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"Short but sweet" is a good way to describe 2001's Max Payne, as well as its newly released sequel. Actually, the main difference between Max Payne 2 and its predecessor involves more of the circumstances under which the games arrived than anything existing in the games themselves. The original was victim to multiple development delays and spent years in the making, but, despite being a relatively brief experience, it was a thrilling, stylish, violent action game that was ultimately worth the wait. The sequel, on the other hand, was announced just months ago and hit store shelves on exactly the day it was supposed to. This new Max Payne, billed as "a film noir love story," was certainly worth the wait too, though this time, the wait was brief. As long as you go into it without expecting a dramatically different--or longer--gameplay experience than the original, Max Payne 2 won't disappoint. On its own merits, it's a stunning shooter that's got a bit too much plot and is over too soon, though it's still incredibly intense and, by all means, worth experiencing.