"Firing a gun is a binary choice. You either pull the trigger or you don't."

Keeping this one brief, I have similar feelings of Max Payne 2 to the first game. It gets the job done, for being a sequel; improved presentation, more cinematics, and expanded gameplay that fixes a few issues from the original. And of course, Sam Lake's writing is weirdly satisfying.

The only thing I can't really say I'm a fan of with this sequel, in comparison, is its overall plot. This is a story about love, following up the first game's story of revenge, and thus doesn't find itself going into similar bizarre, action-packed setpieces. It results into a narrative that is both simpler and often convoluted. (Those funhouse sections are pretty fantastic, though.)

That issue with the narrative aside, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is a must-play, for those who enjoyed the first game. It may not seem necessary at first, but with its shorter length, it fills extremely well into this dark duology of a detective filled with loss and vengeance.