- Publisher: 3D Realms , Saber Interactive , Prime Matter
- Release Date: Oct 21, 2025
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
- Summary:
- Developer: Saber Interactive, Anshar Studios
- Genre(s): Action, Shooter, First-Person, Arcade
- # of players: Up to 3
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 1 out of 21
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Mixed: 18 out of 21
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Negative: 2 out of 21
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Nov 7, 2025Painkiller is a fast and frenetic arena shooter that evokes the best elements of its predecessors. Gunplay is tight, movement is quick and fun, encounters are well-designed, and the weapon upgrade mechanics are fun to explore. While the raids are an enjoyable ride and Rogue Angel offers some variety in replay value, it’s kind of disappointing that there wasn’t a cohesive story to be told. Couple that with matchmaking already showing signs of distress, and I have to wonder if this wouldn’t have been better served as a narrative single-player experience. Still, what’s here is a blast, especially if you have a couple of friends to play with.
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Oct 26, 2025It's not the return fans of the series were hoping for, but that doesn't stop it from being a decent cooperative shooter. It does, however, need more content.
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Nov 12, 2025Painkiller 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.
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Oct 27, 2025Painkiller (2025) is a game that hits hard in the moment, but fades away as soon as the screen goes dark. It’s a well-crafted exercise in style, where rhythm, co-op action and technical solidity take center stage, yet they’re not enough to summon the fury and identity that once made the original a legend. Behind the metallic blaze and the storm of bullets, something essential is missing: a beating heart, a vision, a damned soul capable of leaving a mark. Because metal in your ears isn’t enough to bring a demon back to life, you need a heart too. And sadly, this one doesn’t have it.
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Nov 3, 2025An uninspired return, frantic and fun, but lacking the soul and depth that made the original Painkiller a cult game.
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Nov 5, 2025A solid, unremarkable co-op shooter that lacks ideas, identity, and variety. Painkiller fans will be disappointed.
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Oct 28, 2025The 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.