Painkiller: Overdose

 PC
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 95 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 95
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 95
  3. Negative: 17 out of 95
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  1. Voyou
    Dec 2, 2017
    3
    I thought I would be FPSing. Found myself grinding instead. And spent more time in loading screens than in shooting.

    The game is so boring that after half an hour of trying to figure it out, I had enough. Thus I used a god mode cheat in order to have a chance to look at its art without the aggro. It didn't stop several insta-deaths from occurring (with accompanying long loading screens)    I thought I would be FPSing. Found myself grinding instead. And spent more time in loading screens than in shooting.

    The game is so boring that after half an hour of trying to figure it out, I had enough. Thus I used a god mode cheat in order to have a chance to look at its art without the aggro. It didn't stop several insta-deaths from occurring (with accompanying long loading screens) just by stepping on a non-obvious wrong spot here and there, such as water or blood or whatever it is that kills tough heroes by damaging their toes. With all the time in the world to study the monsters, here is what transpired : I still have no clue what kind of projectiles most of them are throwing at me, while the rest rushes en masse to corner me. Kill one enemy, and a handful of new ones pops out of nowhere right behind you to strike by surprise. Others are visible from the get go, but are impervious to anything until they decide to activate.

    To keep it short, the enemies don't make sense, their spawning doesn't make sense, their combinations don't make sense, and things like gold and souls disappear before you have a chance to collect them, for an additional free bummer. Forget tactics : It's all about running not very fast in close quarters amid throngs of randomly mixed creatures sharing the same brain. As I said, grinding, not having fun.    … Expand
  2. spartan-117
    Oct 3, 2010
    10
    Nice graphics boring gameplay killing few thousands of already dead guys isn't very fun.I like the weapons trough they are the same from the original painkiller just under other skin with some new additions.The backdraw of the game:The long,very long.excruciating long loading time almost 10 minutes.The only thing that might make you wana play the same level again is the tarot card you getNice graphics boring gameplay killing few thousands of already dead guys isn't very fun.I like the weapons trough they are the same from the original painkiller just under other skin with some new additions.The backdraw of the game:The long,very long.excruciating long loading time almost 10 minutes.The only thing that might make you wana play the same level again is the tarot card you get after finishing a level.I like the boss battles but in rest is pretty boring just the locations are varied.The enemies are not 40 types how it might look but just 4 types.They all want the same and do the same.tones of insignificant AI which comes in front and try to crack open youre skull.I got one!!!… Expand
  3. MarkM.
    Jan 16, 2008
    5
    I used to really enjoy games like this, I really did. But mindless shooting just isnt a style for someone who grew up with them most his/her life, and figured out there are far better games out there. I struggled to even play the game when I got the first PAINKILLER, suffering from frustration headaches, and lacking interest on the storyline. I didn't even bother getting this I used to really enjoy games like this, I really did. But mindless shooting just isnt a style for someone who grew up with them most his/her life, and figured out there are far better games out there. I struggled to even play the game when I got the first PAINKILLER, suffering from frustration headaches, and lacking interest on the storyline. I didn't even bother getting this EXPANSION. I'm tired of mindless shooters with a lacking lame story. If a shooter can succeed these days it has to have a story that is told like Half-Life 2 or even better Max Payne. Id love to see a sci fi game told in the style of a Max Payne game. Cut scenes just dont cut it, on thier own. Its a thing of the past. You see a cool cut scene, barely make sense of it, and then its just to the shooting. But, when the story is much more interactive, like your living the story in the action, thats the only way it can be good. What we need is less on the competetive side of gaming, and more story depth action games.… Expand
  4. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    7
    2/15/2012: Generally I would tell people to stay away from Painkiller's expansions and just play the original, but I actually rather liked Overdose. I found Belial to be an amusing character, though he had a rather tiny array of one-liners- which is more then Daniel had. Which is to say, Daniel didn't have any. I like talky FPS characters. Overdose's levels are interesting if sometimes2/15/2012: Generally I would tell people to stay away from Painkiller's expansions and just play the original, but I actually rather liked Overdose. I found Belial to be an amusing character, though he had a rather tiny array of one-liners- which is more then Daniel had. Which is to say, Daniel didn't have any. I like talky FPS characters. Overdose's levels are interesting if sometimes frustrating, and don't feel utterly lazy or uninspired like the later games. It also has some some of my favorite weapons in the series, like the acid-mortar flintlock. Overdose also had a completely unique final boss, which is more then later expansions could boast. If you liked Painkiller enough that you'd be willing to buy a very similar game, then you could do worse then Overdose. MUCH worse.… Expand
