Reviewed by: CNET Staff on February 27, 2009

The original Max Payne was an innovation in third-person shooter gameplay, allowing the main character to slow down time when dodging enemy bullets. Revamped Bullet Time gameplay returns in Max Payne 2, along with the expected impressive graphics, cinematic story line, and explosive weaponry. New features such as cooperative nonplayer characters and improved physics help this highly anticipated sequel improve upon the original.

Max can still slow down time by "shootdodging," but the most successful players will manage Bullet Time effectively to maximize damage. Slow-motion Bullet Time is now a limited resource that the player controls completely, and Max's own speed grows as he kills more enemies. Although this last feature seems a bit unrealistic, it does lead to extremely intense firefights, and it allows Max to survive battles with hordes of killers. Controls are logical and easy to learn, the interface is smart, and loading times are much better than you'd expect. The nonlinear story line of the sequel may confuse some gamers (especially those unfamiliar with the original), but once the shooting begins, everything should be crystal clear. Mature audiences only should download the demo, which offers three scenes from the full game.