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Max Payne
by Jolex Del Pilar
Sunday, December 16 2001
Max Payne made waves on the PC, can it do the same on the PS2? Find out in our review.
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Title:
Max Payne
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Platform:
PS2
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Publisher:
Rockstar Games |
Developer:
Remedy |
#
of Players: 1 |
Genre:
Action
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Origin:
United States
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Expected
Release:
December 2001 |
Grapevine:
For years, the only way to experience these type of Kodak™ moments was watching IFC or renting videos from a corner store, no longer. Max Payne has arrived. |
I just finished watching "The Killer" by John Woo on IFC (Independent Film Channel for you non-digital cable subscribers). For a long time, I've been an avid fan of John Woo's "Hong Kong Blood Operas", and along with The Killer, and Hard Boiled, they make some of the most entertaining ways to spend a weekend. It isn't just the blood and gore that fans of HKBOs desire, it's the coolness with which the blood and gore happen. For instance, when Chow Yun-Fat dives to the floor, all the while firing 9mm shots from pistols in each hand, and then sees the guy behind him trying to take him out with a shotgun, and then Fat takes him out with a no-look behind the back shot... that's what we HKBO fans desire. For years, the only way to experience these type of Kodak™ moments was watching IFC or renting videos from a corner store, no longer. Max Payne has arrived.
Max Payne is in most respects the most perfect HKBO simulation ever released (perhaps the only one). Whether that was the intention of Remedy (and let's not kid ourselves, it was exactly their intention), this game will keep most of you action fans hooked for days.
Short Intro
Max Payne begins rather brutally. Max, a cop, comes home after a long day of undercover work to find that his home is a mess. Shattered lamps, broken doors, and graffiti litters his home from top to bottom. It's obvious to the player that someone has broken into the home. As he walks upstairs, the screams of his wife, and crying baby are heard. Then gunshots. These crazed drug-addict murderers soon face Max Payne and end up with a bullet in the skull, but it's too late. His family murdered, and without anything to lose, Max Payne begins the long journey to find out who sent the men that ended his families’ life.
While on his quest, Max Payne is played from the 3rd person perspective which works out quite nice, allowing the player to see every visible detail of the many gun fights Max will get into. The game is made up of 3 parts, which consist of 17 missions, some of which will have "boss battles", and some of which are simple plot-movers. The cinematics are displayed in the unique stylized comic book style with voice-overs (which happen to be excellent). Throughout the game, Max Payne will come upon a variety of weapons, and will make use of them. Some of the gun battles can involve Max versus 5 or 6 separate goons. With so much lead flying around, bullet time is almost essential for Max's survival.
Bullet Time
One of the most highly touted and interesting parts of the game is the concept of bullet time. Bullet time can be best described by one short phrase: "The Matrix Effect". When the player activates bullet time (by way of the analog L1 button), everything moves at a snail's pace, and bullets are visible, thus allowing the player to dive out of the way while firing if he/she should so choose. This effect, although overused in recent Hollywood movies, is one of the coolest gameplay elements to be brought to a home console. What makes bullet time so unique is the sheer amount of "cool" moments that will result from its use. For instance, during one particularly hot gunfight I was hit with a few 9mm bullets and was pinned down behind a box that wasn't going to hold off the bad guys for long. So I roll out from cover and charge the bad guys while using bullet time. I could see the bullets wizz past my head and waist as I dived toward them firing my shotgun and finishing them off. Simple fact, bullet time is cool.
Graphics
The graphics for the PS2 version of Max Payne are adequate. However, compared to the Xbox and PC versions (there is no Gamecube version planned), the game is a half step below. While the Xbox and PC versions of the game had little slow-down, and crisp textures, the PS2 version seems to suffer from moderate slow-down in chaotic encounters, and the textures just don't seem as crisp. A reader sent in an e-mail about the slow-down and if you disable the blur effect in the options, the slow-down seems to be solved. However, all in all, the graphics are satisfactory and do not degrade the game as to ruin the original PC versions spirit. The huge levels and numerous graphic effects make this game a winner, even with its faults.
Control
Controlling Max Payne is a bit of a "pain" in itself on any console. These type of games just scream for a mouse and keyboard, sadly a double analog controller is all we can hope for. Overall, both the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game didn't translate perfectly in the control department and require some concentrated learning. Using the double analog sticks controls Max Payne’s movement and aiming. That part is fairly easy. What really illustrates the flaws of the control in the PS2 version of Max Payne is the jumping puzzles. With a mouse, it's quite easy to reorient your direction. With a double analog, it can become confusing since you have to manipulate both sticks while jumping. Suffice to say, I had to repeat some of the jumping puzzles more than once.
Worth the dimes?
In the end, a review is a recommendation for purchase. For the PS2 version of Max Payne, I can give a positive recommendation just based on the fact the game is one of the coolest pieces of software available on any medium. However, if you own an XBox or high-powered PC (sorry Gamecube owners don't apply), then the PS2 version of Max Payne may not be your "best" option. However, if you're a PS2 hardcore or only own a PS2, then Max Payne is action gaming at its metaphorical best.
--- Jolex Del Pilar
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