  5. WilY
    Sep 8, 2009
    4
    Compared to the first Painkiller, the synchronization between difficulty and reward are ridiculously bad. The first game punished you and gave you a since of pride in getting the Tarot cards. Overdose just disappoints, from the weapons (where is the stake gun?) to enemy power, to how much ammo and reward is out there for you. If I didn't love the series and the action I would rate it Compared to the first Painkiller, the synchronization between difficulty and reward are ridiculously bad. The first game punished you and gave you a since of pride in getting the Tarot cards. Overdose just disappoints, from the weapons (where is the stake gun?) to enemy power, to how much ammo and reward is out there for you. If I didn't love the series and the action I would rate it below a 4. No interesting new monsters and unbelievable damage done by geisha girls. Sadly, this release most certainly spells the end of the line for Painkiller.… Expand
  6. BlahBlah
    Dec 30, 2009
    10
    Murdering tons of dudes... What more could one want?
  7. AndyG.
    Oct 7, 2009
    7
    Lets get this straight - there are more weapons here, and many of the tweaked weapons carried over from the previous game have been improved (the grenade launcher now launches a cluster of 6 explosives, and the crossbow comes with zoom function and fires faster, the shogun and tar-freezer fire more rapidly, the machine-gun feels faster and is very accurate. The Painkiller was nicer than Lets get this straight - there are more weapons here, and many of the tweaked weapons carried over from the previous game have been improved (the grenade launcher now launches a cluster of 6 explosives, and the crossbow comes with zoom function and fires faster, the shogun and tar-freezer fire more rapidly, the machine-gun feels faster and is very accurate. The Painkiller was nicer than the whirling box, and the lighting has been replaced by a demonic roar which causes enemies to vibrate with electric energy once killed. Added is the demon beam (which is fine, except for its pathetic 'fzzt' sound), the dagger, which can be really excellent - it fires 3 missiles which will home onto the target aimed at, or the dagger will spin towards your crosshair which will target enemies - if you learn to use this weapon it can clear areas of tough baddies pretty fast. Added also is the fume-thrower and poison blast, and the poison grenade. The only weapon missing is the shuriken shooter, and arguably the lightning. The bosses are a disappointment, and level design was slightly superior and more varied in the original, although there is still plenty of variation here. Overdose has also tried to be funny, and failed. Your avatar spouts clichés very frequently. Still reasonably fun for a half-hour of unwinding. Don't fall into water though, or expect many demonic or angelic powers... I don't understand, though, why this formula isn't improved upon. The last FPS which made me feel powerful was Hexen, when I could summon a half-dozen minotaurs and launch lightning from my fingers. These games are purely about providing a short period of power-fuelled frenzy, but not enough has been done to corner this game-type and nail the formula - they are too hung up on FPS conventions; the need for ammo, fighting no more than 10-15 guys at once - I want to carve my way through vast swathes of enemies at pace, hurl buildings at armies, summon minions to fight for my cause... Painkiller (and Serious Sam) seem fixated on being like Doom, which is fine, but take it further! Doom evolved into Quake, into HL and into todays FPS's, but Dreamcatcher and Croteam should be taking Doom the *other* way, experimenting with what is possible... *sigh*...… Expand
  8. [anonymous]
    Apr 21, 2009
    10
    I loved it! Pure, unadulterated fun. Enough said. I would definitely recommend it to those who liked the first two games.
  9. AdamRoy
    Apr 9, 2009
    7
    Point at things and make them dead. Wacky weapons, countless, mindless enemies, so hellbent on throwing in so many bodies that are fun to make fall down, that they occasionally miss the annoying long time until the soul spawns annoyance, or graphics that are acceptable, but hardly stellar. But those points are minor at worst, considering the genius behind "innovation" by stripping the FPS Point at things and make them dead. Wacky weapons, countless, mindless enemies, so hellbent on throwing in so many bodies that are fun to make fall down, that they occasionally miss the annoying long time until the soul spawns annoyance, or graphics that are acceptable, but hardly stellar. But those points are minor at worst, considering the genius behind "innovation" by stripping the FPS to its bare-boned, bloody minded glory. This game would have gained a full 2 points if they removed the story and voice acting entirely though. Not only are they terrible, but you get the all-to-depressing impression that they actually think they did a good job. by the third time your guy says, "tastes like chicken", even the most ADD, violence loving 12 year old boy whose favorite game of all time is Manhunt will start thinking, "This is just in bad taste". If you can block that out, and don't want any depth, give this a shot.… Expand
  10. JohnB.
    Nov 1, 2007
    3
