When the original Max Payne first hit the streets, the prediction was that it would spark a swathe of imitations--not least, imitations of the bullet-time feature. Yet it never really happened, meaning that Max Payne 2, like its predecessor, is a little bit unusual. At heart, the game is another over-the-shoulder actioner, with Payne once again in the midst of an intelligent, well-developed story replete with unpleasant turns. And once more, the story is presented in a dark comic-book style with moody voiceovers and deeply atmospheric music. It positively drips with detail. At times, it"s mildly annoying that there"s so much story to get through, but there"s a fantastic game underneath it all. The levels primarily rely on action, and each feels suitably sombre, in line with the tone of Max"s adventure. Bullet time is back, and the game does it far better than even Enter The Matrix could manage. It"s an even more cinematic spectacle than before, yet a very handy gameplay device. You could argue that the game won"t last too long and that it"s perhaps a little linear, but these are very mild grumbles about a game that"s engrossing, addictive and completely unmissable. Here"s hoping we meet up with Max again, soon. --Simon Brew