Payday: The Heist

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 551 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 347 out of 551
  2. Mixed: 157 out of 551
  3. Negative: 47 out of 551

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  1. MuffAlorJr
    Apr 16, 2013
    8
    (PC is alot better to play on btw) Overkill did an amazing job with a game that wasn't that huge, and for $20 it may not be worth it to some, try getting it on sale on steam. There is alot to unlock, such as upgrades and new weapons. Personally i think that this is always a good thing, and to any fps gamer out there i think this is a great addition for your shelf. First off the graphics,(PC is alot better to play on btw) Overkill did an amazing job with a game that wasn't that huge, and for $20 it may not be worth it to some, try getting it on sale on steam. There is alot to unlock, such as upgrades and new weapons. Personally i think that this is always a good thing, and to any fps gamer out there i think this is a great addition for your shelf. First off the graphics, they are pretty nice, not the best compared to the ones you can find in call of duty and battelfield, but in those games you don't get to hold hostages and rob banks. Gameply is like any other hybrid shooter, and in a way a bit like Call of Duty but it's gameplay is pretty linear. Find the objectives, kill cops and keep hostages, break into something or escort someone, and then hold out until you get to the final objecives. More and more cops keep piling at your doorstep and the AI is terrible, but that's why they have multiplayer, with 3 other friends you will have so much fun you won't come out of your room for 3 days. Difficulty is also a great thing, you can be a n00b and play on easy and normal, or become a pro and start out playing on hard and overkill (overkill 145+ is your level 145) and it rewards you alot of cash, literally cash. Cash is used to level up with, levels are called rep and there are 145 levels (193 if you have the dlc) and there is alot to unlock. Masks are also a neat feature, you have your basic clown masks but there are a ton more to collect, sadly there are some you can't get anymore. This game is defiently worth buying and you should not hesistate to buy, but get a friend or to aswell, cuz AI sucks.… Expand
  2. Voice0fReason
    Aug 15, 2013
    8
    I give this an 8/10 because of the amount of enjoyment I get out of this game with my friends. It is a unique idea and not just another first person shooter like CoD or CS. Normal is hard, hard is unfair, and overkill is insane. Not many games will have that, so I thank you developers. But just how I thanked the developers, I also curse you. This is because I can tell that it wasI give this an 8/10 because of the amount of enjoyment I get out of this game with my friends. It is a unique idea and not just another first person shooter like CoD or CS. Normal is hard, hard is unfair, and overkill is insane. Not many games will have that, so I thank you developers. But just how I thanked the developers, I also curse you. This is because I can tell that it was unfinished. So much more could have been added to this game. Customization for example would be great. Also starting out between two weapons would be better then just giving you a gun and saying here. I'm glad that in Payday 2 they added the customization and no I am not dissing the game just because I am comparing it to Payday 2.… Expand
  3. theswaggerest
    May 26, 2013
    8
    One of the best multiplayer games I've ever played. The AI is some of the worst I've ever seen though. I hope they put more effort into the second one's AI, cause if this one had at least alright AI, it would have been a 10.
  4. GiGGiTYZz
    Jun 19, 2013
    8
    I bought this game on Steam for a mere $5 including the DLC and is easily my favorite shooter in my Steam library. The only place it lacks is the amount of missions. Overall a fantastic game to play with your friends.
    Highly recommend :D
  5. Vortex51x
    Aug 17, 2013
    8
    I'm a huge fan of 4 player co-op team games but unfortunately their aren't many games like that. Payday though seems to hit a majority of those marks. Although not realistic in the way you kill hundreds of SWAT agents and use of ammo, the team aspect is important in part of covering flanks and killing specials. Great fun with a good group online. Certain missions are hard to accomplish, InI'm a huge fan of 4 player co-op team games but unfortunately their aren't many games like that. Payday though seems to hit a majority of those marks. Although not realistic in the way you kill hundreds of SWAT agents and use of ammo, the team aspect is important in part of covering flanks and killing specials. Great fun with a good group online. Certain missions are hard to accomplish, In particular Heat Street, but good multi-player helps. You can get bored after a bit because of only 6 maps but it's a great way to blow off steam for a few hours everyday.… Expand
  6. funboyfun23
    Oct 14, 2013
    8
    To be honest I had a lot of fun with this game. I played it a lot and it was just plain out fun. For it's time it has awesome graphics and the missions were fun. Every level was unique and fun and I had a lot of fun with it.

