Payday 2

 PC
User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3970 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,313 out of 3970
  2. Mixed: 450 out of 3970
  3. Negative: 2,207 out of 3970

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  1. ultraviper
    Jan 16, 2014
    8
    A great co-op game. The main downside in the game is the inability to make more than one character. There are 4 talent trees in the game and you only get enough points to get the top skills in only 2 of them. If you want to try out the other trees you have to respec which is very expensive so you can't do it often. I would like to have choice of being able to play a ghost in some maps andA great co-op game. The main downside in the game is the inability to make more than one character. There are 4 talent trees in the game and you only get enough points to get the top skills in only 2 of them. If you want to try out the other trees you have to respec which is very expensive so you can't do it often. I would like to have choice of being able to play a ghost in some maps and a techforcer in others but that is not a realistic option here without having a 2nd steam account with a 2nd copy of the game. Another complaint is that the game is basically unplayable solo because the AI teammates don't do anything but shoot enemies and revive you if you're downed. They can't fix drills, carry loot bags, etc. Any mission that requires returning multiple bags to an escape vehicle becomes tedious if not impossible. Yes, it's a co-op game, but I would like the ability to try out missions solo before I jump in with a group of people where everyone knows what they're doing but me.… Expand
  2. linuxgnome
    Jan 14, 2014
    10
    Criminal Mastermind Simulator...Learn how to Run Drugs, Make Meth, Steal Guns, Rob Banks, ect, and for free we will also teach you how to escape!!!!!!!

