Max Payne

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 154 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 124 out of 154
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 154
  3. Negative: 9 out of 154
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  1. JoshS.
    Feb 2, 2002
    3
    I haven't played any other version on any other platform. Just the PS2. I spent a lot of money to be incredibly annoyed. Compared to other games, it takes 'forever' to load each scene. The dual-stick requirement to move and try and lock-on a target while pressing the R2 (and L1 or L2 if you want the much-hyped 'bullet-time' mode which gets old really quickly) I haven't played any other version on any other platform. Just the PS2. I spent a lot of money to be incredibly annoyed. Compared to other games, it takes 'forever' to load each scene. The dual-stick requirement to move and try and lock-on a target while pressing the R2 (and L1 or L2 if you want the much-hyped 'bullet-time' mode which gets old really quickly) makes the game control a great displeasure. The authors spent a lot of time in the manual congratulating themselves but compared to the likes of Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid 2 or Grand Theft Auto III, they're kidding themselves. I can't believe they restart levels when you die by loading the game again (instead of keeping a moderately sized, short sequence in RAM like other games) and THEY DON'T LET YOU SKIP MOST DIALOGUE SCENES. You have to sit and watch them over and over again. I think a "3" is generous.… Expand
  2. BrandonH.
    Feb 12, 2002
    2
    Graphics on this game are terrible. They look like real photos embedded into the game. I would not recommend this game.
  3. JohnJ.
    May 13, 2005
    3
    I dont like the part where theres total darkness and he has to find a way out....it made me hate the game bcos that was stupid.
  4. Kevin
    Feb 12, 2002
    3
    This game was too much money for the small amount of gameplay it had. It was fun going through the first time but then it got boring the second time around. It had lengthy load times and the game playing time was too little. The game wasn't all it was advertised to be.
  5. DanP.
    Feb 4, 2002
    9
    Great action shoot em up controls had to learn at the start but once you get the hang of them they are o.k but the load time for cut scenes is far too long and the fact that you have to watch them over and over again stop this game getting a perfect 10.
  6. AdamS.
    Feb 4, 2002
    10
    I believe this game is the best and couln't get any better. IT KICKS ASS.
  7. MarshalM.
    Dec 23, 2001
    10
    After you get used to the controlling...this game is simply incredible.
  8. VanL.
    Jan 9, 2002
    10
    What can I say? This game just kicks some serious ass! The bullet time just makes it different from all the other 3rd person shooter games and with a serious arseneal of weapons and cool graphics it has got to be the best game ever.
  9. JayF.
    Apr 1, 2002
    10
    Great gameplay, with the codes you could play all night, good storyline, and nice violence, this is the next game that will make college kids fail that class, I am one of them.
  10. VidM.
    Jan 4, 2006
    8
    Bloody, good fun! Max wins the "Most Bomb Facial Expression" Award. Very short, but worth a few bucks to pick it up used.
  11. RyanV.
    Dec 30, 2001
    10
    I give this "wacko game" a 10 on 10! Very very good game! If you like 3ed-person shooter games...You will LOVE this game! Specially the matrix kinda thing were everything slows things down! Pretty Cool! Gotta buy it!
  12. DavidF.
    Feb 15, 2002
    6
    I must admit that I was quite impressed with this game at first. The bullet time feature was unlike anything else I had seen before but once I got bored with it the game lost most of its appeal. The graphics are slow and jerky in places and the story/voice acting through comic strips between levels is sooo chessy it's unbeleivable! Also the game itself is far too easy and can be I must admit that I was quite impressed with this game at first. The bullet time feature was unlike anything else I had seen before but once I got bored with it the game lost most of its appeal. The graphics are slow and jerky in places and the story/voice acting through comic strips between levels is sooo chessy it's unbeleivable! Also the game itself is far too easy and can be completed in 4 to 5 days. An enjoyable experiece at first but becomes very repetitive, on the plus side the controls are pretty good.… Expand
  13. Taylorw
    Feb 22, 2002
    10
    The game kicks ass! It is awesome. I love the imgrams!
  14. [Anonymous]
    Feb 4, 2002
    10
    Awesome.
  15. AndrewW.
    Mar 23, 2002
    9
    I get this game as import from ma videodealer. (In germany it has never found the way on market) It's very cool 2 blast everythin' with the 2-berettas. Grafix look also very cool (especially the poster in the bitch-rooms!). The only problem on this game is: the engine is sometimes too slow, if you're on the street (for xample in the tutorial) it "ruckelt" sometimes!
  16. FairlyOddparents
    Jun 16, 2002
    7
    He looks constipated!
  17. PIRANHAG.
    Jul 6, 2003
    7
    It´s a shame that this game is so short otherwise it would be perfect.
  18. RickP.
    Dec 30, 2001
    10
    Couldn't get any better.
  19. BogMan
    Jul 15, 2002
    9