    It had a big re play value as well with unlocking new weapons and customizing you're weapon set. My only problem with this game is how unrealistic it is. I game    To be honest I had a lot of fun with this game. I played it a lot and it was just plain out fun. For it's time it has awesome graphics and the missions were fun. Every level was unique and fun and I had a lot of fun with it.

    It had a big re play value as well with unlocking new weapons and customizing you're weapon set.

    My only problem with this game is how unrealistic it is. I game out of a game one time and we killed over 1500 police officers swat guy and FBI agents. After killing like maybe 20 guys you'd think they would break walls down or find a better way to attack these guys without just going head on.

    But that really doesn't affect my game play experience or my score which I have given it. I came out of this game having a ton of fun and I totally recommend this game to ANYONE who likes first-person shooters.    … Expand
  7. DatGamingCritic
    Nov 17, 2013
    8
    PAYDAY The Heist is allot better than PAYDAY 2 because the game is more fun. It's better because of the AI. It's better because of the gameplay and the gun play. This makes the game feel more real the fact that PAYDAY 2 has better customisation is annoying because that's basically the one thing this game lacks. That a shame.

    Overall -Good gameplay -Good Graphics -Lack of    PAYDAY The Heist is allot better than PAYDAY 2 because the game is more fun. It's better because of the AI. It's better because of the gameplay and the gun play. This makes the game feel more real the fact that PAYDAY 2 has better customisation is annoying because that's basically the one thing this game lacks. That a shame.

    Overall
    -Good gameplay
    -Good Graphics
    -Lack of customisation
    Score 86/100    … Expand
  8. blade6309
    Feb 15, 2014
    8
    Payday: The Heist... Well lets start off with game play, Fast paced for the most part and other parts your normally running around and doing objectives hoping to not get shot by cops. On the other hand, While Assault Waves come in you need to bunker down and fight off whatever hell throws at you. The game has a small-ish amount of police and Special forces. You have Tazers, Snipers,Payday: The Heist... Well lets start off with game play, Fast paced for the most part and other parts your normally running around and doing objectives hoping to not get shot by cops. On the other hand, While Assault Waves come in you need to bunker down and fight off whatever hell throws at you. The game has a small-ish amount of police and Special forces. You have Tazers, Snipers, Bulldozers, Shields and of course cloakers. I can see how people can get board by the fact that your (for the most part) trying new angles to attack on the small amount of heists you have. Theres also a tech tree you get via reputation witch is like your level, but the thing is about the tech tree is you don't have many options and have a very limited supply of weapons and equipment witch is what mainly shoots this score low. In games I absolutely love personalization but in this you don't have much to pick from. Next is multiplayer. Its not broken but its not perfect, me and my friends do disconnect from game here and there but we do stay connected for most part (Normally around 4-5 heists) You can play with up to four people including yourself or with you and AI teammates who can sometimes get stuck. Sadly I cant say much for graphics due to the fact that i play via laptop and and thankful just to be able to play this on lowest. Now story, I can see how if you set your mind to it you could make a story out of it but theirs nothing that is easy to see or even there
    its rather simple.

    Pros: Fast paced FPS, Intense game play, Multiplayer, Co-op, Classes,

    Cons: Not alot of missions, Low tech tree, Bugs (not alot), Bad AI, Little weapons, Fun for the first two or three heists then it dies down.    … Expand
  9. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 24, 2015
    8
    PAYDAY: The Heist is the first game in the PAYDAY series developed by OVERKILL - A Starbreeze Studio

    The game is great, especially playing online play with your friends or strangers, it is a great game to play, if you like those movies that had an epic heist, then you can re-live it in PAYDAY: The Heist But the game has some flaws, playing this is in Single-player, is a big no no,    PAYDAY: The Heist is the first game in the PAYDAY series developed by OVERKILL - A Starbreeze Studio

    The game is great, especially playing online play with your friends or strangers, it is a great game to play, if you like those movies that had an epic heist, then you can re-live it in PAYDAY: The Heist

    But the game has some flaws, playing this is in Single-player, is a big no no, the AI is dumb as balls, from the other guys in your heist and the police

    Like I said before, the AI is dumb, sometimes the police just appear out of nowhere and are really dumb, and have very accurate shooting, they shoot exactly to you or your teammates

