The "bullet-time" mechanic was only part of what made the original a cut above the rest;. Gone is the atmospheric neo-noir setting; gone are the dingy motel pool halls and eerie snow covered streets, where Laura Branigan's proverbial "creatures of the night" roamed.

Instead, we are given a pretentious tale told in bustling, populated, sunny Brazil, told in Tarantino-esque non-linear fashion; wholly unesseary for what is essentialy a run of the mill dumb action movie plot.

What does remain is Max's constant monologues; there are some great noir-ish lines delivered here and there, but Max's tale is so superflously nihilistic and violent that any extended playthroughs left me feeling depressed and empty.

I have never complained about video game violence before; and this is a veteren of "Soldier of Fortune" speaking, but the violence really is extreme. Were this done for the purpose of delivering some poignant message, that would be understandable, yet given that Max accumulates a kill count that would make Pol Pot weak at the knees, all with delightfull achievements inluding (but not limited to) 1000/2000/3000 kills/headshots/crotch-shots complete with equally delightful slow motion headshots; a commentary on violence this is not.

The "bullet-time" mechanic was only part of what made the original a cut above the rest;. Gone is the atmospheric neo-noir setting; gone are the dingy motel pool halls and eerie snow covered streets, where Laura Branigan's proverbial "creatures of the night" roamed. Instead, we are given a pretentious tale told in bustling, populated, sunny Brazil, told in Tarantino-esque non-linear fashion; wholly unesseary for what is essentialy a run of the mill dumb action movie plot. What does remain is Max's constant monologues; there are some great noir-ish lines delivered here and there, but Max's tale is so superflously nihilistic and violent that any extended playthroughs left me feeling depressed and empty. I have never complained about video game violence before; and this is a veteren of "Soldier of Fortune" speaking, but the violence really is extreme. Were this done for the purpose of delivering some poignant message, that would be understandable, yet given that Max accumulates a kill count that would make Pol Pot weak at the knees, all with delightfull achievements inluding (but not limited to) 1000/2000/3000 kills/headshots/crotch-shots complete with equally delightful slow motion headshots; a commentary on violence this is not.