    I haven't played any other version but i don't care, i'm still playing 6 months on. There is nothing else quite like it on ps2. It's similar to Deus Ex in the fact that it may not be the best conversion but the gameplay will suck you in.
  20. MueedM.
    Jul 21, 2003
    7
    I haven't played any other version of this game, but I kinda liked it. I got annoyed because I couldn't skip cinematics and once you die, you re load the game. A "7" is a pretty generous rating.
  21. CodyB
    Mar 17, 2009
    10
    Not since final fantasy 8 has a game been so good that it sucked me away from my social life. A multiple award-winning revolution for gaming back in 2001 (of course in competition with metal gear solid 2, gta 3, halo, and devil may cry) and won the hearts of many die-hard gamers such as myself. It's not necessarily a game to hate nor is it a game to give your own kids up for but all Not since final fantasy 8 has a game been so good that it sucked me away from my social life. A multiple award-winning revolution for gaming back in 2001 (of course in competition with metal gear solid 2, gta 3, halo, and devil may cry) and won the hearts of many die-hard gamers such as myself. It's not necessarily a game to hate nor is it a game to give your own kids up for but all the while, it's a revolutionary experience that all gamers should give a chance!… Expand
  22. ZiggyStardust
    Nov 11, 2002
    6
    A very weak port. This is the worst version of Max Payne you could get.
  23. Justinavery7074
    Dec 4, 2012
    9
    Man, it's **** dark. and that's a good thing. One of the best shooters at the time for PS2 and it probably still is one of them. It's like a movie.
  24. JayG203
    Feb 23, 2012
    9
    Max Payne is a game you either love or hate. The gameplay is extremely simple and never evolves, though the environment, the story and the way the story is told through perfectly narrated noire stylings, this can be a great game. Personally I love this game. Even though the graphics are not the best, it's completely immersive. The majority of the game you'll be fighting your way throughMax Payne is a game you either love or hate. The gameplay is extremely simple and never evolves, though the environment, the story and the way the story is told through perfectly narrated noire stylings, this can be a great game. Personally I love this game. Even though the graphics are not the best, it's completely immersive. The majority of the game you'll be fighting your way through snowy back alleys at night, dark parking garages and abandon hotels now occupied by junkies and vermin. The environment is what makes this game and if you don't like the environment, these's not much here for you. The story is a generic action affair: you're a cop who's now gone fugitive on the premise that your wife and child were murdered by gangsters and the police have a mixed bag of evidence on who did it. The gang is sleezy and deals drugs to junkies in some not so appealing places, setting the backdrop for where you'll find yourself. Along the way you'll also find connections between cults and politics and blah blah blah. There's not much here but cheezyness, but it's wrapped in noire comics style cutscenes that are really mindblowingly engrossing. Seriously, the comic book story telling is enough to get anyone interested. Now apart from all this great story telling, if you don't like it, you really have nothing. For the gameplay is just plain ok. You run around and shoot people in slow-motion and dive left to right. It's really damn simple and wouldn't get a passing grade in and of itself. where you find yourself doing it and your incentive for being there is what makes the game worth while. So in the end it's a decent action game with a very entertaining and engrossing story. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking into anything deep, though if you enjoy the occasional generic story, this will do well to catch you for longer than you'd think. The story may be same old, but the story TELLING is amazing, and the environments are some of my personal favorite in gaming. It's dark, it's cold, and it's damn well entertaining.â… Expand
  25. ihatecheez
    Oct 10, 2012
    8
    love this game! the story is engaging and creepy but just the right amount. bought this game for about 3$ just for the fun of it, didn't know what to expect and was blown away! the only things that i don't really like about this game is its frame rate, if you have the choice to play it on the xbox or pc, play it on that. but it doesn't break the game. at the end it gets a bit too hard but,love this game! the story is engaging and creepy but just the right amount. bought this game for about 3$ just for the fun of it, didn't know what to expect and was blown away! the only things that i don't really like about this game is its frame rate, if you have the choice to play it on the xbox or pc, play it on that. but it doesn't break the game. at the end it gets a bit too hard but, hey! everyone needs a challenge!… Expand
  26. iKen
    Apr 14, 2020
    7
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GOOD.
    Graphic: GOOD.
    Music/Sound: GOOD.
    Dialogue: GOOD.
  27. memus
    May 1, 2022
    8
    A game that "Enter the Matrix" wanted to be. Stands the test of time better than I expected. In reality, it's a mix of Matrix movies vibe and Half-Life inspired gameplay (and I mean both as a compliment).

