Painkiller Reviews
An uninspired return, frantic and fun, but lacking the soul and depth that made the original Painkiller a cult game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Painkiller could be considered the median of all co-op shooters. It offers mindless running and gunning but doesn't go any farther than that. With equal good points and bad points, it's simply a game that doesn't offer anything new to the table.
Painkiller (2025) is a solid, if often flawed, co-op reimagining of a retro shooter that could have, honestly, been called anything else.
A catastrophic failure. Compared to the original, this remake collapses under the weight of its own misguided changes, resulting in a punishing experience that seems beyond repair.
Review in Persian | Read full review
If you want a few hours of low commitment demon slaying with friends, Painkiller does the job and does it with style where it counts most – in your hands and on your triggers. If you are hunting for something deeper, richer, or more distinct in today’s crowded shooter scene, this will probably feel like a stopgap rather than a staple.
Painkiller is an old-school cooperative shooter that's overall fun and quite adrenaline-pumping, sold at a price far from AAA. It boasts a good weapon system, as well as a cooperative experience that's generally enjoyable and satisfying enough. Currently, Anshar Studios' product has some obvious limitations, both conceptual and content-related, which undermine the overall experience. That said, continued support could ultimately make it one of the best options for those seeking a light-hearted and frenetic experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As a reboot of the 2004 game with the same name, this is a pretty poor entry. Changing what players loved from an emotional story to a generic multiplayer shooter doesn’t offer the best of gaming. That’s not to say this game isn’t good, it was a tonne of fun and with friends, trying to beat the missions on nightmare, I can see a lot of gamers enjoying this. Luckily, its saving grace is the amazing visuals and snappy gameplay, whilst it may feel repetitive, kept me coming back for more. Some more mission variety would have been nice but for a cheaper overall price at $60AU/$40US, this is a solid multiplayer game.
By distancing itself from its origins, the new Painkiller tries to reach a new audience by leaning into an online, co-op experience similar to many other titles in the genre, but it ends up aiming high while offering very little.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Painkiller is an honest production about its intentions: it wants you to shoot, explode, and customize your arsenal until you find the perfect combination for destruction. In this goal, it succeeds. The combat is satisfying, the weapon customization is robust, and the cooperative sessions deliver the expected chaos. The problem is that, surrounding this solid core, there is little content to sustain the structure. Nine stages across three biomes, repetitive enemies, and predictable level design cause the experience to quickly exhaust its freshness. For those looking for a few hours of unpretentious fun with friends, Painkiller delivers. However, for those expecting a shooter with the legs to last, the game remains trapped in its own purgatory of repetition.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Painkiller combines DOOM’s speed, Back 4 Blood’s cooperative chaos, and its own legendary flair for carnage. The refined weapon system, deep progression, and atmospheric visuals make it a must-play for fans of high-intensity shooters. Though brief in length, its sheer entertainment value and co-op replayability secure its place as one of the best action titles of the year.
Painkiller is a hard game to recommend. It’s certainly not made with the loyal fans in mind and does little to appeal to the new crowd. Even if you’re dead-set on getting on sale, I recommend buying your best mates extra copies because the real painkillers are the friends we made along the way.
Painkiller attempts to build on the legacy of the series whose name it carries. Yet it delivers very little content and offers almost nothing truly memorable. As such, it ranks among this year’s disappointments, though one can hope it won’t permanently tarnish the series.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The levels all look very similar, the characters play very similarly, and the story is forgettable. However, anyone looking for a classic shooter and who can convince their group of friends to buy "Painkiller" can certainly be entertained for a few hours.
Review in German | Read full review
Painkiller is an enjoyable experience, though one that varies greatly from what many fans were expecting it to be. The gunplay is fun, and in co-op the game can be a good time. However, it suffers from a lack of content and endgame, which may be made worse by the game’s dwindling player count
Leaving aside the extremely generic metal playing in the background, Purgatory's reboot of Painkiller is clearly more "metaphysical" in its subject matter, which seems like a missed opportunity.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Painkiller is a game that, while not entirely bad, doesn't quite click with me as a player of other similar titles, and I would have preferred the original experience brought to life with current technology.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, Painkiller is a decent title, although it is not designed for fans of the original, of which it shares little more than the name. For those looking for a fast-paced but light-hearted pastime to enjoy with friends, it could be a pleasant experience. For those feeling nostalgic, however, it will be difficult not to miss the charisma and brutality that made the first Painkiller so unique.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Painkiller's concept is far better than its execution. The concept of raiding and earning upgrades and tarot cards is fine in itself, but it defeats the purpose if you have no idea why you're doing it. After completing nine levels, you're done. The gameplay is so monotonous and there are no ranking features, so you basically have to entertain and satisfy yourself with customizations you can purchase. In terms of content, the game offers a decent amount of gameplay, around six hours, but you're pretty much done after two levels. The chaotic gameplay has little real skill; it's mainly shooting and more shooting. The light platforming elements and interactions you can perform in the levels don't make this any better. This doesn't make Painkiller the reintroduction we were truly hoping for, but it is a mindless shooter that plays simply and easily, but nothing more.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The game is an enhancement on the original and lots of fun as long as you accept it for what it is and enjoy the ride.
Painkiller reimagines the cult classic as a three-player co-op raid shooter, blending its breakneck gunplay with modern progression and a fresh take on heaven and hell’s eternal war. It doesn’t quite reach its full potential due to a short length, awkward mechanics, and limited content, but when the action hits, the promise of a great game is here.