User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3970 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Oct 16, 2015
    8
    You really disappointed me with this recent update, Overkill; and you might not get the same respect as you once earned with this community ever. I mean, stat boosts for god damn skins? A feature so unoriginal and coined by CS GO but you don't care because you're after that $$$, am I right? Of course I am, and you know it.
  2. Oct 24, 2015
    8
    Very fun game with loads of contents, all though after playing a long time it can be repetitive. If that happens get yourself 3 nice friends and have loads of fun running the heists co-op.

    There has been loads of controversy around this game after the 4th Crimefest (Overkill makes an event of every year Payday2 has it's birthday) With microtransactions being added to the game as locked
    Very fun game with loads of contents, all though after playing a long time it can be repetitive. If that happens get yourself 3 nice friends and have loads of fun running the heists co-op.

    There has been loads of controversy around this game after the 4th Crimefest (Overkill makes an event of every year Payday2 has it's birthday) With microtransactions being added to the game as locked safes for weapons skins. These safes needs a key (drill) to open. That wouldn't be a problem for most people, but there is also stats boosts to these skins. Now how ever you feel about that this is a PVE game the stats boosts does not in anyway destroy your game. The stats boosts does not make you a god in anyway.

    Overkill has since also backed down a bit on the microtransaction skins, and you now can also get the drill as a reward after a heist the same way you get the safe.

    Now then would i recommend this game, i have played 1000 hours hell yes i would. In a group of friends it is one really fun co-op game.
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  3. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    An awesome game that gives a great experience that i had never felt for ages. Game has lots of replay value and can't wait for the DLC to come out! Game is great if you got some friends to play with.
  4. Aug 13, 2013
    8
    Payday 2 is a massive improvement in every way over it's predecessor. This game is an absolute thrill when played cooperatively, with loads of content, especially when you consider it's reduced price tag. Make no mistake, this game is in NO WAY a single player game, and it doesn't even warrant to be reviewed as such. There is a single player aspect that was not originally intended to bePayday 2 is a massive improvement in every way over it's predecessor. This game is an absolute thrill when played cooperatively, with loads of content, especially when you consider it's reduced price tag. Make no mistake, this game is in NO WAY a single player game, and it doesn't even warrant to be reviewed as such. There is a single player aspect that was not originally intended to be added into the game, but was added due to fan feedback. Reviewers have bashed this optional component, which I feel is incredibly unwarranted. If this game were single player, it would receive a very low score, as the bot AI is mostly useless. Do NOT play this game for the Single Player. It's a fantastic game when played the way it was intended cooperatively. Expand
  5. Aug 13, 2013
    9
    You are probably reading this to find out if you should buy this game or not. For the people who don't like to read, let me give you a quick answer: YES, you should buy it, unless you don't have internet acces.

    Now let me explain you why I highly recommend this game: - Very well crafted, very ambitious, lots of content. - Cheap (30 euro), this game could easely go for the full
    You are probably reading this to find out if you should buy this game or not. For the people who don't like to read, let me give you a quick answer: YES, you should buy it, unless you don't have internet acces.

    Now let me explain you why I highly recommend this game:

    - Very well crafted, very ambitious, lots of content.
    - Cheap (30 euro), this game could easely go for the full price.
    - A studio who actually listens to the community, which noticeably improved the game compared to Payday: the heist.
    - Incredibly rewarding. It just feels really good getting rewarded for doing something bad (stealing). Lots to unlock and customize.
    - Highly replayable. Randomized levels and situations.
    - Great potential for DLC packs in the future. Which they already announced to release in the future.
    - EVERYTHING has improved compared the first Payday title.

    Buy it, and support this title, I feel the studio deserved it.
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  6. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    Crazy cool game!! Game sounds crazy good and the rattle of a rifle when the robbery goes to hell makes me feel like I was in the final scene in the movie Heat. Buy it and discover just how fantastic a video game can be.
  7. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    An awesome co-op game, was a really long time since I had this much fun co-op. It looks, feels and plays very well. Starbreeze has really stepped up their game with this game and brothers, who knows what the future holds.
  8. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    So much fun coop. Huge improvement on the first one and the replay value is insane with the map changing geometry, I got 40 hours clocked up on just the 6 heists that are in the beta! For the price you pay you cant go wrong!
  9. Jan 10, 2016
    8
    Good Co-op Game!
    Its extremly fun with friends!