    I beat the original Painkiller on Trauma. It was fast, fun, challenging ... I'm not typically a fan of mindless FPS games, but the gameplay just felt right. And that's the problem with Overdose. None of it feels right. The pacing is totally off. Your character has to throw down stupid remarks, which is just irritating. The original Painkiller featured a hard rock / heavy metal I beat the original Painkiller on Trauma. It was fast, fun, challenging ... I'm not typically a fan of mindless FPS games, but the gameplay just felt right. And that's the problem with Overdose. None of it feels right. The pacing is totally off. Your character has to throw down stupid remarks, which is just irritating. The original Painkiller featured a hard rock / heavy metal soundtrack, that really fit in with the fast paced feel of the game. The music in Overdose might as well not even be there. The weapons are basically reskinned and renamed without changing much in the way of their base functionality, which wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't touted as being all new. Not to mention the part where it's actually possible to run out of ammo for every single weapon you have. And that's something that shouldn't happen in a game whose sole purpose is to send waves of guys at you to kill. Couple that with the pain kill- sorry, the razor cube being virtually worthless, and you might as well stop playing. The load time is atrocious. The performance is bad. It's not fun. You have time to play OTHER games if you die and have to reload a checkpoint or quicksave. And that's the best advice for Overdose. Play something else.… Expand
  11. BenjaminMortreux
    Nov 25, 2007
    8
    Je pense qu'il faut apprécier le jeu original pour apprécier ce deuxième opus.
    Si c'est le cas, nous pouvons être comblé par la richesse des niveaux désormais, davantage de dirigisme certes dans l'utilisation des armes pour certains endroits, et le risque donc de se retrouver à court de munitions si l'on en a fait    Je pense qu'il faut apprécier le jeu original pour apprécier ce deuxième opus.
    Si c'est le cas, nous pouvons être comblé par la richesse des niveaux désormais, davantage de dirigisme certes dans l'utilisation des armes pour certains endroits, et le risque donc de se retrouver à court de munitions si l'on en a fait qu'à sa tête, mais bref cela fait partie de quelques notions nouvelles qu'il est aisé d'assimiler pour profiter de nouveaux des rushs qui me faisaient vibrer dans le premier painkiller.Des monstres bien fait et réalisés qui et une ambiance complète dans les différents niveaux.    … Expand
  12. PKSJ.
    Nov 7, 2007
    9
    Dispite what others have said, I liked this a lot. Sure it's different in many ways from the original but hey, the differences make for a cool game. The nitpicking is just that. nit nit nit pick pick pick. Go blow away and stop playing it then. I liked the music, I liked the new weapons and cool new creatures and excellently rendered levels. Did I like the original, of course, so did Dispite what others have said, I liked this a lot. Sure it's different in many ways from the original but hey, the differences make for a cool game. The nitpicking is just that. nit nit nit pick pick pick. Go blow away and stop playing it then. I liked the music, I liked the new weapons and cool new creatures and excellently rendered levels. Did I like the original, of course, so did I really want more of the exact same? Load times are longer, true, but a fast SATA drive will help here.… Expand
  13. RyanS.
    Oct 31, 2007
    1
    Just Awful not nearly as fun as the orginial; and his talking through the entire thing just awful and annoying.
  14. johncs.
    Mar 28, 2009
    9
    This game surprised me! It's a LOT more fun than many A list games. Sure there's no AI and the graphics are dated, but it makes up for it with TONS of different enemies, many of them very funny (killer chickens, cows, wheelchair bound old coots). Also the weapons have a very satisfying feel. Many games are starting to feel a lot like WORK these days (Fallout 3), and this This game surprised me! It's a LOT more fun than many A list games. Sure there's no AI and the graphics are dated, but it makes up for it with TONS of different enemies, many of them very funny (killer chickens, cows, wheelchair bound old coots). Also the weapons have a very satisfying feel. Many games are starting to feel a lot like WORK these days (Fallout 3), and this one's just pure fun.… Expand
  15. WizarS.
    Nov 23, 2007
    2
    I wanted to like this new edition of Painkiller -- really I did, but it is not the same old fun. Twitchy, weak levels to play, too easy, then too hard. It is like a sloppy mod. I have read it is not even the same production team. Save money on this one folks - go buy the original!
  16. UnzarJ.
    Nov 13, 2007
    4
    The original game with different levels, only not as fun to play this time around. Save your money for some great games that just came out!
  17. daveyy12
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    Very entertaining, compared with the other Painkillers. This one actually had a story line that I could follow and I loved the new choices in weapons. However, if you're looking for a story, this one is not for you. This game, like the other Painkillers, is an in-your-face shooter with tons of enemies. For the most part, the bosses were quite simple to finish once you discovered theVery entertaining, compared with the other Painkillers. This one actually had a story line that I could follow and I loved the new choices in weapons. However, if you're looking for a story, this one is not for you. This game, like the other Painkillers, is an in-your-face shooter with tons of enemies. For the most part, the bosses were quite simple to finish once you discovered the key weak points.… Expand
  18. Glaice
    Feb 3, 2013
    5
    Okay, so it's another Painkiller game...I'm down with the gameplay and visuals the series typically serves; A gritty and visceral experience but there really is one thing that detracts from the experience with Overdose for me: The PC's annoying as hell one-liners he spews over and over and over, grinding on my nerves to just simply not play it because of it.

