Max Payne II Site Updated!

The official Max Payne 2 site from Rockstar games has launched. Over at the non-surprising URL of http://www.maxpayne2.com - you can check out a bunch of things. You can read about some of the new advances in Max Payne 2, some of the story outline, check out the system requirements, view some new exclusive screenshots, as well as other things including listening to some music from the game.

We'll have more information on the game shortly, but in the meantime, visit http://www.maxpayne2.com for more info.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 5:15 PM

More Magazine Max 2

Max Payne 2 has a few more cover articles out, and we've got a few more scans for you. One is from Australia (PC PowerPlay), and the other is from the US (Game Informant). Click on either of the thumbnails to check out larger versions.

Make sure and check your local newsstands for copies of these magazines, and the others we've mentioned below.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 5:15 PM

Blake Stone New CTO of Borland

UK news site "The Register" has reported on an article talking about one of our own, Blake Stone. He apparently has taken up a job at Borland as CTO of the company.

Stone rose to fame in 1993 through his exploits defeating the Aliens of Gold plot. He returned the following year to deal with the Planet Strike incident. "Blake Stone has made incredible technological contributions to Borland, helping our customers to maximize the value of software to their business and reduce the costs of new services," said Dale L Fuller, president and CEO of Borland, today.

If you want to read the full story about Blake Stone & Borland, you can click here.

Those of you who realize it's a joke can check out our information on Blake Stone here and it's sequel Planet Strike here.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 2:50 PM

More Magazine Max 2

The October issue of the US version of PC Gamer has started hitting subscribers' mailboxes. It has a preview of Max Payne 2 in it. Here's some of what they had to say...

* Bullet Time has been tweaked to allow you a few more slo-mo actions (including firing from the ground).
* While Max Payne 2 may be pitched as a love story, its focus is still on spectacular gunfights.
* What's new is the Havok physics engine, making enemy reactions to your shots all the more balletic.
* So how far does the poor bastard [Max Payne] have to fall?

Make sure and check the newsstands for the October issue of PC Gamer to read the full text of their preview.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 2:50 PM

One More Max Payne 2 Preview

The Max Payne 2 reviews are flowing.. Here's another one from Total Videogames. Let's get right to their quotes...

* 'The Fall of Max Payne' will feature even more, bigger and better textures throughout. Remedy have gone out in New York getting source material to make their digital representation of the rotten core of the Big Apple even more accurate.

* Max will not be fighting on his own the whole time, at certain points he will have comrades fighting alongside him, although this may not be because they're Max's bestest buddy, it's probably necessity rather than choice.

* Characters faces are the most immediately obvious improvement...

* Remedy wants there to be a lot more action and no down time when actually playing the game

Make sure and check out TVG's Max Payne 2 review right here.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 5:45 PM

Another Max Payne 2 Preview

Yesterday we brought you two Max Payne 2 previews, today we have another, this time from IGN. Let's get right to what they had to say.

* ...the sequel maintains much of what we loved about the first title while still taking enough risks to offer some surprises as well.
* But though these comic book sequences are still an important part of the presentation, Remedy is making an effort to tell more of the story through in-game sequences.
* The success of the first game and the involvement of Rockstar mean we can expect much higher production values this time around.
* Now making use of the Havoc physics engine, Max Payne 2 allows for some very realistic ragdoll effects.

IGN's got a two page preview of the game, as well as several screenshots - make sure and give it a read!

Posted by Joe Siegler at 3:25 PM

More Max Payne 2 Coverage

We told you before that when the information would start to come, it would come in waves. Last week we reported on magazine coverage of Max Payne 2. Today we bring you the two first (well, first known to us, anyway) Max Payne 2 web previews. They're by Gamespot & Gamespy. We'll get right to the comments in the previews...

Gamespy's article had this to say about Max Payne 2...

* ..fans of the original game can rest assured that Max Payne 2 should easily surpass whatever bars the first game raised.
* With improved real-time shadows, dynamic lighting and destructive elements, things really are getting pushed to the max (pun intended)
* Max will once again sport a small NRA arsenal in that fine Italian leather jacket, this time with enough firearms to satisfy any Hong Kong action cinema fan, while bullet time is back big time.
* Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne should have everything fans of the original would want

Gamespy also talks about the look of Max and the other characters, the plot (as much as was given away, which wasn't much), weapons, and much more. Check out Gamespy's preview here.

Gamespot's article had this to say about Max Payne 2...

* .. many aspects of the original game's presentation have been updated and improved for the sequel, including improved character models with facial animation...
* The sequel will also feature improved particle effects, which will provide more realistic-looking flames and smoke, as well as better-looking weapon effects.
* The improved graphics engine will allow for extremely detailed scenery textures for colorful graffiti spray-painted on walls as well as for run-down brick buildings papered with old movie posters.
* From what we've seen of the game, it seems like many, many aspects of the original game's presentation have been updated and improved for the sequel, including improved character models with facial animation, including Max, who went through most of the original game with a single, squint-eyed facial expression. Characters will be able to crease their brows and smile, frown, and speak with animated lips.

Gamespot's article covers most of the same territory as the Gamespy article (or is it the other way around? ). Gamespot's has a little more detail on the game's plot, but also talks about some specific weapons and character interactions. Check out Gamespot's preview here.

Both articles/previews are worth checking out, and both have screenshots in them, too, and both have lots of information that any Max Payne fan action gaming fan would be interested in. There will be more Max Payne 2 stuff coming soon, and when we hear about it, so will you.

Posted by Joe Siegler at 1:00 PM

More Max Payne 2 Magazine Covers

The CGW cover we reported on a couple of days ago is by far not the only appearance of Max Payne 2 on a magazine cover. Remedy has sent us scans of several other overseas (well, to us they're overseas ) gaming magazines that are also doing cover stories on Max. Here's a gallery for you to check out:

The covers come from these magazines (in order that they appear above):

* Gen4: France
* Micromania: Spain
* Pc Games: Germany
* PC Player: Denmark
* PC Zone Benelux: Benelux countris (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg)
* PC Zone UK: UK
* Pelit: Finland
* TGM: Italy
* CGW: US

Posted by Joe Siegler at 6:00 PM

Max Payne II Info is here!

You've waited quite awhile for news on the Max Payne sequel, and now we can tell you that there's information available now in the September 2003 issue of Computer Gaming World Magazine (US). As you can see by the magazine cover here, Max is the cover story!

The magazine is on newsstands now, so head on over to check out all the screenshots in the magazine, plus their exclusive preview of the game! Here's a small sample of what they had to say about it..

"Everything you'd expect to see in a Max Payne game is there and then some."

"Max Payne's signature bullet-time effect is, if anything, even cooler this time around, ratcheting up this feature's uniquely cinematic feel."

"Remedy has torn apart the rendering engine in order to create more insanely detailed and atmospheric environments - you can practically smell the rain during a rooftop shootout".

"More of Max Payne's singular brand of action can only be a good thing."

"Max Payne 2 should be an exhausting excursion into one man's personal hell."

There's plenty more where that came from, but to read the entire CGW article (including things like length of game, who the woman is in the game art, and much more), rush to your newsstand and pick up the September 2003 issue of Computer Gaming World today!

Posted by Joe Siegler at 1:35 PM