    Graphic:
    4/10

    Gameplay:
    8/10

    Sound:
    8/10

    Music:
    9/10

    Mapdesign:
    7.5/10

    Awesome Game with a good Community!
  10. Jul 13, 2017
    8
    2 years. 350+ hours. Still doesn't get old. While the game has had a lot of risks and issues during its life span (i.e. micro transactions, having you buy the Ultimate Edition to play the game, broken A.I.), I still enjoy Payday 2. Most of the heists are fun, and the game does offer a colorful cast of characters. Gaining money and spending it on weapons and masks, becoming infamous, and2 years. 350+ hours. Still doesn't get old. While the game has had a lot of risks and issues during its life span (i.e. micro transactions, having you buy the Ultimate Edition to play the game, broken A.I.), I still enjoy Payday 2. Most of the heists are fun, and the game does offer a colorful cast of characters. Gaining money and spending it on weapons and masks, becoming infamous, and having fun with your friends are great ways for high replayability. It's a love/hate relationship this game seems to be getting, and to some certain degree, I can agree to that. But for the most part, don't expect me to stop playing it anytime until Payday 3 happens. Expand
  11. Nov 23, 2018
    9
    PAYDAY 2 - это тот случай когда хочется хорошего и правильно реализованного кооператива. Первый раз поиграл в ее в 2014 году и в сразу она мне зашла. В особенности игры лежит в первую очередь: хорошее время препровождение с друзьями (реализованный кооператив); одна из ключевых особенностей, это выбор, буквально во всем. Различного рода оружие, их модификации, снаряжение, маски, цвета иPAYDAY 2 - это тот случай когда хочется хорошего и правильно реализованного кооператива. Первый раз поиграл в ее в 2014 году и в сразу она мне зашла. В особенности игры лежит в первую очередь: хорошее время препровождение с друзьями (реализованный кооператив); одна из ключевых особенностей, это выбор, буквально во всем. Различного рода оружие, их модификации, снаряжение, маски, цвета и материалы для масок, навыки, перки и т.д. Хотелось также бы отметить достойную проработку самих ограблений, ибо там тоже есть такое понятие как выбор. Присутствуют как стелс, так и экшн миссии, в некоторых ты можешь воспользоваться выбором и пройти как тебе заблагорассудиться. Может некоторые минусы в плане геймплея и графики присутствуют, но это незначительные погрешности для игры такого уровня, она весьма достойна для своей задумки и своего комьюнити. Тут скорее ее можно советовать, в особенности любителям добротного кооператива, но с выходом различных дополнений она приобрела неплохую масштабируемость. Думаю скорее так, что оценить надо любому геймеру. Лично сам начинал играть с друзьями, теперь продолжаю один, это может означать только одно, что она существенно изменилась и в хорошую сторону. Все это время старалась не утерять своей актуальности. Expand
  12. Dec 23, 2021
    9
    i had fun with this game i don't care if people call it bad i enjoy it and that's all that matters
  13. Nov 27, 2016
    9
    3.4 user score is based on a huge **** made by Overkill a bit over a year ago. It was 100% deserved. However, no one really cared enough to retract their ratings (Including me, until now) when this **** was fixed. What I'm saying is, the negative ratings on this site isn't a representation of the community's feelings on the game. It's way, way better than that as of now.
  14. Oct 26, 2015
    8
    Overkill's DLC's and Micro transactions simulator. Every 2 week they release **** character or weapon pack(5 $ per pack), PS Only Valve make in their games trans actoin system perfect, because Valve THE BEST IN DA WORLD
  15. Jun 19, 2016
    8
    Update removed microtrans! Fun heist game that gets updated with new heists pretty often. With some more polish it could be a real gem but even as it is it's good fun in small dosages. Controls feel good and graphics are decent, soundtrack fits atmosphere well.
  16. Jan 10, 2016
    10
    Graphics: 9/10
    Sound effects: 10/10
    Game modes: 10/10
    Game server: 8/10

