Initially, the player's weapon is a 9mm pistol. Max Payne 2 is a third-person shooter, in which the player assumes the role of Max Payne, and plays as Mona Sax in a few levels. A sequel, Max Payne 3, was released in 2012. Max Payne 2 received several industry awards, including Outstanding Art Direction at the Golden Satellite Awards 2004, and Editors' Choice Awards from GamePro, IGN, and GameSpy. Despite the positive reception, the game sold poorly, leading Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive to cite Max Payne 2 's sales as a cause for the company's reforecast finances of 2004. Max Payne 2 received highly positive reviews from critics, with praise focused on its action and story, while criticism targeted its short length.
Max Payne 2 continues the story of the titular character, a detective for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and former vigilante, as he is reunited with contract killer Mona Sax and must work with her to resolve a conspiracy full of death and betrayal. It is the sequel to Max Payne (2001) and the second game in the Max Payne series. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is a third-person shooter video game developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Rockstar Games in October 2003.