Painkiller (2004)

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 394 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 304 out of 394
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 394
  3. Negative: 24 out of 394
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  1. Firmar
    Aug 13, 2010
    10
    Bloody massacre coupled with unusual weapons. One of the first big titles with Havok physics.
    This is most unexpected game which rightfully earned AAA status in gamers' minds shortly after release.
  2. BitBurn
    Apr 15, 2004
    8
    It's aiight... Reminds me of Quake 1 but with much better graphics! I dig it...
  3. JhonnyM.
    May 4, 2004
    10
    BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!
  4. Tom
    Jul 26, 2004
    10
    Suuuuuuuuuch cool, gr8 weapons, physic, and suuuuuuuch interesting... :D ...and polish 8) (I'm proud of it!)
  5. spartan-117
    May 8, 2011
    8
    Intelligent beautiful and bloody, hell...
  6. MrPortoPimenta
    Jul 14, 2013
    10
    The gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
  7. LegitGamer1995
    Sep 10, 2017
    10
    This is my first review on Metacritic, so here we go. As a kid, I always enjoyed Painkiller. Back when I first played it in 2006/2007 (maybe, IDK) I'd spent countless hours on the PC blasting away demons with the chaingun/rocket launcher, pinning zombies to the wall with a stakegun, and killing just about
    every monster this game had to offer with my trusty shotgun. All five chapters, each    This is my first review on Metacritic, so here we go. As a kid, I always enjoyed Painkiller. Back when I first played it in 2006/2007 (maybe, IDK) I'd spent countless hours on the PC blasting away demons with the chaingun/rocket launcher, pinning zombies to the wall with a stakegun, and killing just about
    every monster this game had to offer with my trusty shotgun. All five chapters, each with unique settings and it's fair share of monsters. I enjoyed the hell out of the boss fights; fighting a huge monster in the Enclave, trying to take down Thor's hammer in Ruins, and destroying statues that gave Alastor some health. Some levels I enjoyed, some levels I didn't. Like Monastery, because that
    level gave me a hard time. Even though it was the constant process of going through checkpoint after checkpoint with doors closed, then blasting some monsters, and having the cycle to repeat itself over and over again, I still had lots of fun. If my dad hadn't showed me this game, I don't think I would've had the same childhood I had today.    … Expand
  8. BobL.
    Apr 19, 2004
    8
    Good game, good graphics. If anyone ever played serious sam they will love this game. gameplay is the same but sooo much more demented...
  9. PhilW.
    Aug 8, 2007
    10
    Sublime graphics and gameplay. Even in 2007 there are few games that match it visually. The music is fantastic, the atmosphere can be horrific, psychadelic and demonically humorous. A must buy for anyone with a pulse.
  10. MarkR.
    Mar 5, 2008
    9
    Fantastic game. Oozes atmosphere with superb graphics and sound. Very simple arcade gameplay and with great 'pick up and playability. Absorbing environments and enemies, coupled with some amazing weapons make this my all time fav horror game. Love the clowns in the expansion!
  11. DavidS
    Jan 9, 2009
    10
    Painkiller is simple and focused, and although its niche gameplay will turn off some, those who can appreciate its deliberate repetitive and un-complex gameplay will find it to be surprisingly deep, polished, and thrilling. My only objection is the game's story, which is unneccasary, and depressing. However, since the story doesn't actually enter into the gameplay, and all Painkiller is simple and focused, and although its niche gameplay will turn off some, those who can appreciate its deliberate repetitive and un-complex gameplay will find it to be surprisingly deep, polished, and thrilling. My only objection is the game's story, which is unneccasary, and depressing. However, since the story doesn't actually enter into the gameplay, and all cutscenes are skip-able, so I don't feel the need to deduct points for it. Think of it as a diamond that has a piece of ugly rock embedded in it. Once the rock is removed, you still have a diamond.… Expand
  12. C.A.
    May 11, 2004
    10
    Great title with involving story.
  13. SmuqeQ.
    Jun 7, 2004
    9
    Very good game. The graphics are great, and monsters look great. It's also nice to see those skeleton guys takin those fatso shooters as shield. And, it's fun to watch when enemies suddenly begin to fight each other. Well, anyways this game is great.. But those who want something more than a brainless shooting, leave this game in the shop.
