Painkiller Reviews
This remake of Painkiller certainly tried to evoke that feeling of nostalgia, but ultimately proved to be inconsistent.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
With its main offering being the ability to shoot your way through Purgatory with friends, the shine wears off rather quickly.
The textbook definition of a rental game, Painkiller is a blast to play over a weekend, then never think about again.
The new Painkiller is not a good game. This is not a title that almost succeeded or has untapped potential that modders will fix. This is a short production, poorly made and ill-conceived at almost every level.
Painkiller is a mixed bag. It's a classic case of a reboot that successfully captures the feel of a modern shooter. The moment-to-moment gunplay is enjoyable and player movement is fluid and responsive. However, these strengths are almost completely overshadowed by the game's numerous design compromises such as mandatory co-op and an all too short campaign.
After a series of failed resurrections, Painkiller returns without a head, a tail, a soul, or a single reason for anyone to care. Maybe it’s finally time to let it rest in peace.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Painkiller is a reboot of the old 2004 shooter that’s now built around co-op for up to three players. You’ll battle hordes of demons in gothic, lavishly detailed environments. Painkiller offers replayability in its loop, but the repetitiveness made me not go for the replay, and I was able to finish it in a single sitting. The mechanics are fast and arcade, but the execution has some serious problems. Solo play is particularly weak due to ineffective bot companions. Teaming up with friends to mow through hordes of enemies is a plus. Enemies just soak up damage without reacting or staggering.
Painkiller is a fast and stylish shooter that delivers plenty of satisfying chaos, but it never quite lives up to its full potential. Its gunplay and presentation are top-notch, offering moments of adrenaline-fuelled (and brutally gruesome) fun that capture flashes of what made the original series so beloved… it just doesn’t have the depth or meat on its bones to keep players hooked in for the long-term. Painkiller is by no means a bad game, but it’s one that feels like it’s still searching for its soul. With stronger content, a little more ambition, and a clearer sense of identity, this could have been a triumphant return, but for now, it’s a fun but fleeting blast through purgatory. Here’s hoping that the developers flesh it out with more content soon, or this return might be short-lived.
Lacking identity, with shallow content and performance issues, Painkiller fails to honor the franchise’s legacy and stands as a completely forgettable experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It could have easily been marketed as a brand new IP set in Purgatory; it would have still been generic, the typical game to be released on Gamepass and enjoyed for a month, but it wouldn’t have felt like an attempt to cash in on a dormant franchise’s nostalgic appeal despite having nothing to do with it.
Painkiller is an odd example of reimaging a series, given it isn’t connected to the original game or featuring any of the characters or structure of the original. This is a co-op roguelite shooter that lacks true replayability and a desire to stick with it. Co-op is a blast, even with rando’s, but much of that satisfaction comes from our love of other games. Despite some incredible gunplay, level design, and a stunning soundtrack, Painkiller has a lot of work ahead to be part of the conversation down the road. It can certainly provide a great time, but it’s a brief spark that can’t keep the flame lit.
Painkiller is, unfortunately, a huge disappointment for an old fan of the series – such as myself. A great arena shooter with a dark atmosphere has been reduced to a co-op shooter without any soul or interesting ideas. Unfortunately, despite the nicely crafted locations and good overall artistic vision, many mistakes were made in the design of the gameplay itself.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Ultimately, I walk away from Painkiller with somewhat mixed, but overall fairly positive feelings. The gameplay is fast, satisfying, with rock solid peformance and excellent graphics making for a blast of a shooter. It is, however, Painkiller in name only, as not only it loses the series’ core aspects, but also is rather uninspired all around