    But overall, the game is great, get it now!    … Expand
  10. Witherfang
    Jun 21, 2014
    8
    payday the heist is very exciting it feels like i am a real theif it feels as if im actually there robbing a bank.
    (like thats a good thing) but the way the immerse the player into the game is amazing. the stealth could use a little work aswell the slow mouse problem was well a problem but once u find the fix everything is smooth and nice
  11. russiangamer
    Oct 28, 2016
    8
    Очень крутая игра.
    Жирный плюс за кооп, он реально интересный получился, особенно стелс миссии.
    Жирный минус за плохой ИИ и некоторые баги, если бы не это, то оценка была бы выше. Вообщем в коопе игра реальна крута, да и в сингле лично мне интересно играть. Наиграл 50 часов и опять же для меня это не мало, не во многих играх провожу больше 20-30 часов,а тут более 50... Советую! P.S.    Очень крутая игра.
    Жирный плюс за кооп, он реально интересный получился, особенно стелс миссии.
    Жирный минус за плохой ИИ и некоторые баги, если бы не это, то оценка была бы выше.
    Вообщем в коопе игра реальна крута, да и в сингле лично мне интересно играть.
    Наиграл 50 часов и опять же для меня это не мало, не во многих играх провожу больше 20-30 часов,а тут более 50... Советую!
    P.S. Музыка отпад.    … Expand
  12. ahmedxg
    Aug 25, 2015
    8
    its really good game but need some updates
    need more maps and more weapons and need a dlc's
    it will be fun game if you play it with friends i recommend it
    its great game :)
  13. kevinbrown
    Jul 15, 2018
    8
    Developped by the elite of game design, PayDay is all about the shooting feeling. It's really, really spot on, if not trippy. There's truly nothing that can hold up against this game in terms of shooting sensation; nothing like Call of Duty or Halo, but a bit closer to reality, making the animation frames highly stable instead of having a heavier feeling like Counter Strike or BattlefieldDevelopped by the elite of game design, PayDay is all about the shooting feeling. It's really, really spot on, if not trippy. There's truly nothing that can hold up against this game in terms of shooting sensation; nothing like Call of Duty or Halo, but a bit closer to reality, making the animation frames highly stable instead of having a heavier feeling like Counter Strike or Battlefield

    It's all about the gunfights: pure and non-stop solid fun.    … Expand
  14. UncleEd
    Nov 30, 2017
    8
    The game is very similar to Left 4 Dead, in the sense that survivors are replaced by robbers and zombies by hundreds and hundreds of cops. Every mission you need to complete some tasks to make progress and good cooperative team is a must if you want to make any kind of progress. Some campaigns are absolutely great (First World Bank, Diamond Heist, Green Bridge) and some are just average,The game is very similar to Left 4 Dead, in the sense that survivors are replaced by robbers and zombies by hundreds and hundreds of cops. Every mission you need to complete some tasks to make progress and good cooperative team is a must if you want to make any kind of progress. Some campaigns are absolutely great (First World Bank, Diamond Heist, Green Bridge) and some are just average, but they are unique enough to offer a different experience from each other.

    Some of the drawbacks are, not so great enemy AI and level-up style gameplay. I am not really a fan of online shooters where your gameplay time puts you ahead of other players, rather than skill. At least, Payday: The Heist does not do that in a very irritating way. As long as you choose a difficulty proportionate to your "Level", you will not be lacking.