    Cons: - Too many DLCs
    - Space required to install is relatively high
    - Unnecessary microtransactions
  17. Oct 18, 2015
    10
    This game was awesome for the past 2 or so years. I've played it since the beta and purchased every DLC without complaint, despite their growing ridiculousness and pay to win nature. However, the developers have just added micro transactions to the game, with content advertised as "free" instead being locked behind a paywall. While no one is being forced to buy the newly introducedThis game was awesome for the past 2 or so years. I've played it since the beta and purchased every DLC without complaint, despite their growing ridiculousness and pay to win nature. However, the developers have just added micro transactions to the game, with content advertised as "free" instead being locked behind a paywall. While no one is being forced to buy the newly introduced "Drills" to unlock "safes" for a randomly generated weapon skin with the potential to improve a weapons stats, it is the final straw for me. If I am going to buy a game, I want an upfront cost for quality content. The fact that the game developers think that they can rip me off by giving me tiny morsels of content that i can only unlock by paying $2.50, which can accumulate into much more, is unacceptable. If I buy a game, I expect to get the whole game, not just an opportunity to pay more money. Shame on the developers for taking this path of greed and dishonesty. If they would simply add "drills" as random reward drops then I would have no problem, but at the moment they are a ripoff. I strongly advise against purchasing this game or any of it's DLCs. At the moment it is nothing but a scam. Expand
  18. Aug 15, 2013
    8
    A great, fun, enjoyable game. Everything runs smoothly. I've been playing for a while now.

    + gameplay
    + guns
    + skills
    + levels

    - friendly ai
    - graphics could be improved
    - stealth

    Some minor fixes will make the game a solid 9.
  19. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    It is one of the best co-op games in 2013, almost an improvement on every aspect of the first installment. More missions, more weapons, more variaty. I love this game!
  20. Aug 13, 2013
    10
    This game is a must own for everyone Fun to play with friends and teamwork different game every time you play different from all the other FPS generic crap thats out there at the moment. Get this game....
  21. Oct 17, 2015
    9
    The developers are quite literally are copying CS:GO in an awful way. They've added cases, and keys, and skins. This isn't to bad in itself, but then you realize they cost money, on a full priced game, with over 100 US Dollars in DLC, when they promised no microtransactions in any form. Another big difference is CSGO skins are purely cosmetic, while they have stat boosts here, while thisThe developers are quite literally are copying CS:GO in an awful way. They've added cases, and keys, and skins. This isn't to bad in itself, but then you realize they cost money, on a full priced game, with over 100 US Dollars in DLC, when they promised no microtransactions in any form. Another big difference is CSGO skins are purely cosmetic, while they have stat boosts here, while this normally is a good thing, but they also nerfed every single gun except LMGs(which are DLC) so if you want to have a better chance at winning, you NEED these skins. Expand
  22. Jul 9, 2014
    8
    + High replay value with aspects of maps being randomized
    +Good RPG elements
    +Great stealth mechanics
    +Challenging
    +Guns, sound, visuals and character movement all well executed.

    -Rampant hacks
    -"Going loud" can get a bit repetitive at times with wave after wave of mindless cops coming at you.
  23. Jan 14, 2015
    9
    I have spent a lot of time in this game up to this point and I will admit that the dumb attempt to connecting to servers does suck. Once you get in a server though that problem doesn't really matter because if you have friends to play with you there is a lot to experiment with. Also i stabbed someone with an american flag which is pretty awesome
  24. Jul 29, 2014
    9
    Payday 2 is an excellent game that is better then the first but isn't too different that some would say it is a whole new game. It brings back the clever co-op from the first game and makes it more deep and interacting. There are many new features added such as the new weapons, armour and mask customization which makes it a more interesting game because it brings in elements of thePayday 2 is an excellent game that is better then the first but isn't too different that some would say it is a whole new game. It brings back the clever co-op from the first game and makes it more deep and interacting. There are many new features added such as the new weapons, armour and mask customization which makes it a more interesting game because it brings in elements of the community as people design their player the way they want. And there is a wide variety of heists to choose from but a lot of them are from download able game content. This is a great game and I would recommend it to new players in the co-op genre and to skilled players from games such as Left 4 Dead/2 Expand
  25. Nov 19, 2014
    9
    This game is absolutely amazing. As a long time Payday fan, starting with the original, Payday: The Heist, I've enacted my fantasy of bank robbing, armored escort stealing, meth cooking, and even as of recent the breakout of one of my favorite voice actors as Hoxton, over and over again. It never gets dull, as the sheer amount of content being added keeps a repetitive task as farming fromThis game is absolutely amazing. As a long time Payday fan, starting with the original, Payday: The Heist, I've enacted my fantasy of bank robbing, armored escort stealing, meth cooking, and even as of recent the breakout of one of my favorite voice actors as Hoxton, over and over again. It never gets dull, as the sheer amount of content being added keeps a repetitive task as farming from being monotonous and boring.