  14. Cyberxero
    Sep 30, 2004
    9
    This game is sooo coool.The graphics are awesome,the physics are awesome and the weapons give you a sense of power over your enemy and are very unique.The bosses are so cool and so fun to fight and there are so many variations in the enemies.I think painkiller did what Doom 3 tried to.What I mean is that the first doom games were frantic and fun but Doom 3 was all dark and spooky and the This game is sooo coool.The graphics are awesome,the physics are awesome and the weapons give you a sense of power over your enemy and are very unique.The bosses are so cool and so fun to fight and there are so many variations in the enemies.I think painkiller did what Doom 3 tried to.What I mean is that the first doom games were frantic and fun but Doom 3 was all dark and spooky and the most enemies I fought at once was only like 5.Painkiller brought the old school FPS that the original doom games and quake games started and simply made the graphics,physics,and gameplay funner and better.Pretty cool game overall,worth checking out and probably buying.And the thing that doesnt make it repetitive is the new levels,new bosses,new weapons,and new enemies.Very fun game in my opinion!… Expand
  15. AleksasM.
    Jul 9, 2006
    10
    supreme graphics and physics, supreme soundtracks and music, variety of total free action (not like in doom3), big landscapes, fastest multiplayer ever created, original levels based on real structures in this world, insane bloodfest - monsters gib very naturaly, high potencial of making all sorts of trickjumps and other things, plus unique features like painkillerjumping, gibing, tarot supreme graphics and physics, supreme soundtracks and music, variety of total free action (not like in doom3), big landscapes, fastest multiplayer ever created, original levels based on real structures in this world, insane bloodfest - monsters gib very naturaly, high potencial of making all sorts of trickjumps and other things, plus unique features like painkillerjumping, gibing, tarot cards and demon morph and of course - the bigest bosses ever seen in FPS. Forget Serious Sam.… Expand
  16. JamesP.
    Feb 10, 2007
    10
    Mindless violence perfected, who wouldnt love it?
  17. JohnS.
    Feb 2, 2007
    10
    Perfect. Just perfect, Taking out an entire army of demons to save yourself and get into heaven, killing giants, The blood lust is perfect.
  18. WesleyC.
    Aug 10, 2007
    10
    I never played the full game but I just bought it. Anyhow, The demo game is truly amazing! The giant bosses stay in your head so you can't stop thinking about them! They might give you nightmares as well! The game is incredibly fun. I am shivering because I can't wait to try the full game! IT'S A MUST HAVE!
  19. JohnR.
    Jun 15, 2009
    10
    Seriously - I'm not joking: Painkiller may be one of the best action games ever made. Most people describe it as a more serious and darker Serious Sam... but in fact Painkiller is much more. The epic story about Daniel Garner who is being abused to fight for heaven is... not really important since there is no direct connection between the cutscenes and the levels but it's still Seriously - I'm not joking: Painkiller may be one of the best action games ever made. Most people describe it as a more serious and darker Serious Sam... but in fact Painkiller is much more. The epic story about Daniel Garner who is being abused to fight for heaven is... not really important since there is no direct connection between the cutscenes and the levels but it's still a fantastic backbone for those weird worlds the player is about to encounter. There is graveyards, caves but also military bases, a medieval village and even a cathedral and an amphitheatre where you fight the weirdest kinds of demons ranging from skeletons armed with clubs to fat punks with machineguns. The game is a really surreal experience and has a high artistic value. And you can be sure to find some of the greatest bosses in this game. Anyway: Painkiller is simple. It absolutely sticks to simplicity and that's its strong point. Every single one of the six weapons is perfectly designed and every enemy has his own ways of attacking you - if you're not too ignorant to accept this simple kind of action you will actually even be surprised how perfect the gameplay is. And there is some unique features that make Painkiller really special such as the demon transformation gained by collecting enemies' souls and unlockable tarot cards which give the player some bonusses. And these tarot cards can only be achieved by fulfilling special tasks such as only using a certain weapon, not being hurt once in a level, collecting all gold, killing all enemies etc.. These special tasks make the action actually quite varied. Also the multiplayer mode is plain fun. It's one of the most entertaining deathmatch games ever made. The fast pace and the very different kinds of weapons are making it really special - and the fact that the game was represented at the World Cyber Games speaks for itself. Also check out the official addon Battle out of Hell which is almost as great as the main game. But don't even think about playing Overdose which is actually just a fan made production that somehow got turned into a commercial addon - it simply sucks. Btw: By now there is sort of a sequel to this game called NecroVisioN. It has been made by some of the original developers and it's even using an improved PAIN engine. Unfortunately the developers didn't stick to the formula of Painkiller but tried to combine the story with the actual gameply and make the fighting more "interesting" - which actually made NecroVisioN just another average shooter. That's why I even more recommend Painkiller and its addon Battle out of Hell. The gameplay won't get old and the graphics are still nice to look at.… Expand
  20. BrianG.
    Feb 10, 2004
    10
    Great looking game..shouldb e a goody.
