The common prediction when Max Payne shot onto the scene back in 2001 was that it would spawn a slate of imitators, not least for its slo-mo bullet time gimmick, itself a loving testament to the film The Matrix. And yet those imitators didn't really happen. Save for a sloppy attempt in the official Enter the Matrix game, bullet time was left firmly in the domain of Max, while no game since has been able to capture the sheer cinematics that contributed to Max Payne's success. Well, not until now anyway.

A very warm welcome then to Max Payne 2, and ripping up convention for a second, we're going to get straight to the criticisms. If you found game one linear, then those moans aren't going to be settled here. If you - rightly - thought that game one was too short, then you're again going to be frustrated at the length of the sequel. And if you like games that plump you slap bang into the middle of the action, without bothering with luxuries such as a story, characters and a plot, then you've lucked out again.

Everyone else? This is a cast iron, solid gold gaming treat. From the very off it's quickly clear that the developers have opted for more of the same rather than the proverbial reinvention of the wheel, and have concentrated their energies on making what they've got extra special. In few areas does this manifest itself more than in the plot. Not only, you see, does Max Payne 2 bother to have a story, it has a really interesting and involving story, replete with twists, turns and a bit of dark romance at the heart of it all.

Sure, this may mean the game rarely gives you the freedom to explore that, for example, a Deus Ex might, but it does mean that you're left to sit back and let the game do a lot of the hard work, rather than you aimlessly traipsing around a virtual world with no sight of an A-Z. It also results in you getting very, very involved in the game, and the world it presents.

Onto the gameplay then, and the whole show follows the same over-the-shoulder angle of the original. There's a lesser amount of puzzle solving, a little more exploration and bags of action, and once again, clicking that right mouse button slows the action down, Matrix-style, allowing you a valuable advantage over a room full of people thirsting for your blood. Plus it adds a whole degree of panache to the proceedings, and the whole cinematic feel to the game.

And then there's the level design. Max Payne 2 has, in this reviewer's humble opinion, one of the finest levels to grace a computer game in recent times. It takes place roughly half-way through the game, as Max finds himself in a seemingly deserted fun house. From this simple set up, the game wrings so much tension that there's a slight danger your backside and chair may become disassociated from one another.

But then the game is full of moments like that, always willing to pull the rug when you least expect it, and bothering to throw in strange scenarios such as escorting a man in a children's entertainer costume while protecting him from gunfire. What's more, it never makes you question just how bizarre it can get until you sit back at the end of it all.

Max Payne 2 then is outstanding entertainment. There's no question it doesn't last long enough, which leaves you with a conundrum. Would you rather have a decent game that lasts you a while, or a five star effort that lasts you the weekend? Our vote's with Max.

At its best, Max Payne 2 is outstanding. It's a polished, involving and deeply engrossing action adventure that simply doesn't last long enough.