    To conclude, Payday: The Heist really does make you feel like in a classic robbery movie like Heat or Killing Zoe. It is not something to keep you play for hundreds of hours without getting repetitive, but it does offer great fun for about 20-30 hours. It is not the best co-op shooter, but definitely a good alternative to Left 4 Dead or Killing Floor.    … Expand
  15. Seathate
    Aug 10, 2023
    8
    Arkadaşlarınızla oynayabileceğiniz ve birlikle rol yapmanıza olanak sağlayan eğlenceli bir online deneyim kesinlikle.
  16. Worstluck
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    It's definitely a fun game, and for only 20 bucks, it seems worth price. The action is fast-paced and definitely requires teamwork to complete the heists. There are some cons in my opinion, which are keeping me from giving the game a higher score. One is the multiplayer aspect and how it's set up. It's archaic. There are no dedicated servers, so every game is hosted by a user. ThisIt's definitely a fun game, and for only 20 bucks, it seems worth price. The action is fast-paced and definitely requires teamwork to complete the heists. There are some cons in my opinion, which are keeping me from giving the game a higher score. One is the multiplayer aspect and how it's set up. It's archaic. There are no dedicated servers, so every game is hosted by a user. This can be frustrating as the host can just decide to kick you out whenever they feel like, and if the hosts quits/loses internet connection, the game is over. This also means that you cannot join a game in progress. There are some comparisons to Left 4 Dead in this game, but the way multiplayer server/hosting is set up really bothers me. The other thing that irks me a bit is that there is six heists. Ok not bad, but some of them can only be played on normal/hard/overkill. Only two maps can be played on easy, which you almost have to play starting because you have little skills/upgrades. I have a heck of time finding an easy game to jump into (since I am still low rank), and once you find if someone does like your name or rank they can just kick you before you the game even starts. The last con for me is the graphics options. Game really feels like a console port if you look here...there are none. No advanced options to speak of, so if you do have a low end or high end pc, good luck with the settings. OVERALL though I give the game a seven, because it is a fun game. I recommend it, just wish they had dedicated servers and more graphic options.… Expand
  17. xZippy
    Mar 29, 2013
    7
    A well crafted and very fun multiplayer. Much like Team Fortress 2 or Left 4 Dead 2, it manages to keep its charm for a very long time, and the upgrade system helps that out. The graphics are lacking a little, and a good deal of the animations are stale, but that doesn't bog down the game too much. The whole bank robbing/criminal atmosphere of the game is presented extremely well, and isA well crafted and very fun multiplayer. Much like Team Fortress 2 or Left 4 Dead 2, it manages to keep its charm for a very long time, and the upgrade system helps that out. The graphics are lacking a little, and a good deal of the animations are stale, but that doesn't bog down the game too much. The whole bank robbing/criminal atmosphere of the game is presented extremely well, and is capable of sucking you into the experience. It may not be the best or most addicting multiplayer out there, but it's worth the money and it's still fun as hell. Can't wait for Payday 2 to come out.… Expand
  18. tech-noir
    Sep 5, 2013
    7
    Although the idea sounds much better than it's executed, it still manages to be tense, fun, and rewarding. The difficulty level is high, and successful heists give the player a true sense of accomplishment. Weapon and item variety is limited, but the progressive upgrades and unlocks system is quite good.
  19. GameplayCrush
    Dec 14, 2011
    7
    This is a fun but casual co-op game, basacally you start on a map and have to complete several objectives and survive waves of law enforcement, theres no real story or plot, and there shouldnt be one, you can play this game for hours, or just quickly play a game or 2 before going tro work, this game does however need more content, the few available maps are not quite enough to stayThis is a fun but casual co-op game, basacally you start on a map and have to complete several objectives and survive waves of law enforcement, theres no real story or plot, and there shouldnt be one, you can play this game for hours, or just quickly play a game or 2 before going tro work, this game does however need more content, the few available maps are not quite enough to stay intresting for too long and replayabillity would be higher if there was more.… Expand
  20. LadiesMan217
    Dec 26, 2011
    7
    If you dig crime, this game is fun and well put together. Purely online, the single player mode is weaaaak. Nonetheless, playing out your fantasies of robberies and whatnot without the 20 years in the slammer hanging over your head is fun. Can't beat the price for a well put together game. There is a leveling system that gets you to play more, I'm not saying this game is on caliber withIf you dig crime, this game is fun and well put together. Purely online, the single player mode is weaaaak. Nonetheless, playing out your fantasies of robberies and whatnot without the 20 years in the slammer hanging over your head is fun. Can't beat the price for a well put together game. There is a leveling system that gets you to play more, I'm not saying this game is on caliber with other triple-A titles, but damn if I didn't have fun shooting hundreds of cops. A solid happy 7 for a great price.… Expand
  21. namDa65
    Jan 6, 2012
    7
    It was fun on my first runthrough of each campaign, however at the end, I found I couldn't replay the missions because the leveling system was boring.
  22. rpmcritic
    Mar 4, 2012
    7
    Great game!

    But not enough Levels or actions. For example, you can see the AI climbing fences, sliding under cars and even using railings to climb down high floors... Why can't we do that? The game is basically Left 4 Dead but with a huge horde of police, love the way you can take people and police hostage. Overall sweet game play and Nice    Great game!

    But not enough Levels or actions. For example, you can see the AI climbing fences, sliding under cars and even using railings to climb down high floors... Why can't we do that?

    The game is basically Left 4 Dead but with a huge horde of police, love the way you can take people and police hostage.