  21. DaveU.
    Feb 10, 2004
    9
    Wow..movie looks great..and leaked demo is sh.t loads of fun!!
  22. LivioM.
    Apr 12, 2004
    10
    Great Game! Stylish and packed with adrenaline!
  23. AlbertoR.
    Apr 16, 2004
    10
    Hello? this is the BEST GAME EVER!
  24. HarmL.
    Apr 27, 2004
    8
    Great to play after a session of Farcry. No more lurking in the bushes. Lets get simple-minded and go banging away with your big guns on those baddies.
  25. MasP.
    Jun 22, 2004
    10
    Game of the year.
  26. lopiplolp
    Jun 22, 2004
    9
    It's very good. Not better than far cry but in this year it is in best ten FPP.
  27. Mr.x
    Jun 22, 2004
    10
    Kix ass !!!
  28. JohnF.
    Jun 27, 2004
    10
    This is a great action game in the tradition of the Doom games. It has great graphics and awsome cut scenes.
  29. SimonB.
    Aug 16, 2006
    8
    [***SPOILERS***] It happened. After all these years of saying no to my Doc, I finally took a Painkiller, and it was good. You are a normal man, Daniel. You die in a car crash and Gabriel (an angel of heaven) tells you that you need to do some mass murdering for heaven in a world called Purgatory. Okay, storyline-wise, I won't argue, this game is very poor. Why an 8 if I begin on such [***SPOILERS***] It happened. After all these years of saying no to my Doc, I finally took a Painkiller, and it was good. You are a normal man, Daniel. You die in a car crash and Gabriel (an angel of heaven) tells you that you need to do some mass murdering for heaven in a world called Purgatory. Okay, storyline-wise, I won't argue, this game is very poor. Why an 8 if I begin on such a low tone? Well... A while ago, Doom was born. Doom 1, I mean. Doom 1 was all about opening a door and finding a room full of frenzy beasts awaiting to fester or plant bullets on your flesh. Painkiller takes that back and blends it together for an exotic cocktail of gore and action. There is nothing to be scared of, nothing to be impressed about (aside from the towering bosses). Only, every once in a while ,you might get a satisfied smirk from blowing some ennemies to bits and finding nothing but gibs and blood on the walls around you. Purgatory is set out in five different worlds with different chapters. Every world puts you through great graphic architecture and endless killings of ennemies. There is absolutely NO story-telling aside from the introduction. You run around, shoot stuff and watch the ragdoll physics do their job on them as you've either taken them down or blown them to whatever hell they came from. This game reminds us old-school FPS fans of what FPS were a while back: Continuous massacres of hundreds of hordes of demons that just keep coming. All in all; This is by no means a deep game, nor something close to F.E.A.R or anything with a scenario and intelligent ennemies. But it -is- a true FPS in the likes of Serious Sam and games where you spend most of your time just killing and NEVER asking questions later. If you're the kind to not want to play a game but just see what happens around it, don't play Painkiller. But if you're the kind to enjoy being the "center of attraction", you'll love this game.… Expand
  30. MichaelA.
    Jan 27, 2007
    10
    To all the whiners who say this game sux... Get a life... Painkiller takes the meaning FPS to a whole new level, of course its just running around shooting stuff, but thats what most of us like, its like the good old Doom games, and Duke Nukem, just with a twist of speed, and better graphics... There no thinking theres just slaughter, and thats what makes this game so special old To all the whiners who say this game sux... Get a life... Painkiller takes the meaning FPS to a whole new level, of course its just running around shooting stuff, but thats what most of us like, its like the good old Doom games, and Duke Nukem, just with a twist of speed, and better graphics... There no thinking theres just slaughter, and thats what makes this game so special old school... Painkiller gets 10 from me awesome game.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best PC Game of 2004
13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
31
#31 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 62 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 62
  3. Negative: 1 out of 62
  1. Cincinnati Enquirer
    70
    A good choice for folks who want to wind down at the end of the day with a fast-paced diversion that requires absolutely no brainpower to master and enjoy.
    Read full review
  2. Cheat Code Central
    80
    You'll need a fairly souped up machine and graphics card to get the most out of Painkiller but if you have yearned for the return of games like "Serious Sam," "Doom" and the original "Quake" your next stop is Purgatory. Tell 'em I sent you.
  3. Next Level Gaming
    94
    I love it. I became addicted to this game very quickly. My wife is starting to get jealous now.
    Read full review
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