    I could do without the    Okay, so it's another Painkiller game...I'm down with the gameplay and visuals the series typically serves; A gritty and visceral experience but there really is one thing that detracts from the experience with Overdose for me: The PC's annoying as hell one-liners he spews over and over and over, grinding on my nerves to just simply not play it because of it.

    I could do without the irritating one liners in this game.    … Expand
  19. AWG
    Jun 23, 2013
    5
    Filled with terrible graphics and ridiculous multiplayer maps, Overdose is one of the worst title from the entire Painkiller series. Also, weapons are not that appealing.
  20. russiangamer
    Nov 2, 2016
    5
    Мне кажется, что игра на момент выхода уже была устаревшей не только графикой, но и геймлеем, что уж говорить 9 лет спустя.
    Играть тупо скучно, я сидел с каменным лицом и каждые 2 минуты повторял "вау... чертовски весело... вау". Хватило на один уровень.
    Оценка средняя, поскольку игра не такая уж убогая, а скорее ОЧЕНЬ скучная. Если вы не будете играть в неё, то вы ничего не потеряете.    Мне кажется, что игра на момент выхода уже была устаревшей не только графикой, но и геймлеем, что уж говорить 9 лет спустя.
    Играть тупо скучно, я сидел с каменным лицом и каждые 2 минуты повторял "вау... чертовски весело... вау". Хватило на один уровень.
    Оценка средняя, поскольку игра не такая уж убогая, а скорее ОЧЕНЬ скучная. Если вы не будете играть в неё, то вы ничего не потеряете.
  21. Al89ex
    Jan 24, 2018
    6
    The game lost a spirit of the original but anyway it is a high level If not comparing with the original It can be 8/10 It has a good story and awesome gameplay and graphic
  22. JaydenPickens
    May 21, 2021
    6
    This might be the last playable entry in the Painkiller series, but it has some major issues. First one is the music. Great metal tracks were changed into some czech disco music. This is awful. Good news is that you can change the music by yourself. Just go to the game folder and replace the music with other files named exactly the same. So that problem can be fixed. The other isThis might be the last playable entry in the Painkiller series, but it has some major issues. First one is the music. Great metal tracks were changed into some czech disco music. This is awful. Good news is that you can change the music by yourself. Just go to the game folder and replace the music with other files named exactly the same. So that problem can be fixed. The other is difficulty. Difficulty is very unstable (like my ex girlfriend). Playing higher than insomnia is not recommended. It becomes painful and annoying. Original Painkiller had great difficulties, this one doesn't have that. What's good then? Levels are really interesting. Also new weapons are mostly cool as hell. Overall this game is good. Has some issues but music can be fixed. Play on the lower difficulty and send some demons back to hell. Pickens approves!… Expand
  23. Jackie_Jackson
    May 26, 2022
    3
    Абсолютно вторичное неумелое поделие из говна от говна говну изделие зачем и почему не знаю
  24. LT_Gruber
    Jan 6, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great (standalone) expansion for the Painkiller series.