    Overall sweet game play and Nice graphics also a good selection of perks and weapons.
    Improvements could be the extra actions/levels maybe more realistic hostage situations and more realistic police tactics?    … Expand
  23. Blakestone
    Jul 20, 2012
    7
    Gets old very quickly but it was worth the 5 bucks it cost on steam for summer sale
  24. Mykwon
    Dec 8, 2012
    7
    Enjoyable but really fun when multiplaying. Otherwise, bots are RETARDED and make you fail a heist because of their stupidities. Very frustrating. Without multiplayer capability, this game would suck. However, it's one of those few games that is filled with hidden objectives and prices so there are good chances that you'll discover something new you missed every time you redo a heist. InEnjoyable but really fun when multiplaying. Otherwise, bots are RETARDED and make you fail a heist because of their stupidities. Very frustrating. Without multiplayer capability, this game would suck. However, it's one of those few games that is filled with hidden objectives and prices so there are good chances that you'll discover something new you missed every time you redo a heist. In that sense, this game has one of the highest replay values I've ever seen.… Expand
  25. jangers
    Nov 28, 2014
    7
    Great co-op game ! Possible to play pleasant even with bots. Unfortunately, there are quite a few heists and the same randomness of events, doing the same action several times can quickly get bored. Rescue for boredom is a lot of difficulty levels, gaining achievements and upgrading characters.
  26. Basem101
    Aug 20, 2013
    7
    nice game although it is bad as a single player but the only way to play this gane is co op multiplayer graphics are good sound and music are awesome
  27. CroReviews
    Jan 3, 2014
    7
    I like the game. Even though it has small amount of weapons, and skill tree is lacking, not a bad game. The game was remastered and improved in Payday 2. And supposedly, the movie with the same name will be released in the year 2014!

    I would rate this 7/10.
  28. moslin
    May 15, 2013
    7
    I just purchased this game and its been a long while since the game or any DLC dropped and I found it quite worth 20 bucks. Its similar to left for dead some people argue to similar. Well whats funny about that is I actually am one of the few people who hated L4D and have never even touched lf4d 2 and I love payday. I guess its because of the heisting and fighting police instead of zombiesI just purchased this game and its been a long while since the game or any DLC dropped and I found it quite worth 20 bucks. Its similar to left for dead some people argue to similar. Well whats funny about that is I actually am one of the few people who hated L4D and have never even touched lf4d 2 and I love payday. I guess its because of the heisting and fighting police instead of zombies and super zombies. Now there are special police units but they are rare and only 1 of them is silly the bulldozers. The game is fast paced and fun especially with other people and probably a blast playing with people you actually know which sadly I have not yet to experience. The game has a level up perk system that rewards new weapons and passive perks for the 3 categories. This is a good incentive to keep playing to reach level cap and get all the weapons and upgrades. You can also earn new masks.

    Every game has a downside. For me yes sometimes the cops are way too precise and numerous at the same time. When you have super troopers, swat breathing down your neck and they seem to never miss unless your completely behind cover it can be quite unrealistic and frustrating. By the end of the day you slay waves and waves hundreds of cops which is kind of dumb. Theres only 2 missions where finesse can even be applied and without perfection you will still end up fighting for your life.

    Another thing that bothers me is the lack of missions. There is 7 by default and the 7th is inspired by left for dead and is about stealing blood and breaking into the icu which is weird. The other missions are run and gun or hold the fort heists about hacking or stowing gold.

    The only actual heist mission is the first world bank where you actually rob a bank and then escape.

    There actually are not that many weapons either. Shotgun, mini shotgun, 3 pistols, a rifle, an full auto rifle, a heavy machine gun and trip mines.

    The dlc adds a new class and weapons and upgrades and more levels but its ten dollars just for 2 more heists and some more levels so I do not feel that its worth it especially with the low online population for the game at this current time.

    Of course the sequel is right around the corner and promises to deliver x 10 more and be what the original should be. Despite that this first payday is a fun co op experience that requires teamwork to outlast those dang police trying to halt your payday and put you into custody.

    You can trade hostages for captured team mates which is great but the police always try to rescue hostages so you cannot and you cant take hostages with you you can only tie them down with limited cable ties and hostages cannot be used for anything else like delaying a police assault.    … Expand
  29. WarriorPancake
    Aug 16, 2013
    7
    Chains! The drill, it's bloody broken!
    ------Hoxton

    Yeah this game is actually amazing, some of the best parts of the game is when something goes out of control or wrong.