    Also INCLUDES:
    Killing Cops
    Making Money
    Stealing Everything
    Custom Guns
    Drugs
    Fine Art
    oh and....
    MASK, MASKS, MASKS......Create the sickest masks ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Always INTENSE no matter what level you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  3. DvulpTiranity
    Jan 12, 2014
    8
    Payday 2 is a very nice sequel to payday: the heist.
    The co-op elements of the game actually feel better this time and the amount of new maps (also because of updates and patches) is much better, even though the mission objectives feel a lot alike.
    For me, the gun mechanic feels very well done and the amount of guns in this game is actually pretty well done. Just like the new weapon mods    Payday 2 is a very nice sequel to payday: the heist.
    The co-op elements of the game actually feel better this time and the amount of new maps (also because of updates and patches) is much better, even though the mission objectives feel a lot alike.
    For me, the gun mechanic feels very well done and the amount of guns in this game is actually pretty well done. Just like the new weapon mods that you can get by completing missions.
    There's the new stealth element that actually gives you the option to not mindlessly fight hordes of cops.
    The only big problem I have with the game is the AI. Not just your AI teammates, but also the enemies feel really sloppy at times.
    Some examples include: bulldozers going trough walls, teammates not reviving me at all and stop moving once I'm downed, and many more situations like these.
    I'd give this game a 7/10 before all the updates.
    Right now, it's a 8/10.
    Well worth your money.    … Expand
  4. CroReviews
    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.
  5. Phorx
    Jan 1, 2014
    8
    PAYDAY 2 brings back the characters from the original and they are back on a crime spree.
    This time you can access heists through a dynamic map displaying heists (which are called contracts and can span from one to three days) alongside their difficulty levels and who is playing them. New contracts (which are not in play by anyone else) pop up all the time and there are many different    PAYDAY 2 brings back the characters from the original and they are back on a crime spree.
    This time you can access heists through a dynamic map displaying heists (which are called contracts and can span from one to three days) alongside their difficulty levels and who is playing them. New contracts (which are not in play by anyone else) pop up all the time and there are many different contracts to choose from (around ten maybe more at the time of writing). The higher the difficulty of a heist, the higher the XP and cash gain. Each difficulty level introduces new enemy type(s). There are a huge amount of different masks to choose from, over fifty, which can be customized with colours and more which are sometimes gained after heists I'll get to that later. The contracts in the game contain bank-robbing, jewelry-robbing, mall-destroying, meth-cooking, art-stealing, bag-hauling and more, alongside controlling civilians and, of course, shooting guys with guns. If you're into a game having a range of weapons, rejoice there is a mighty range of primary and secondary weapons un-lockable through your 'reputation' level and then bought with cash. Just like there are many weapons, there are many attachments for them.
    One of the biggest features in PAYDAY 2 is the skill tree system with four different trees: Mastermind, Enforcer, Technician, and Ghost. Masterminds have a med kit and can take control of a situation, allowing you to make guards cuff themselves, civilians help you up and people to do as you say. Enforcers have an ammo bag and are the 'big guns' of your squad, being able to carry bags quicker, deal more damage and have more health. Technicians have trip mines and sentry guns and can deal with equipment faster and more efficiently. Ghosts have an electronic jamming device and are about speed and agility, being able to sprint in all directions, take much less fall damage and pick locks faster. You don't have to invest yourself in one skill tree you can choose whatever skills you like.
    Whenever you complete a contract, you and your crew can each choose a card out of three. They are face-down so you don't know what you're getting. With these cards you can obtain extra cash, weapon attachments, masks, colours, materials and more.
    Unfortunately, after a certain amount of time, repeating the same contracts for more cash to buy, well, most things in the game becomes repetitive and shooting wave upon wave of cops becomes monotonous. Luckily, there are different ways to approach heists, there usually being a plan A which involves being stealthy or controlling people without the police getting involved, or plan B which is what usually happens when the alarm is raised and it's shooty-shooty time. The developers also promise more content and so far they have delivered there are occasional free updates with items, masks and heists, but also DLC for those who want it. Another issue is the not-so-great AI. If you are using AI teammates they will do a great job of being a bullet shield and reviving you, but they cannot complete objectives, which can make things difficult. The enemy AI can be odd sometimes, you might find them looking at a wall or being generally idle and soak up your rounds. This is not a common issue though, most of the time you'll be relentlessly rushed, flanked and have your objectives halted by your enemies. The last main issue which becomes apparent later on is that there is a certain level of grinding that must sometimes be done to buy that one thing you wanted, or unlock that skill you've been working towards. This is not a major issue but is sometimes complained about.
    Overall, PAYDAY 2 is a brilliant, fresh and exciting co-op shooter that is at its best when played with friends. If you're considering getting this game... do. You almost definitely won't be disappointed.    … Expand
  6. Lestal
    Dec 26, 2013
    9
    Grandisimo juego con multi-cooperativo gran variedad de misiones donde cada puede elegir el grado de dificultad a la que desea acceder. Muy divertido, para jugarlo acompañado de amigos, se pasa el tiempo volando
  7. Mayhzon
    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.    … Expand
  8. FR3D99
    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.    … Expand
  9. Spgsamuel
    Dec 17, 2013
    8
    i have played on this a lot. I find it addictive. the combat its very well produced and feel just right. The music is very funky and cool and it never felt so right taking hostages to hamper police progress.

    when the police do come they come harder depending on how many hostages you have amassed but take long between swat assaults as they negotiate longer. if you shoot to may civilians    i have played on this a lot. I find it addictive. the combat its very well produced and feel just right. The music is very funky and cool and it never felt so right taking hostages to hamper police progress.

    when the police do come they come harder depending on how many hostages you have amassed but take long between swat assaults as they negotiate longer. if you shoot to may civilians they send in special hostage rescue units that are armored and a pain in the bum.

    The maps i personally feel are very good and really in keeping with the genre which is really in a league of its own. Although there are not a massive amount of jobs, they feel right, snatching jewelry and stuffing it in a rucksack while in an intense police standoff feels so exilirating and they have the atmosphere just right.

