Mona Sax (alternate)

Lore & Background

Mona Sax is a contract killer who Max Payne thought had died two years ago. In *Max Payne 2*, she is unexpectedly reunited with Max, and together they work to resolve a conspiracy filled with death and betrayal. The game's story is narrated from Max's perspective, who recalls events of the past few days. Mona is arrested by the NYPD for being a wanted suspect in the murder of a senator. After escaping a Cleaner attack on the police station, she sets out to hunt down those responsible with Max's help. Later, it is revealed that Mona is working for Senator Alfred Woden, the leader of the Inner Circle. Mona suddenly betrays Max and attempts to follow her orders to kill him, but finds herself unable to do so because of her feelings for him. Vlad then shoots her. In the main ending, Mona dies in Max's arms. In an alternate ending unlocked on the highest difficulty, Mona survives, and she and Max kiss.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell like needles on the rooftop. Mona Sax pressed her back against the wet brick, the Beretta cold in her gloved hand. Across the alley, a silhouette moved—Lem's man. She didn't flinch. Three shots, two hits, one escape. Below, the sirens wailed, but she was already gone, a ghost in the neon-lit streets. Later, in a dim apartment, she would find Max waiting, his eyes asking questions she couldn't answer. 'It's not that simple,' she said, and pulled him into a kiss that tasted of gunpowder and regret.

Reader's Guide

Mona Sax (alternate) is a playable character in *Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne*, appearing in several levels from the second and third chapters where the player controls her directly. She has access to a wide variety of weapons including handguns, shotguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and hand-thrown weapons. She can enable bullet-time, a mode that slows time while still allowing the player to aim in real-time, and can execute a shoot-dodge maneuver. The player can arm Mona with a secondary weapon such as a grenade or Molotov cocktail, and when near an enemy, she can pistol whip them. Her gameplay sections are designed to highlight her agility and marksmanship, offering a different pace from Max's more brute-force approach.

Did You Know?

• Mona Sax is voiced by Wendy Hoopes in *Max Payne 2*.
• Mona is playable in several levels from the second and third chapters of the game.
• In an alternate ending unlocked on the highest difficulty, Mona survives and she and Max kiss.
• Mona is revealed to be working for Senator Alfred Woden, the leader of the Inner Circle.
• Mona attempts to follow orders to kill Max but finds herself unable to do so because of her feelings for him.