    Played it on Xbox, by the way. Pros: + You can see how this game became a template for Control. E.g. in brutalist architecture, dream sequences and Finnish actors for all the cast.    A game that "Enter the Matrix" wanted to be. Stands the test of time better than I expected. In reality, it's a mix of Matrix movies vibe and Half-Life inspired gameplay (and I mean both as a compliment).

    Played it on Xbox, by the way.

    Pros:
    + You can see how this game became a template for Control. E.g. in brutalist architecture, dream sequences and Finnish actors for all the cast.
    + New York vibe totally works.
    + The grin on Max Payne's (Sam Lake's) face is priceless.
    + Comics!
    + The bullet time is still a decent (if maybe slightly overused mechanic).

    Cons:
    - No autosaving feels so dated. Why do I need to go to menu to save the game myself?
    - The graphics are not as great as I remember them from my childhood :)
    - Controls work fine, but you can see how they were retrofitted from PC. The biggest offender was the level when they take away your guns. And the need to scroll though all guns to switch them.
    - Some of the sections feel unnecessary long and repetitive.    … Expand
  28. kyle20ellis
    Mar 9, 2022
    10
    Rated M for Violence,Blood,Language and Some Sexual Content.

    I thought that 2001 was a great year for video games we had Grand Theft Auto 3(I have not played it but I did play Vice City and San Andreas and both were excellent).There was Halo one of the best first person shooter games in recent years and then we have Max Payne.An excellent video game with great graphics,awesome gameplay    Rated M for Violence,Blood,Language and Some Sexual Content.

    I thought that 2001 was a great year for video games we had Grand Theft Auto 3(I have not played it but I did play Vice City and San Andreas and both were excellent).There was Halo one of the best first person shooter games in recent years and then we have Max Payne.An excellent video game with great graphics,awesome gameplay and a good story.Max Payne is a gritty crime story about a cop who seeks revenge against the thugs who murdered his wife and child while also being framed for the murder of his friend.He must find and get revenge on the people who killed his family and clear his name.Max Payne introduces something new in a video game.That is Bullettime.Most of us saw the movie The Matrix which invented bullettime.Bullettime is basically a slow motion gun battle.In Max Payne you can kill people in slow motion.Max Payne is a very fun and good game with great graphics and gameplay and a good story to back the game up.Max Payne 2 The Fall Of Max Payne in my opinion is just as good as this one.

    10/10    … Expand
  29. njja02
    May 15, 2018
    9
    An excellent third person shooter with a gritty story that I enjoyed. I would recommend the PC version though.
  30. TheDudeFromIce
    Nov 29, 2015
    8
    Having not played this game till only this year, I massively regret not playing it earlier. The game obviously shows its age in the graphics department but everything else is terrific. Story is among the best I've ever experienced and just the whole creepiness of the setting is brilliant. The gunplay is terrific and very satisfying and can't forget about Bullet Time which is such a geniusHaving not played this game till only this year, I massively regret not playing it earlier. The game obviously shows its age in the graphics department but everything else is terrific. Story is among the best I've ever experienced and just the whole creepiness of the setting is brilliant. The gunplay is terrific and very satisfying and can't forget about Bullet Time which is such a genius thing to include.