    Painkiller: Overdose is a standalone game that takes place in the events before Painkiller: Battle Out of Hell. Daniel just killed Lucifer and the effects of this action spawned the events of this game.

    In this game, you play as the half-angel and half-demon Belial, a gatekeeper that has been imprisoned for all eternity. When Lucifer gets killed, Belial was automatically released from his prison and now you only have one goal: revenge on those that imprisoned you. This includes the Warden, Cerberus and the Angel Samuel (from the first Painkiller game) that betrayed his own kind and is directly responsible for your imprisonment.
    You first kill the warden and use his head as a weapon. It can shoot special projectiles that are really strong and epic to use. Then, you move on to the hound Cerberus and finally, Samuel. When you defeat him, you rip off his wings as an ultimate statement of vengeance.

    The game plays the same as the first games but feels unique because of the new Hellish level design, the many, many new enemies and new weapons like the crossbow, which is overpowered as Hell (pun intended).

    In terms of graphics, sound and controls, nothing changed much. It looks a little better and more polished, the sound is just as great as the first two installments and the controls are just as fluent. The only shame is that the levels do not feel that unique anymore. It all looks kind of the same, with the same orange tint in the air. Also, the music disappointed in this game. Not every game can has the energizing metal tracks from the first Painkiller game, but you are still playing Painkiller and shoot the living crap out of demons, so it was a shame that the music downgraded this much.

    There are however some differences and issues with this game. For example, the ammo is extremely scarce. In the previous Painkiller games, you got a fair amount of ammunition that you can find on the levels, with Overdose, you cannot waste any shot, or you run out of ammo. Many times, I asked myself: “There has to be a crate somewhere, right?” The answer was no in most cases.

    Also, a special note must be made for the loading times. The leap from the first game to this one is surprising. You literally have enough time to take a sh!t or make a cup of coffee by the time this game has loaded, even on fast hardware and SSD’s.

    The game also feels a little buggy and unstable in comparison, but this could be explained by the different teams (while supported by the original developers) who worked on the game.

    Besides its flaws, I still think Painkiller: Overdose is a good game that offers some variation in comparison with the main game. The combat and weapons are fun, the enemy types weirder than ever and the action is just as intense (if you have ammo that is).

    Still recommend it.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007
62
#62 Most Shared PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 22
  3. Negative: 3 out of 22
  1. Game Informer
    68
    Everything, and I mean everything, from the ammo pickups littering the ground, to the lack of weapon reloading, to the super speed in which your character moves, to the silly side comments he’s always making, to the general lack of story, and even the random level themes make this feel like a freeware game I would have stayed after school to play in the computer lab.
    Read full review
  2. Cheat Code Central
    86
    What the game does it does with style and flair. There are a lot of fine touches and little details which make the experience so much more fulfilling, unless you have a weak stomach.
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  3. GameSpot
    70
    This stand-alone Painkiller expansion is pure, stupid fun, despite slow loads and an utter lack of innovation.
    Read full review
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