    The map dlc's are good, but my one consern is paying for content like guns without additional maps. that takes no effort in part from the dev team and is aimed at empying your wallet primarily, shame on you.

    other than the obvious money grab. the game is really good and you wont be able to stop playing it once it bites you.    … Expand
  10. CriticalMedic
    Dec 15, 2013
    7
    Payday 2 is cool. It is fun with it's ability to replicate a bank robbery scenario perfectly like you'd see in a blockbuster film. The costumes are interesting and scary and the Co-op is probably the best thought up idea in recent games. I do believe it came at the wrong time, however. GTA 5 will always blow any game out of the water, and the robbery idea and the masks were immediatelyPayday 2 is cool. It is fun with it's ability to replicate a bank robbery scenario perfectly like you'd see in a blockbuster film. The costumes are interesting and scary and the Co-op is probably the best thought up idea in recent games. I do believe it came at the wrong time, however. GTA 5 will always blow any game out of the water, and the robbery idea and the masks were immediately redundant when playing either one of these games. This game is fun in its play-ability with friends but it got boring for me after a while. But I can say I feel good about my rating at a solid 7 across the board.… Expand
  11. Ecko69x
    Dec 15, 2013
    6
    Payday 2 isn't a great game nor is it a bad game. It is plagued by awful AI and the graphics are previous generation. The skill tree gives the game replay value as you can test and play different kinds of builds. There are a variety of weapons to choose from, but there could be more. Despite what people say, the maps don't really change. The objectives simply are relocated.
  12. CluetasticJr
    Dec 9, 2013
    8
    Pros: Lots of perks and guns, Awesome music, fair difficulty system, and well designed Net-code.
    Cons: Rage-quitters, poorly optimized, lots of reused heists, awful stealth, and horrible AI.
  13. retep686
    Dec 7, 2013
    10
    I love the game. It makes you feel like your in a sort of crime movie! It's well done and fun, despite the whole just of it is going around robbing places and killing cops. (Quite frankly, I don't know how this is less controversial than Saints Row IV) But if you look over that, it becomes enjoyable and exhilarating. The variety of things to do in the game make sure you never get bored.I love the game. It makes you feel like your in a sort of crime movie! It's well done and fun, despite the whole just of it is going around robbing places and killing cops. (Quite frankly, I don't know how this is less controversial than Saints Row IV) But if you look over that, it becomes enjoyable and exhilarating. The variety of things to do in the game make sure you never get bored. Nothing is overlooked. Game play, the usefulness of teamwork, variety, tools and best of all, GUNS. I recommend game. Go buy it!… Expand
  14. Viperspider
    Dec 7, 2013
    8
    Right now, there is some connection issues. The multiplayer works off a peer-to-peer system which isn't working the best at the moment. Players will often lose connection to the host mid-game or vice versa leaving the host to fend for him/her self and the other players to find another match. |||||

    The game itself is really fun though. It's addictive, co-operative multiplayer is exciting    Right now, there is some connection issues. The multiplayer works off a peer-to-peer system which isn't working the best at the moment. Players will often lose connection to the host mid-game or vice versa leaving the host to fend for him/her self and the other players to find another match. |||||

    The game itself is really fun though. It's addictive, co-operative multiplayer is exciting and rewarding. There are 4 skill tress to choose from, each with a different function; control, intimidation, tech expertise or stealth. You can mix and match between the trees if you like, which is refreshing because it removes the fear of picking the wrong one. There are loads of guns and attachments to buy too and masks to customise. All of which are gotten by random by picking 1 card out of 3 at the end of a game. |||||

    This game is a load of fun, even if none of your friends have it.    … Expand
  15. joesmo122
    Dec 5, 2013
    2
    I really enjoy this game. The graphics are very nice, the game play is fun, and the unlock system is pretty well designed. Overall this game is very entertaining and fun.

    However after following this game for quite a while during development, it's now incredibly frustrating that they're implementing DLC micro-transactions despite stating during development they would not. We were    I really enjoy this game. The graphics are very nice, the game play is fun, and the unlock system is pretty well designed. Overall this game is very entertaining and fun.

    However after following this game for quite a while during development, it's now incredibly frustrating that they're implementing DLC micro-transactions despite stating during development they would not. We were completely lied to by the developers as they are now releasing $7 and $5 add-ons to the game that unlock exclusive weapons and perks. Even though the game is co-op, players now officially gain a significant advantage over others by paying small fees for bonus weapons and abilities.