    Payday 2 features many good points as well as some bad, as comes with all games. However, which each new update, all of the bad things, bugs, glitches, etc. get pushed out, at a rate that is nearly consistent. With the recent welcome approach to mods like HoxHud and PocoHud, almost any and all negatives are virtually gone.

    I recommend Payday 2 to anyone who wants to enact the fantasies of the Wild West, whether it be robbing banks or extorting store clerks for money, Payday 2 is for you.
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  26. Dec 25, 2013
    8
    I'm rating this game without having played the first. If you are a TL;DR person and asking me if I would recommend you the game, I can give you this answer:

    I do recommend the game to you, if you happen to be a person who enjoys cooperative multiplayer games online. If you are a player preferring singleplayer games, I cannot recommend you this title. Read below why: Visuals 9 out of
    I'm rating this game without having played the first. If you are a TL;DR person and asking me if I would recommend you the game, I can give you this answer:

    I do recommend the game to you, if you happen to be a person who enjoys cooperative multiplayer games online. If you are a player preferring singleplayer games, I cannot recommend you this title. Read below why:

    Visuals 9 out of 10 The game looks smooth and the filters it uses can be turned off. Textures are clear and ingame objects look very convincing. The game definitely is a beauty.

    Sounds, Soundtrack and Voices 9 out of 10 The voice actors are authentic and fun to listen to. The weapons sound convincing and the electronic soundtrack emphasizes the actions taken by the player. Is the player not discovered yet, so will the music reflect that by playing slow beats and opposed to that the music is fast and upbeat when the police storms into the bank. It even builds up to those moments. For some the soundtrack might be too repetitive, though, as there are relatively few tracks that will be repeated every other mission you play.

    Gameplay 7 out of 10 First of all, it's important to note here that Payday 2 is a multiplayer game. It features a singleplayer variation, but make no mistake. The single player mode is barely functional as the cooperative AI for your 3 teampartners is too rudimentary. It's virtually unplayable. Payday 2 is played best with 3 friends of yours that you can rely on. If you don't know other players you will have to bite the bullet and play with random other players. My personal experience here has been very mixed, from egomaniacs who kicked other players for no good reason (such as a low level or wrong equipment chosen) to charitable and friendly players who coordinated via chat and went through the several missions of the game smooth and in short timeframes.

    Whether you will meet the former or latter kind of player will depend on your own luck. That aside, the gunplay of the game feels smooth, different weapons and upgrades give enough variety to personalize and choose from and the four different skilltrees are well balanced and diversify characters nicely. With the right people you will definitely have a great time.

    One characteristic of this game that might put you off should be mentioned The game features about 30 different missions or even more, however it uses a fraction of that amount as maps for these. This means that in various missions you will be put into the same level with items, entry points, saves and lockers, barricades, player and enemy spawns and other such points of interests shuffled around. While that does change how every mission plays out, some seem to feel that it leads to a lack of diversion and replayability. How you judge that is up to you.

