deserves it. Its Matrix-inspired, slow-motion gun fights (known as Bullet Time) just made blasting bad guys into next week feel so good. On the PC and even the Xbox, Max Payne is pure video game bliss. On the PlayStation 2, well…it’s just good. Now I know you are reading this and thinking to yourself that old Andy has lost it, but the fact of the matter is the PlayStation 2 version just isn’t quite the same. The save-anywhere feature has been removed, the control is not nearly as fluid as it needs to be, and something about the game just seems off.

Als je Max Payne reeds op pc gespeeld hebt, kan je beter wegblijven van deze PS2-versie, maar voor alle andere shootergamers in het bezit van Sony's next-gen console is dit verplichte kost.

Here I sit, frantically trying to come up with a witty and informative method for writng yet another Max Payne review. But I can't, so I won't. Just know that while the PC and Xbox versions are virtually identical, this PS2 incarnation sticks out like a sore thumb.

Conversion fidèle de la version PC, Max Payne sur PS2 bénéficie de tous les avantages de l'exercice mais aussi de quelques-uns de ses inconvénients. Les graphismes sont très réussis, l'ambiance et l'histoire toujours aussi prenantes et on se plaît à nettoyer New York de tous les gangsters qui nous courent après, le fusil en bandouillière. D'un autre côté, le gameplay n'a pas été particulièrement adapté et, même si c'est toujours aussi agréable de sauter partout au ralenti, la maniabilité est assez approximative. Certains passages (les cauchemars, notamment) sont des plaies et il faudra énormément de patience et d'abnégation pour espérer les franchir... ça rallonge un peu une durée de vie encore plus courte que l'original, mais les temps de chargement intempestifs ne sont d'ailleurs pas là pour motiver. Une adaptation réussie, malgré tout.

Max Payne amounts to little more than a really cool tech demo with an average game design stretched and made to fit around it. Its decent enough if you can overlook the repetition and you might even be entertained briefly, but its pretty clear that the gimmick made the game, and not the other way around.