    8/10!
  30. simonboi
    Dec 7, 2013
    7
    Let's start with this: This game is meant for co-op, and nothing else. I tried my first mission with NPC's, and it was terrible. It was all on me to grab the c4's, or load up the money bags, or plant the bombs, or really anything that requires holding a button down. The NPC's can fight pretty well, though, and I've actually been saved quite a few times by the accurate covering fire theyLet's start with this: This game is meant for co-op, and nothing else. I tried my first mission with NPC's, and it was terrible. It was all on me to grab the c4's, or load up the money bags, or plant the bombs, or really anything that requires holding a button down. The NPC's can fight pretty well, though, and I've actually been saved quite a few times by the accurate covering fire they can lay out for you. The gunplay is pretty fun, but let's get to the real good stuff: the co-op. It's a good game, that feels similar to L4D2 when your playing co-op,a so let's finish this review with a nice 7.… Expand
  31. Gawee08
    Nov 27, 2014
    7
    PAYDAY: The Heist is a great game, but the thing is that it gets repetitive really quickly. PAYDAY 2 also suffers the same fate. PAYDAY: The Heist is a great game to play with friends and a bit mediocre when playing with random people on the internet.

    PAYDAY: The Heist is about four heisters, all with unique stories which is great, that get involved in various heists such as a bank    PAYDAY: The Heist is a great game, but the thing is that it gets repetitive really quickly. PAYDAY 2 also suffers the same fate. PAYDAY: The Heist is a great game to play with friends and a bit mediocre when playing with random people on the internet.

    PAYDAY: The Heist is about four heisters, all with unique stories which is great, that get involved in various heists such as a bank heist, diamond heist, drug house bust and taking money from a counterfeit money creator. Dallas is the main heister as he is the leader. Dallas is American, Hoxton is British, Wolf is Swedish and Chains is African-American.

    PAYDAY: The Heist's guns don't feel very good for me as the animation makes it seem that the guns are simple toy guns and have no recoil. It just doesn't feel good when you get a kill or even just shoot it normally. Combat is also pretty much Left 4 Dead with cops, as many people have already stated. PAYDAY 2 improved on that as it added stealth and less extreme waves of police enforcers.

    One of the best things about PAYDAY: The Heist is it's heists. They are all very unique, have fun and unique objectives (Except for waiting for drills) and all make you feel accomplished when you successfully finish it.