    Last but not least, a comment on the difficulty. The game has 4 different difficulties and a "Pro" modifier for each mission. Normal, hard, very hard and overkill. Picking one of these changes the enemy spawns as well as the rewards. Normal spawns ordinary cops and few armored units. Overkill spawns more, tougher and better armed enemies who will soak your ammo clips up like sponges the water. Additionally, you will also face enemies with special traits in the higher difficulty levels, such as "bulldozers" that literally take hundreds of bullets to kill and other such friendly surprises. The difficulty levels in-between feature upgraded cops and fewer of these special enemies. Finally, the pro mode. If you choose to play a pro mission, you will only have one try for all the levels of the mission. If you fail the mission at any point, your mission and its progress will be terminated.

    Technical quality 6.5 out of 10 There are few bugs in the game, but when they happen they can be annoying. After playing a while it might happen that you lose connection to a host and your game will crash few minutes afterwards. I've had it happen to me only once after a long 5-hour gaming session, but it should be noted anyway.

    Also the shadow maps of the levels seem pose a problem, as they are in a 4096 resolution that cannot be turned down in the options menu. If you don't have a top notch PC, you will need to mod the game in order to fix that and play with acceptable frames. It's possible, but it requires some extra work on your part.

    Overall a very satisfying game with minor issues that can detract from the fun.
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  27. Jan 3, 2014
    9
    This game is a boredom killer. You have friends but you have nothing to do? Play Payday 2. The flaws in this game can be easily ignored.

    In short, if you don't wanna rob a bank, play this. It's legal and playable.
  28. Dec 25, 2013
    9
    Well, where to start.
    Before you buy this game, make sure friends are getting this game too because this is where the game really shines.
    Want to play single-player with bots? Feel free, although the AI will never be as helpful as other players. Playing with randoms is still very fun and all but if you have some friends that would all get together and play, this game makes what I think
    Well, where to start.
    Before you buy this game, make sure friends are getting this game too because this is where the game really shines.
    Want to play single-player with bots? Feel free, although the AI will never be as helpful as other players.
    Playing with randoms is still very fun and all but if you have some friends that would all get together and play, this game makes what I think is one of the greatest CO-OP games out there. Each player can customize accordingly to how you want to tackle the mission, loud and easy or stealthy, but tricky. Being able to stealth a full mission really does feel like an accomplishment and something to be proud of, if you can pull it off. But if you go loud, be sure to bring friends that differ in skill. A technician can easily blast open doors and most safes and can quickly get you inside, and an enforcer can use there Portable saw to quickly break open deposit boxes to grab the loot and run. A ghost can much easier stealth missions, obviously, and a mastermind is just a great thing to be. My decision: Grab some friends you can play with, buy this game.
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  29. Aug 13, 2013
    8
    The premise is still as enticing as it was when the predecessor came out; the gameplay with a co-operative squad of 4 internet connected players can at times range from incredibly rewarding and self-affirmating to soul destroyingly bittersweet and unforgiving.
    This range of emotions is part of the draw, a heist can be planned to perfection, but unravelled in an instant.
    The reason for my
    The premise is still as enticing as it was when the predecessor came out; the gameplay with a co-operative squad of 4 internet connected players can at times range from incredibly rewarding and self-affirmating to soul destroyingly bittersweet and unforgiving.
    This range of emotions is part of the draw, a heist can be planned to perfection, but unravelled in an instant.
    The reason for my lower than average score is the amount of game breaking crashes prevalent in the released version.
    In the beta, it was fairly clear to see that the talent trees and crafting was to be the backbone of the game, what gave Payday 2 it's replay value.
    With release there have been issues upon issues with crashes that really should have been weeded out months ago.
    At this moment in time, you can complete a heist of epic proportions, depending on the efficiency of your team, this can take up to an hour of hard focussing on the job at hand. Upon finishing you are usually presented with all the usual rewards; Experience, Cash (the market currency) and the chance to attain rare and powerful weapon modifications or eagerly sought after mask parts.
    Unfortunately there is a large prevalence of this screen being omitted altogether and the game force closing itself in response, losing all progress made since the last auto save point.
    Overkill's response to the issue? Restart Steam.
    Does this help? No, not really.
    Does it get your rewards back? Nope, try again.
    Is there a fix in the pipeline? Well, Overkill haven't admitted that they have a problem, so there hasn't been an acknowledgement and/or plan of action presented.
    Until then, it's up in the air as to whether at this moment in time, the in game elements represent value enough to risk sinking time at full retail price into a game which is so fundamentally flawed in a vital place.
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  30. Aug 15, 2013
    9
    This is a fantastic game which has soaked up hours of my time (hours which I already struggle to find!). Ignore the whining and the trolls, and let me tell you why.