    I bought the game after believing the developers were on board with users stance against micro-transactions and now I feel cheated out of the money I paid when I thought I was buying a complete game.    … Expand
  16. Bubbadabad
    Nov 29, 2013
    8
    FIX THE MOUSE LAG! Ok, now the real review.

    Mouse lag is a serious problem in this game, but I do hold out hope that it will be fixed eventually. The heists you can commit are honestly some of the best fun I've had in a video game in a while. The strategy that goes into committing a stealth heist is fun, and the feeling of accomplishment you get from going full stealth in a mission    FIX THE MOUSE LAG! Ok, now the real review.

    Mouse lag is a serious problem in this game, but I do hold out hope that it will be fixed eventually.

    The heists you can commit are honestly some of the best fun I've had in a video game in a while. The strategy that goes into committing a stealth heist is fun, and the feeling of accomplishment you get from going full stealth in a mission is unequaled.

    Sometimes the AI for the enemies seems like it cheats. This is only really when you are walking behind them or hiding and they see you anyway. It's ruined more that one heist for me, though it's still fun to shoot your way out.

    Pretty good game though, would highly recommend picking it up.    … Expand
  17. internett
    Nov 24, 2013
    10
    I played COD Ghosts multiplayer for over 40+ hour but when i tried this i have much more fun, very improved from first Payday and i definitely recommend to purchase this game because you will have alot of fun
  18. kramed
    Nov 20, 2013
    7
    As a big fan of the movie Heat, Payday 2 is unique FPS worth playing for a week or two. First impressions I had were it has a bit of a learning curve and is really geared towards players that like unlock systems (aka Battlefield). I personally like to be able play a game and not be disadvantaged for not having played for 50 hours but I must say Payday is a refreshing change to the FPSAs a big fan of the movie Heat, Payday 2 is unique FPS worth playing for a week or two. First impressions I had were it has a bit of a learning curve and is really geared towards players that like unlock systems (aka Battlefield). I personally like to be able play a game and not be disadvantaged for not having played for 50 hours but I must say Payday is a refreshing change to the FPS genre. I do enjoy the settings and maps. The graphics and game dynamics are also quite good but I found the game is limited by its absolutely horrendous matchmaking and server joining system with the grindfest to unlock any of the cool in game items. I think I will have gotten my moneys worth out of this game at the 10-15 hour range and then drop it forever. Pick it up on sale and dont bother with the DLC. If the host has the DLC you can play, you just cant host games with the DLC maps.… Expand
  19. Aldrenean
    Nov 20, 2013
    5
    There is a fun game here, if you can find it. You will need three friends who are capable of clear communication and four microphones. Without these things your options are random matchmaking or AI teammates.
    The AI is laughably incompetent and will literally only shoot at cops when you are under siege. They will not carry bags, steal money, take hostages, etc etc etc. So playing the    There is a fun game here, if you can find it. You will need three friends who are capable of clear communication and four microphones. Without these things your options are random matchmaking or AI teammates.
    The AI is laughably incompetent and will literally only shoot at cops when you are under siege. They will not carry bags, steal money, take hostages, etc etc etc. So playing the game solo is basically impossible, except on the easiest of levels or with the most advanced equipment.
    As for randoms, you will occasionally get a decent game, but the vast majority of players never seem to use voice or text chat. The only communication tool the game provides is a single all-purpose button, no voice call-out menu or anything like that. Matchmaking missions tend to devolve into 4 people doing their own thing in the same map, kind of like Monaco but much, much less fun.

    There are other problems: progression is trickle-fed like a heroin drip, with the almost never avoided pitfall of leaving new players with almost nothing. The starter rifle and pistol are wildly inaccurate, and the game mechanics make it ridiculously difficult to pull off a heist without alerting the police while at low level. I appreciate a satisfying skill tree and item progression, but restricting new players into only playing the game one way is not the correct way to do it. So far my time with the game has resembled Left 4 Dead more than Monaco, Hitman or Thief.