    The PS2 version does have some slowdown at times but nothing to terrible. PC version is probably better in many ways but the PS2 version is solid enough for anyone.    … Expand
  31. eva3si0n
    Oct 17, 2021
    9
    Max Payne will always be relevant. Living classics. Yes, now it is difficult to play the original, also on the PS2. Management makes itself felt. Fortunately, it would be difficult to pass the game without Auto AIM. In 2001, Remedy created a revolution. Gameplay still looks great, most modern linear actions seem boring against the background of the first part of Max Payne. It feels someMax Payne will always be relevant. Living classics. Yes, now it is difficult to play the original, also on the PS2. Management makes itself felt. Fortunately, it would be difficult to pass the game without Auto AIM. In 2001, Remedy created a revolution. Gameplay still looks great, most modern linear actions seem boring against the background of the first part of Max Payne. It feels some tightness of action, and of course in the difference between the version on PC in the PS2 version there are a lot of downloads, so you can't skip cat scenes either.… Expand
  32. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Apr 23, 2022
    8
    The PS2 version of Max Payne is the version that I played since I didn't own a PC. This isn't a very pretty port nor does it feature every section of the PC game. But it's still a lot of fun. A gritty crime-themed shooter set in a snowy New York City, it pairs very nicely with Grand Theft Auto III. I remember loving every minute of it. I'd rate this port with an 8.4 out of 10.
  33. AKthaBeast
    May 7, 2018
    9
    The pioneer of the bullet time/slow motion gameplay with a unique way of telling the story like a comic. Excellent in it's time but as games evolved, the gameplay now would be considered clunky af
  34. DanBrekker
    Jun 16, 2018
    5
    While I admit I haven't played much into the game, there's a good reason why. While the story is intriguing, and the combat is utterly badass when it works, the basic controls I feel are uncomfortable and not responsive. It might just be a case of me not being good at the game, but I have experienced moments of true badassery form this game, I know potential exists, it just has aWhile I admit I haven't played much into the game, there's a good reason why. While the story is intriguing, and the combat is utterly badass when it works, the basic controls I feel are uncomfortable and not responsive. It might just be a case of me not being good at the game, but I have experienced moments of true badassery form this game, I know potential exists, it just has a tendencies to switch me off.… Expand
  35. Raymond86
    Jul 9, 2022
    8
    The noir game of the PS2 era. The action gameplay was about a decade ahead of its time.
  36. neojotic
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Another great title from Rockstar games for PS2!

    A must have for your PS2 collection! Great levels and controls are similar to those in GTA.

    Cool story and cut scenes in the game too.
  37. Xrayplayer
    Dec 16, 2020
    8
    Fun gameplay it's repetitive but enjoyable the shooting and slow motion aspects never got old for me , the platforming sequences can get frustrating at times but they're not too many of them thankfully.
    The story is a typical revenge story but it made me care for max at least...
    I love the siting and the graphics looks good for an early ps2 game It's a solid third person shooter.
  38. tsschindler
    Sep 3, 2021
    9
    While playing Control recently, I encountered some Max Payne references and it made me wonder how is this classic shooter holding up today. I remembered it being a dark, gritty experience, with good storytelling and addictive gameplay (it’s a Remedy game after all). Without much thought, I jumped into PS2 port of Max Payne and I must say it’s still a hell of a game.

    What do I start    While playing Control recently, I encountered some Max Payne references and it made me wonder how is this classic shooter holding up today. I remembered it being a dark, gritty experience, with good storytelling and addictive gameplay (it’s a Remedy game after all). Without much thought, I jumped into PS2 port of Max Payne and I must say it’s still a hell of a game.