    As someone who somewhat enjoyed the first game (although not overly so), I wasn't originally convinced completely by Payday 2. Nevertheless, the trailers and game-play videos eventually won me over and I put down for the
    This is a fantastic game which has soaked up hours of my time (hours which I already struggle to find!). Ignore the whining and the trolls, and let me tell you why.

    As someone who somewhat enjoyed the first game (although not overly so), I wasn't originally convinced completely by Payday 2. Nevertheless, the trailers and game-play videos eventually won me over and I put down for the Beta. I can honestly say I have not been so addicted to a game for a good many years and that was just the Beta! Having now played the full game, this is even better easily worth the £30 asking price.

    First of all, the game-play is some of the best co-op gaming I've played in years. As a long time fan of co-op and stealth gaming, games like Splinter Cell and Hitman are some of my favourite games of all time. The stealth in this is fantastic, if only because of the amount of communication, thought, patience and observation it takes to pull off the perfect stealth heist. The tension in these moments is palpable, and with a good team, this can be some of the most rewarding co-op stealth to be found on the pc.

    Obviously, someone will at some point trip the alarm, and this is where the second half of the game is revealed a heavy-feeling and very engaging shooter. The goals and deadlines keep the pressure up whilst the music is outstanding at adding atmosphere and urgency to the situation. In fact, the music in this game is one of my absolute favourite things about it a pumping mix of grungy synthy dubstep and fast-paced electro madness which suits the tone of the game perfectly, and which rises and falls in time with the pressure you are intended to feel.

    Another element which represents a huge improvement over the original is the sense of progression in the game. The money you earn in each mission is partially determined by the risks you take, the teamwork you show, and the skills you have. It is a system which rewards playing as a team, and where a 'lone ranger' style of play la 'Call of Duty' will only frustrate your team and lose you money. The skill trees offered are very varied, and you will find evangelists who argue that each one is the best choice, but a huge part of the fun of this game is making money so that you can work up each tree and start to feel more valuable as a component of a team. Personally I chose Ghost (thanks to my stealthy roots), and I love being the one to type 'ECM jammer going down', and watching my team benefit from me being on the team and having the skills I have specialised in as they sneak past a troublesome security camera. Later in the game, another member of my team might pull out a saw, which will save all of us time, and ultimately help us to make more money. I value that person, and I am glad to be on their team.

    The heists themselves are a mixed bunch some are genius, such as the gallery level (which is my stealthy favourite) and the awesome 'ukranian job'. However, Overkill loses points for sometimes repeating the levels in different heists. The only other criticism of the game I might agree with is the slightly enigmatic server lobby menu, which doesn't let you specify the level or difficulty you want to play, but rather forces you to wait for the heist you really want to pop up, ensuing in a mad scramble to be in the lobby before it fills up.

    These two minor flaws drop the mark to an outstanding 9. The online community is generally very pleasant, the graphics are good, the game-play is outstanding, and the co-operative elements are well thought-out and executed. If you loved games like Swat 4, Monaco, Hitman or even Counter-Strike, I think you'll have a fantastic time with this one.

    ...and remember, cash is king.
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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 51
  2. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. Oct 9, 2013
    80
    PayDay 2 is one of the nicest surprises of the year. Overkill Software understands the atmosphere of gangster movies and wisely improves these pieces of gameplay, that might have been disappointing in the first game. The sequel is better in almost every way - you can play a thief and enjoy good character development and shooting systems. I really hope, that PayDay 3 will be even better.
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 5, 2013
    86
    Payday 2 is an excellent co-op shooter - a vast improvement over the first one. [Sept 2013]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Oct 3, 2013
    80
    A unique and captivating multiplayer experience that rewards team work over personal glory. But make sure you bring friends for the true experience. [Nov 2013, p.62]