One of the most interesting aspects of MDK2 is the exceptional blend of humor within its dark atmosphere. While the characters and levels have a dark tone, they are often offset by the comical banter of Dr. Hawkins. The enemies contribute to this as well with grunts and cheers of excitement after a successful hit; the various cutscenes also display humor with Max busting through a ship and shooting mini aliens who run in fear. The bosses, despite their evil demeanor, also contribute with one asking, “Who’s your daddy?” Most of the more humorous aspects come from the least likely places. Surprisingly this works well with the dark futuristic look; it helps to add to the game’s creative nature and eccentric persona.

The characters themselves cannot be chosen, but are playable as to when they are necessary in the story. This helps the story to flow very well, and lets the player interact with events rather than just read it. The variety that each character brings to their parts helps to keep the experience fresh and hold the player’s interest. Since MDK2 is lengthy, there are plenty of opportunities to play as your favorite character.

You will start off playing as Kurt and his portions will require more of a stealth approach. When using him it is important to keep a low profile and take out your enemies from a distance with the sniper rifle. His inventory will soon fill up with grenades, a cloaking device, rapid-fire chain gun, and a black hole bomb among other things. His main asset though, naturally, is his sniper rifle. The sniper rifle is essential for surviving since you can do away with enemies from afar without putting yourself into great danger. It is also implemented into quite a few puzzles which keeps not only the trigger finger busy, but the mind as well.

Max, on the other hand, is not one for being subtle. This is the gung-ho style segment that many will find the most enjoyable. With his six legs Max can hold four weapons at the same time which can equal into some heavy firepower. Along the way Max will find uzis, shotguns, and a handy jet pack to aid in his carnage. The most nerve racking parts with Max is when he is flying up between floors and running out of gas for the jet pack. The conservation of fuel is important since he will often be too high up to survive the fall. Add the constant enemy fire and you will see why he will thrill the action crowd.

The good doctor, Dr. Hawkins, has the most unique portion. When playing as him the gamer must solve various in-level puzzles that require both the objects he finds and using the enemies to bypass certain situations. He must combine various items to make either deadly weapons such as the Atomic Toaster or the Leaf Blower; otherwise the items are used to make tools to help him get out of tricky situations. One particular moment is when the player must build a ladder from pipes and tape. When doing so he may find something to anchor it on to and proceed with the level.

The characters keep the story moving along nicely and make things interesting. While the major aspect of MDK2 is enjoyable there are still some small nagging faults. The controls are very touchy and the game is extremely difficult, which manages to only increase over time. Can this be enough to bring down what would appear to be a solid title?