    What do I start with? I guess the plot is the main feature of Remedy’s first big release. It’s a classic revenge story dressed up in noir aesthetics. A DEA undercover cop, Max Payne is framed for murder and hunted by every possible organization in New York. Gradually, he discovers how the rotten establishment of the city is responsible for his family’s brutal murder a couple years prior to the events of the game. How do you avoid cliché in here? Well, the exaggerated noir style neutralizes most of it, especially by how the narrative is conducted: between gameplay periods, you read a visual novel explaining what is going on and why. Putting anything into comic book frames changes the perspective for the better (nobody says superheroes are crap and most narratives of the superhero genre that I know are way inferior to Max Payne, believe me). Rockstar, the publisher, was so sure about it that they released an actual comic book based on the game (along with Max Payne 3). Besides that, some self-ironic elements are present in the narrative, so the writers did a really good job on this matter, especially that telling a badass-noir-revenge-story is not easy after it being used so many times in popular culture. Classic Remedy tropes, like occult, esoterics and multiple popculture references are there too.

    The gameplay supports the story (or the other way round?) with well designed, diverse levels (prologues!), bullet time mechanics (an icon of the franchise) and looooots of shooting. In terms of difficulty – the game is generally pretty hard, getting almost brutal in the last two chapters. PS2 doesn’t make it any easier: no quicksaves in this version! Instead, levels are chopped into smaller chunks which definitely makes Max Payne more demanding but frequent checkpoints create a feeling that the game is progressing quickly.

    Visually… Well, just look at Max’s face and you will get the answer (and get to know Sam Lake, game’s scriptwriter who gave his face to the main hero). Soundtrack is pretty memorable and fits co-creates the aura of damnation Max Payne is full of.

    Playing on PS2 you’re also paying the price for the popularity of this console: as many PS2 ports, made only to capitalize on the player base, it’s not the best version of the game. Optimization could be much, much better (FPS count is going down drastically in more demanding situations, which is annoying sometimes). Auto-aim, so crucial in console shooters is going crazy from time to time, and controls in the drug nightmare levels are too clunky for the amount of precision those levels require. Some of us might be annoyed by frequent loading screens. Yet still, it’s fully playable, I had no problem beating it – but I’m sure it’s more fun on the PC (or Xbox, as the internet suggests). And if you think that Rockstar did their homework and the port of MP2 for Sony consoles is better – they didn’t. Get it on Steam.    … Expand
  39. MantaOrlando
    Apr 29, 2022
    2
    So in my original review I were a bit to harsh on this version. I would've enjoyed my time with it if it weren't for the low fps and huge frame drops. If this port were at least a bit more polished I wouldn't have felt to complete this game just to get it over with. The aiming system is also a bit too sensitive but it's manageable.

    Now onto the positives. I give this game just 2 points    So in my original review I were a bit to harsh on this version. I would've enjoyed my time with it if it weren't for the low fps and huge frame drops. If this port were at least a bit more polished I wouldn't have felt to complete this game just to get it over with. The aiming system is also a bit too sensitive but it's manageable.

    Now onto the positives. I give this game just 2 points for the popularization of bullet time and the theme.

    Sorry guys, but this version is one to skip, play the PC version instead.    … Expand
  40. Txuso
    Feb 25, 2023
    9
    Como pude perderme esta joya de la ps2 en la adolescencia... Jugado en la PS4 y me ha parecido de culto. Aunque... tiene varias cosas que dan dolor de cabeza:
    - no tener una posibilidad de ir lento caminando.
    - los niveles que vas drogado son dolor de huevos.
    - las granadas en general.
  41. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    5
    I loved the atmosphere, but the game was absolutely boring and repetitive, and very hard also. I played it for hours and hours but never beat it, as far as I remember.

Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best PS2 Game of 2001
19
#19 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2001
11
#11 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. GamerWeb Sony
    73
    Somehow Remedy Entertainment made the PS2 look like an old man when compared to the new console and the tried and true personal computer.
    Read full review
  2. All Game Guide
    70
    Even if the overall experience is a bit too short, the length to which it goes to inspire some real John Woo-style gunplay and adrenaline is impressive and definitely deserves praise.
    Read full review
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    75
    Once Bullet Time’s novelty wears off, you’re left with a repetitive shooter, blasting the same species of enemy over and over. [Feb 2002, p.158]
See all critic reviews »