    The biggest technical issue is the insane hard drive bloat. The game originally required less than 10gb of space. With the latest DLC, it now takes up just under 25gb. That is bigger than GTAIV, RAGE or RO2. This is completely ridiculous, and could well make the game unplayable for someone who bought it thinking the officially listed requirement of 10gb was accurate.    … Expand
  20. Pistolz4Pandaz
    Nov 19, 2013
    6
    The game is fun, for a bit. Playing with random people almost always leads to one person telling everyone else how to play, and a lot of the same missions that are good for farming levels and money. This game definitely was released too early, but many recent patches have probably solved all of the early issues. If you are planning to play this game, I would recommend having a group ofThe game is fun, for a bit. Playing with random people almost always leads to one person telling everyone else how to play, and a lot of the same missions that are good for farming levels and money. This game definitely was released too early, but many recent patches have probably solved all of the early issues. If you are planning to play this game, I would recommend having a group of people to play with, as the level of cooperation required to have a good run is pretty high. The shooting mechanics are decent, but don't quite feel as tight as they should be. I really want to like this game, but it quickly turned into playing the same short missions because they were easy money.… Expand
  21. MetalS0ldier
    Nov 18, 2013
    10
    This game is truly a marvel and it allows you to explore your darker side. Without all the messy jail time! Payday 2 Puts you into the shoes of a criminal group rampaging around downtown DC, running heists on banks, jewelry stores, as well as running high paying errands for corrupt powerful people Smooth graphics, nice background music, and some cool abilities make your experienceThis game is truly a marvel and it allows you to explore your darker side. Without all the messy jail time! Payday 2 Puts you into the shoes of a criminal group rampaging around downtown DC, running heists on banks, jewelry stores, as well as running high paying errands for corrupt powerful people Smooth graphics, nice background music, and some cool abilities make your experience complete. Get this game. It's fantastic. What are you waiting for!!!… Expand
  22. DatGamingCritic
    Nov 17, 2013
    7
    PayDay 2 is on a slow course of fixing. Right now i would choose PayDay The Heist over PayDay 2. I dont know why you have to wait for the missions to come up. Its stupid. And the fact that there is 2 stupid AI friends instead of 3 funny clever AI friends like in PayDay 1. However the game play and the menu with the customization is really cool. A lot of the maps are well designed but somePayDay 2 is on a slow course of fixing. Right now i would choose PayDay The Heist over PayDay 2. I dont know why you have to wait for the missions to come up. Its stupid. And the fact that there is 2 stupid AI friends instead of 3 funny clever AI friends like in PayDay 1. However the game play and the menu with the customization is really cool. A lot of the maps are well designed but some are just at bit like. GO THROUGH THERE WE WILL BE FINE. NOT THAT WAY!

    Overall:
    -Great Customization
    -Good Game play
    -Stupid AI
    -Waiting to do missions    … Expand
  23. quantumnerd
    Nov 11, 2013
    5
    This game doesn't really deserve all the praise being heaped on it. It's a fun game-- you, four friends, a heist, plenty of things to shoot, and different ways to complete missions. What's not to love?

    Well, to start, it's grindy. Very grindy. I still don't have the silent drill after many hours of play in the technician tech tree. And I still don't have good mods for my weapons,    This game doesn't really deserve all the praise being heaped on it. It's a fun game-- you, four friends, a heist, plenty of things to shoot, and different ways to complete missions. What's not to love?

