Painkiller: Hell & Damnation

Painkiller Hell & Damnation stands halfway between a remake of the original game and a brand new FPS. Same levels, no changes and a new story, it tries to purpose for a second time the first, cult game. Unfortunately, even with the Unreal Engine it feels like it's hundred years old.

If nothing else, Farm 51 has returned Painkiller to a title that people may no longer grimace at when they hear its name. After receiving much abuse from its original publisher, Farm 51 has put Painkiller back on its pedestal. Or, close enough.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation brings no shame to the original game. Guys from The Farm 51 took their job seriously and tried to freshen up the series the best way possible. Younger gamers have the opportunity to look how FPS games looked almost a decade ago, and older gamers get to go back in time but with really nice graphics. Hell & Damnation, despite old mechanics - is a game that's worth checking out. Killing hordes of demons is very pleasant.

When I finished this curious remake ('the best of Painkiller' suits this game better) all the flaws that I jotted down and that annoyed me ceased to matter. There's something charming in this simplicity. [12/2012, p.42]

While the game is true to its roots the game just doesn't hold up compared to other remade FPS games like Serious Sam.

It's certainly a feast for the eyes and is probably the superior way to get introduced to the game. If you are a fan of the original, on the other hand, you are essentially paying $20 to play a far prettier, slightly shorter, somewhat adapted version of what you have already played.

Perfect for those who're looking for simple and plain action that will leave you exhausted. There are few additions compared to the original release, but it is indeed the best option to relive or to discover this frenetic series.

Hell & Damnation is a successful homage to the original Painkiller with a new engine, much better graphics and the same fast-paced style. It's pretty sad though, that the most fun multiplayer mode doesn't get played a lot. That would've extended the durability of the game significantly. Especially because the single player gameplay will get boring quite quickly if you don't take a break every now and then.

Painkiller Hell and Damnation is just as fun as the original game if not a bit quaint.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation feels like a celebration of how first person shooters used to be and The Farm 51 manages to do a lot of things right. However, the short campaign coupled with the multiplayer issues I had keeps it from going all the way.

This is what Painkiller: Hell & Damnation is – a fun blast to the past.

I could say a lot of technically bad things about Painkiller – mindless, stupid, old-fashioned, bizarre… but it's been given so much care and attention that none of it really matters. It does the mindless, oddly pointless single-player campaign extremely well and the re-done levels are both visually diverse and interesting; great homage to the original game.

Expectations. Every game has them coming out of the gate, but remakes and reboots have it even worse. In the case of Painkiller: Hell & Damnation, a reboot of the original Painkiller and its expansion Battle out of Hell, it's less about these small details and more about the substance. Is the action still fast? Are the enemies stupid and plentiful? Are the weapons still ridiculously awesome? Yep, you bet, and... well, mostly.

For just over a tenner, I'd say it's absolutely worth a punt.

There are two types of people I recommend Painkiller: Hell & Damnation to: those who were huge fans of the original and want to experience the game again with updated graphics, and those who are looking for a throwaway experience that doesn't require much of a commitment to enjoy.

As a horror-tinged slaughterfest that vomits blood and bile on the face of modern first-person shooter convention, Hell & Damnation distills the essence of the Painkiller series into a tight, finely honed package.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation is a real old-school shooter, which is for friends of the classic Shoot, Run, Jump.

Despite its shortcomings, Painkiller is well worth it.

What do we have here? A simple remake with less content than the original and with only a new weapon which will be used along all the levels. Consider buying it only if you love the series or if you haven't play the original Painkiller.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lacking innovations and overly simplistic, Hell & Damnation is still much better than other Painkiller games – the abominable Redemption, Resurrection, and Recurring Evil.

All in all, Painkiller is a blast to play in short doses but quickly devolves into a ho-hum slaughter-fest. Worth trying out if you're in the mood for some Duke Nukem 3D combat without the 15 year old graphics.

Sometimes the old formula does not work anymore and just a graphic makeover is not enough. Only for the original Painkiller lovers.

In the end, Painkiller HD is only a half-measure, and it doesn't do everything it could have to modernize the classic fast-paced action of the original. It's worth the twenty bucks if the overhaul you want is visual, but otherwise, it's best to pass.

Disappointingly old-fashioned. Nostalgia isn't enough to save this boring shooter from stagnant FPS limbo.

So while I think Painkiller Hell & Damnation is adequate in presentation and gameplay, it's really only suited for those that didn't play the previous releases. The silver lining is that it speaks highly about the endurance of the hold-down-the-fire-button-and-don't-let-go FPSs that started the genre… And hey, it's only $20.

Enemies run towards you and you shoot them over and over until they die. Shallow and dull. [March 2013, p.79]

Shiny new Unreal Engine 3 graphics can't make up for simplistic, glitchy AI, a middling level selection, and busted, extremely underpopulated multiplayer. Go with Painkiller: Black Edition instead.

Eight years in purgatory hasn't really been long enough to justify the move into down into the rosy red-tinted fires of Hell & Damnation. Sorry, Lucifer.

Great visuals. Wooden stick launcher. Dull and short campaign. No-brain enemies. Boring multiplayer. Cons and pros accounted for: not worthy. [Jan 2013]

The game creators did not think it through, and gamers can tell. They remade the graphics into HD (Hell & Damnation), but that is all that counts. What remains is: non-functioning multiplayer, copy & paste of the original outdated game design, and the overall dullness along with many small-sized flaws.