    I am not saying that PAYDAY: The Heist is necessarily a bad game, but it can get repetitive very quickly, even if you are playing with friends. If you buy this game, do not expect to be playing it for very long. At least you can enjoy the amount of time where you are not bored with your friends.    … Expand
  32. Sreeni
    Jun 4, 2016
    7
    Very original game, it is not quite varied but i will compare it to PayDay 2. PD2 pretty much is the money maker it would be a nice game if they would keep it the simple like the beginner PD. Stop the DLC **** Who wants to buy a DLC to have grenades, i mean come on... It's the greed of the developers, i guess. But PD has better soundtracks if you like PayDay 2, you will now like PayDay 1,Very original game, it is not quite varied but i will compare it to PayDay 2. PD2 pretty much is the money maker it would be a nice game if they would keep it the simple like the beginner PD. Stop the DLC **** Who wants to buy a DLC to have grenades, i mean come on... It's the greed of the developers, i guess. But PD has better soundtracks if you like PayDay 2, you will now like PayDay 1, cause it feels empty to you. PayDay should be a game where you can be the heister and feel like a heister/robber, what is PayDay 2 now? It's does not have the credibility that PD had. Watch the movie "Heat" and you will understand what i meant. PayDay is inspired by "Heat" and the developers really wanted to give you the feeling to be like in this movie and they made it pretty good. All the Dialogs are much better and funnier and you will remember many of them later on. (memes)
    Overall buy both games, and try to enjoy it. Personally the feeling, soundtracks and game-play is better in PD1 but the variation is much bigger in PD2 more maps, more guns etc. but still you need to pay for it (DLC).
    PD1 7/10
    PD2 5/10    … Expand
  33. MrPajamas
    Mar 12, 2021
    7
    PAYDAY: The Heist because I played only because my friend didn't have a powerful enough PC for two. Compared to the second part, the number one is worse, but don't take me wrong. The missions are great with great music, but there are quite a few. In short, a good game. I wouldn't add much more to that. I didn't play her much. I only focused on two, but one is not bad.
  34. Dethstar
    Feb 20, 2012
    6
    Dull. For the first few hours I thought something interesting might happen but I found it to play out like a gaming version of a low budget made for TV movie.
  35. Mouse
    Jan 4, 2012
    6
    I'm hesitant to rate this, because I feel it's more a WIP then a full release, which could be attributed to executive meddling for fear of Fox News' take on a game where you kill cops. But it will always have a higher rating then MW2, for the exact reason that you still aren't allowed to kill civilians. And the cops are American. Let me say that again; a game where you're killingI'm hesitant to rate this, because I feel it's more a WIP then a full release, which could be attributed to executive meddling for fear of Fox News' take on a game where you kill cops. But it will always have a higher rating then MW2, for the exact reason that you still aren't allowed to kill civilians. And the cops are American. Let me say that again; a game where you're killing AMERICANS. Seems there's still hope for the game industry's maturing. But back to the game; some aspects do get in the way of a smooth experience for me. The gunplay seems a bit iffy, or hit-or-miss at best, the screen effects tend to get annoying, such as blood from a melee kill being mistaken for being wounded/directional damage/etc., and other things I just don't understand how to use. Once you take a hostage, what do you do with them? Leave them there? If you've got a group of decent players, nobody will be captured so there's no need to bargain. If you could take the hostages with you, that'd add to the dynamic. Other things, like the ability to take hostages, a quick command/spotting mechanic, multiple enemies, perks, the heist, dialog, and the very fact you're involved in a frigg'n heist (how awesome is that?!) make it worth playing, but I'm on the fence about calling it a good game. It's decent, but still has a few small issues to work out.… Expand
  36. MagSun
    Mar 19, 2012
    6
    After my first impression on that game it develops towards a nice sparetime killer for a round or two -- nothing I could play for weeks!
    +++
    Some issues still remain: [a] AI in terms of civilian behavior, running in your line of fire while the cops seem to be able to shoot right through them without penalties, using them as human shield, [b] AI in terms of escorting behavior, forcing you    After my first impression on that game it develops towards a nice sparetime killer for a round or two -- nothing I could play for weeks!
    +++
    Some issues still remain:
    [a] AI in terms of civilian behavior, running in your line of fire while the cops seem to be able to shoot right through them without penalties, using them as human shield, [b] AI in terms of escorting behavior, forcing you to push those characters forward in two-second-shouts or loosing those characters 1.000 bullets behind, probably doing the just survived assault once again, [c] AI in terms of companion behavior, reviving before clearing a zone or reviving NPCs first while all players go to custody and thereby failing the mission, and
    [d] SWAT-clown-cars flooding the streets with cops even if no assault is going on, so you never know if to hold a position until a moment of rest or push forward until you are moments from death.
    +++
    BUT after all the game is fun and learning and knowing levels is the goal to handle challenges, offering you a real flow in the game, while in other games the sweet-spot is when you still have something to explore. The game might be dead after a month of playing but surely come up every once in a while anything else is overplayed. Once the AI would get fixed this game was really good!    … Expand
  37. Disacar
    Jul 21, 2013
    6
    The concept of the game is awsome, but poorly executed. The game feels like an eternal cop killing with some techinical flaws. But its still fun to play with friends.
  38. AWG
    Aug 2, 2013
    6
    There are games out there I just don't understand. I may like them, but I still don't understand them. Payday is one of these.
    Why are there are no instructions about what I have to knowdo?
