Where have you been? A question I ask as I look around finding out more information on an almost forgotten, torn, noir hero. Welcome back Max! It's been awhile. Gone since 2003 Max Payne 2, long awaited hero returns to the scene a bit different than before.
He's older, harder, darker. Scarred with his fall to the bottom, not absent is his violent nature in getting things done. The world aound him has just moved on...and so has he. One more chance at living a good life? We'll see.
With a new look, if not labeled, you would be hard pressed to realize that this guy is in fact Max Payne. Stronger, bald and with a thicker build, yup that's him alright.
Quick recap: if you haven't played through Max Payne 1 and 2, there will be obvious spoilers. Do not read any further if you want to enjoy those two titles. (which by the way are currently available for download on xbox live)
Here's the story so far: Max Payne 1...
It all starts with some tragedy, doesn't it always, young police officer Max Payne returns home to find his family murdered by some junkie high off of a new drug, then, called Valkyr. hungry with revenge, max gets into the DEA and eventually becomes an undercover agent in the Punchinello crime family.
Now in the midst of a meeting with fellow agent Alex Balder, Max is targeted in a murder investigation when Balder is killed by an unknown assassin. Now his cover is blown, what can he do? What Max knows best, he launches his own one-man army assault on the Punchinellos. Max almost thought of everything until, the hired assassin Mona Sax drugs him and leaves him for dead at the hands of the Punchinellos.
The story gets deeper and bigger when Max discovers that the drug conspiracy reaches the ranks of the U.S. military. Realizing now that his wife's murder was not an act of random violence, instead it was a paid job to silence his wife for uncovering the truth.
After more lies and cover ups, Max meets up with Senator Alfred Woden, a leader of a secret society calling themselves, "Inner Circle". He tells Max that if he can dispose of Nicole Horne, CEO of the Aesir Corporation and foundation of the Valkyr drug conspiracy, that he would be released of the murder charges.
Finale, Horne dead, Mona Sax (presumably) dead, and Max set free.
...Max Payne 2 starts at about 2 years after the first round of events. This time Max is investigating a group of serial killers calling themselves the Cleaners. One day he comes across none other than Mona Sax. Mona in this game is now a fugitive, wanted for the killing of a powerful Washington figure, Senator Gates. Max tries to help her out, but she ends up being arrested.
As Mona sits in her cell, a group of Cleaners raid the station, there to kill Mona. Mona barely escapes and meets up with Max at her place only to fight off another attack. Max and Mona eventually tracks some Cleaners to a construction site, where they both encounter Max's partner Valerie Winterson. Valerie holds Mona at gunpoint, Max believes Mona that Valerie is there to kill her, and shoots his partner. Valerie gets one last shot at Max before she dies, wounding him. Mona escapes during the ruckus.
Max finds out that the Cleaners work for a Russian Mafia leader named Vladimir Lem, also connected to Inner Circle.This is where Max finds out that Mona was hired by the Russian Mafia to kill him. Lem finds out through their conversation, that Max has killed Winterson and shoots him in retaliation.
Mona shows up just in time to save Max's life, and go to Woden's mansion to protect him from Lem.
Mona again tries to fulfill her contract to kill Max, but is overcome with feelings, emotions and love for Max. Lem arrives and confronts Woden. Woden gets killed as he makes a move for Lem. Mona gets shot during the farce, leaving Max alone to go after Lem as the mansion explodes around them.
The end comes with Max and Lem in a fierce final battle that leaves Lem dead, and Mona dying in Max's arms. (Mona lives in an alternate ending).
These past events are still elusive as to whether or not they will tie into Max Payne 3, but looking at the history, there's sure to be some pieces of THIS past coming into play.