    Well, to start, it's grindy. Very grindy. I still don't have the silent drill after many hours of play in the technician tech tree. And I still don't have good mods for my weapons, because they only drop randomly. And you can't trade. And you still have to pay ingame cash for them after they do drop. Yep, that's double-dipping in terms of extending the length of the game. And it goes past that-- there are only a few missions, it's only worth it to play on Overkill difficulty due to only those missions giving enough experience and money, and contracts are very expensive. That means that either you grind for more mission money after being a charity for the three other guys in the party by buying the mission contract, or you wait for an Overkill mission to pop up on the jobs map. And after you get into a mission, hope that you connect, because you'll normally be stuck in a connection loop, or find "lobby full" when you try to join someone else's game. And after you join the game, you have a high chance of being kicked thanks to the uncommunicative and elitist community. Not high level enough? Kicked, even though there's A FILTER FOR THAT they chose not to use. They just want to be dicks to you? Kick you right before the mission ends so you won't get XP or money. But let's assume you get a working, nice crew together. Now you don't know if everyone wants to do the same thing, or has the proper loadout. The game was advertised as one where you'll call up a friend with specialties to perform a specific job. In reality, you don't have that many friends, and never will. You have to rely on randoms. Can you advertise a lobby as a stealth only lobby? Can you make sure you have skills A, B, C and D before you go in? No. You can't. So even if against all odds you get a sane game, you might not have the right team compo. And then there's random other issues. For one, there just aren't a lot of mission types. There are only really about 8 mission types in the game (probably why they have to try so hard to stretch content out). Guns don't sound right, and the shooting feels bad. The soundtrack is kind of awful and repetitive. If your final team member doesn't go to the extraction point, then the rest of you can be shot while he dawdles and then you'll fail the mission (downed members anywhere, including in the extraction point, prevent extraction). There's no proper offline practice mode, because you'll lose ingame currency if you buy contracts in offline mode, and lose money for killing civilians in offline mode.

    So why am I giving this game a 5? What's there good about it? Like I said, it's a four player co-op heist game. It's still pretty fun to play with friends. It might be the only thing your friends will agree on. But friends make everything tolerable-- the game is still pretty bad.    … Expand
  24. spectralknight
    Nov 8, 2013
    8
    The game is just amazing...I can't find another word to describe this hell of a game.The crazy soundtrack which is playing during heists will keep you plugged in literally!Also the game is kept updated almost every week.We have events and news almost all the time.If you are in the official steam group then your news for this game will come faster.Good game.
  25. Nimrod42
    Nov 7, 2013
    9
    Eines der besten Spiele seit langem, durch die zufälligen Gegebenheiten im Game wird eine Mission nie langweilig. Eine Herausforderung jagt die nächste: wie viele Wachleute? Wo ist der Sicherheitsraum? Geht man getarnt oder ungetarnt hinein? Welche Türen sind offen welche nicht? Alles kann sich ändern wird man währender der Flucht einen Unfall bauen? Muss man sich 3 Minuten gegen jedeEines der besten Spiele seit langem, durch die zufälligen Gegebenheiten im Game wird eine Mission nie langweilig. Eine Herausforderung jagt die nächste: wie viele Wachleute? Wo ist der Sicherheitsraum? Geht man getarnt oder ungetarnt hinein? Welche Türen sind offen welche nicht? Alles kann sich ändern wird man währender der Flucht einen Unfall bauen? Muss man sich 3 Minuten gegen jede Menge Polizisten durchsetzen? Wie weit ist das Fluchtfahrzeug entfernt?

