Parents' Guide to

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

By Jeremy Gieske, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Shooter's intriguing story is for adults only.

Game Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 2003
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Pom123
Pom123 Adult
December 15, 2015
age 10+

This title has:

Great role models
Easy to play/use
Vinchenso
Vinchenso Adult
April 5, 2010
age 17+
Good game but the controls are different to the first game so if you played the first game the controls will mess you up you will have to get use to it and not good for kids

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 6 parent reviews

What’s It About?

MAX PAYNE 2 bills itself as a \"film noir love story.\" Twisted by a world of corruption, Max is a cop who doesn't really have anyone to trust, even himself. Max finds himself in a hospital, badly wounded and hallucinating about things of the recent past --primarily fixated on his obsession with Mona, the femme fatale of the game. Much of the plot is revealed in comic-book style cut scenes with voiceovers narrating the text.

Even with some attention to a storyline, much of the game is about the fancy shooting. Max Payne 2, along with a multitude of recent games, offers a slow-motion option, which puts you at an advantage against your foes, and makes for some \"cool\" looking shooting moves.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (4):

Although definitely not for kids, Max Payne 2 is a step above most first-person shooting games. The story is dark and intriguing, almost like a novel, with a richer plot than most first-person shooters. Nonetheless, with a wide collection of guns, and the now almost ubiquitous slow-motion shooting, the game is a shooter at heart.

Other considerations include the mature sexual themes and the level of strong language. There isn't any nudity, but several audio segments sound like they are lifted from a porn movie. In a new twist on "media integration," some of the ads and shows on fake TVs are linked to elements within the game, including some ads for a phone sex line and a "late-night" porn show. The glorification of violence, sexual content and profanity provides little chance for kids to compare and contrast "morality," but does offer yet another chance to "empty another clip."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film noir aspect of this game. Is Max a good guy? Is he a moral person? Why or why not? What makes someone a "good guy" vs. a "bad guy"?

Game Details

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