- Publisher: 3D Realms , Saber Interactive , Prime Matter
- Release Date: Oct 21, 2025
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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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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Nov 7, 2025Painkiller isn’t the game I wanted, nor is there a game in there that I want to play either. How did all these pieces not coalesce into something better than the sum of their parts? That’s right, you need to build an enjoyable experience underneath the mechanics and a dire nine-level campaign that offers the player nothing other than the option to replay them – which is something I won’t be doing anytime soon.