    Ein wirklich gelungenes Game, aber hier kommt mein aber:
    Offline zu spielen kann sehr sehr frustrierend sein da die KI Helfer einfach nichts taugen. Sie ballern wild in der Gegend herum, scheuchen Zivilisten auf und tragen keine Taschen, das einzige was sie wirklich sehr gut können, ist einem aufzuhelfen, egal wie viele Polizisten gerade herumstehen. Außerdem braucht Mann ein festes Team, zumindest habe ich die Erfahrung gemacht das man eines benötigt um die richtig dicken Fische an Land zu ziehen. Aber wer mit Freunden ein ausgewogenes Team zusammen führt kann hier sehr viel Spaß haben und dank stetiger Veränderung im Spiel wird das selbst auf Dauer nicht langweilig    … Expand
  26. Pifflestick
    Nov 5, 2013
    0
    Installed the game, started playing and instantly the sound was stuttering constantly. Went to the safe house and the game froze every few seconds. I looked everywhere for a fix but there is none. I paid $30 for this and am thoroughly disappointed, the developers got their payday, but I sure didn't.
  27. SaintJames012
    Nov 5, 2013
    6
    Before you read this I want to point out the fact that this score is based off playing the multiplayer SOLO, no friends and playing with randoms. This game is fun for the first couple of hours playing with randoms, until you realize the payday community is filled with a bunch of pricks. Basically you will see level 50-60s in a level 1 mission then boot you for being to low a rank. PeopleBefore you read this I want to point out the fact that this score is based off playing the multiplayer SOLO, no friends and playing with randoms. This game is fun for the first couple of hours playing with randoms, until you realize the payday community is filled with a bunch of pricks. Basically you will see level 50-60s in a level 1 mission then boot you for being to low a rank. People will expect you to know what to do right out the gate, and will quit at the slightest hint of the mission not going their way. Also if the host of the mission quits, and they will, the game will shut down completely, and you will lose all the cash, xp, and gear you should have gotten. The missions are also very repetitive. All bank jobs are of the exact same bank, the only difference is what is inside the vault. You will see the same problem repeatedly throughout the game. With friends the game gets an 8/10, but if you play this solo with randoms it gets a 6/10… Expand
  28. ieatvag
    Nov 4, 2013
    9
    I have purchased this game before release and invested 128 hours into playing this game since release.It is a completely unique game that is in a class of its own (The only game where you pull of criminal odd jobs) and in addition is a significant improvement since the first payday the heist.The best part about the game is it is constantly being updated and improved with heists and freeI have purchased this game before release and invested 128 hours into playing this game since release.It is a completely unique game that is in a class of its own (The only game where you pull of criminal odd jobs) and in addition is a significant improvement since the first payday the heist.The best part about the game is it is constantly being updated and improved with heists and free content, its goes to show how dedicated and awesome the developers are.Out of all the games I have purchased, I have to say that this game is probably has the most bang for my buck concerning new release games.… Expand
  29. dnnk
    Nov 4, 2013
    8
    Beginning is great. Gets somewhat boring around level ~50s. Leveling all of a sudden gets a lot harder and with recent patches, money farming and tiara farming is no longer a thing.
  30. Killy34
    Oct 31, 2013
    2
    When this game was first released it was fantastic! Sure there was not a whole lot of content, but there was a promise of more and what they had was good. Then they changed how some things worked, like they added finite numbers to things which made the game even more playable and fun.

    Unfortunately with the numbers came the arbitrary artificial difficulty spike in the game. Suddenly    When this game was first released it was fantastic! Sure there was not a whole lot of content, but there was a promise of more and what they had was good. Then they changed how some things worked, like they added finite numbers to things which made the game even more playable and fun.

    Unfortunately with the numbers came the arbitrary artificial difficulty spike in the game. Suddenly armor didn't seem to matter and even the best armor in the game would get 2 shot within a second, and there are places that you CANNOT stealth with this mechanic implemented. The stealth is par at best with certain aspects being incredibly aggravating like sound being heard from suppressed weapons across rooms and through a few walls. But all this could be made up for since it's a co-op game and could have a good community...riiiggghhhttt?

    This game has a terrible community and overkill poorly supports it. It is hard to find good connections to games and when you do if you're low level don't expect to stay. Overkill tries to "help" the community by censoring it. As an example just look at their statement on cheating. In a nutshell it states that if you even mention the word cheating anywhere on their forums even if it would be beneficial towards the community to know what to look for expect an immediate ban from their forums and possibly of anything overkill related and them reporting you to valve as if that does anything.

    I can't even go to their forums anymore for fear if I say anything negative I won't be able to play anything of their's ever again. Hell, I don't know if I'm safe even here. If they look at this review and find me on steam then they may do the exact same thing.

    At first, I felt bad for the backlash their community gave them for some things. Now that they have taken the lower ground I feel no shame in saying that their decisions with the game so far are terrible and I don't see a bright future for it.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PC Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
6
#6 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. GRYOnline.pl
    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.
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  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]
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