(gamingbeasts.com) - Max.payne.2

: Completing the game on the highest difficulty ("Dead on Arrival") unlocks a secret alternate ending where Mona survives, though the third game later confirmed the original ending as canon.

: The sequel is widely praised for its "superhuman" speed and more fluid bullet-time mechanics compared to the original. Max.Payne.2 (GamingBeasts.com)

According to community reviews and historical context often cited in such write-ups: : Completing the game on the highest difficulty