    Why am I allowed to slaughter an entire Army, but I get penalized if I kill just one civilian? Why does it take 10 seconds for us to open a not locked door? I feel like this game is only really    There are games out there I just don't understand. I may like them, but I still don't understand them. Payday is one of these.
    Why are there are no instructions about what I have to knowdo?
    Why am I allowed to slaughter an entire Army, but I get penalized if I kill just one civilian?
    Why does it take 10 seconds for us to open a not locked door?
    I feel like this game is only really enjoyable if you dedicate dozens and dozens of hours just to understand its aspects, otherwise it's just a dull "KILL TEH COPZ"-fest for the casual player.
    And to this end, again, some instructiondeep tutorial would be really useful.    … Expand
  39. LaMagiadeVirue
    Aug 24, 2013
    6
    Buenos gráficos, buena jugabilidad, pero llega en algunos puntos a ser aburrido. No es un juego para jugar horas como otros FPS, pero es interesante la idea del juego y la cantidad de tiros que reparte.
  40. Dco326
    Jan 17, 2023
    6
    Lose je pucanje, jako je repetativna, mora da se ono ceka neki task pa onda se to pokvariiiiiiiii i tako sve u krug i za singleplayer realno nije. Sa vise ljudi bi vrv bilo bolje
  41. YigidOx2
    Mar 19, 2021
    6
    I am writing this comment just because I am making a list for myself .
  42. Apz
    Dec 23, 2011
    5
    I'll start off by saying the game is fun with friends. The problem is that just about ANY game is fun with friends, and it shouldn't be used as a crutch for the score. The screen shaking/"jelly"/red tint effects are really obnoxious and annoy the piss out of me. It feels like I should be taking the game a little more slowly and tactically, ala SWAT 4, but it is far more rewarding to justI'll start off by saying the game is fun with friends. The problem is that just about ANY game is fun with friends, and it shouldn't be used as a crutch for the score. The screen shaking/"jelly"/red tint effects are really obnoxious and annoy the piss out of me. It feels like I should be taking the game a little more slowly and tactically, ala SWAT 4, but it is far more rewarding to just rush a stage down. I think the perks system is nice, but any EXP system that insists on restricting your vertical growth (leveling up one job) to promote horizontal growth (leveling up multiple jobs) sucks ass, even if it is minuscule. Picking up team mates who are bleeding out should restrict others from trying to assist the same person. Some of the map objectives feel extremely tedious and grating, like Heat Street.… Expand
  43. MrPibb
    Mar 4, 2012
    5
    I played the game on a free 2 play weekend on steam, and from my experience everything seemed to work alright except there was one major flaw, the enemy ai. The main complaint I have with the game is that 50% of the time the enemies will function in a typical fashion, the other 50% of the time they will just sit there doing nothing. Sometimes waves of enemies will shoot at you, otherI played the game on a free 2 play weekend on steam, and from my experience everything seemed to work alright except there was one major flaw, the enemy ai. The main complaint I have with the game is that 50% of the time the enemies will function in a typical fashion, the other 50% of the time they will just sit there doing nothing. Sometimes waves of enemies will shoot at you, other times they just remain in a passive state after spawning, sometimes entire rooms will be full of brain-dead enemies just sitting there, and when you shoot at them they still remain unresponsive. This really killed it for me. When everything works, the game is decent, but from my experience, that was only half of the time. I cannot recommend the game because of this, regardless of price.… Expand
  44. legionthree
    Oct 28, 2011
    5
    Alright take this with a grain of salt as I am unable to play coop. I think its a good idea with poor execution. I was looking for something akin to Kane and Lynch bank mode but this is pretty far from it. Alright here come my gripes. The controls feel loose and floaty, there is no bullet penetration, theres only one path to take, you cant pick up or use weapons you didnt enter aAlright take this with a grain of salt as I am unable to play coop. I think its a good idea with poor execution. I was looking for something akin to Kane and Lynch bank mode but this is pretty far from it. Alright here come my gripes. The controls feel loose and floaty, there is no bullet penetration, theres only one path to take, you cant pick up or use weapons you didnt enter a mission with, and the AI is far from intelligent. I got bored restarting this or that eight times in a row just to stretch out a mission. On the plus side there is huge potential for multiplayer fun, the unique units add something different aspects to standard shooting, and it was only 20 bucks so i dont feel like I lost too much. Overall I wouldnt recommend unless your just looking for L4D in tighter spaces with worse spawns but like I said I never did get to play multiplayer.… Expand
  45. y3ivan
    Mar 3, 2012
    5
    a very generic 4player coop shooter like l4d. However you will be shooting cops and robbing banks. The devs put extra effort in it by adding another layer of progression system. I do say it an upgraded version of kane and lynch bank heist. However i just prefer the appoarch kane and lynch2 did with its over and down system.
  46. gist95966
    Oct 22, 2012
    5
    It's mediocre. Only a handful of missions and none of them really feel different or inspired, strange gameplay mechanics - you kill cops but can't hurt civilians, and you are bank robbers. I personally found the aiming on the assault rifle to be terrible - specifically the iron sights (I see no option to turn it off either) which blocks pretty much everything your shooting at with your ownIt's mediocre. Only a handful of missions and none of them really feel different or inspired, strange gameplay mechanics - you kill cops but can't hurt civilians, and you are bank robbers. I personally found the aiming on the assault rifle to be terrible - specifically the iron sights (I see no option to turn it off either) which blocks pretty much everything your shooting at with your own gun. I've played other games with iron sights that didn't feel like this. You spend most of the time waiting and fighting off hordes of cops. There are better options for less or no money.… Expand
  47. teh_angry_night
    Oct 20, 2012
    5
    I'm really not sure why everyone is so ecstatic about this game, it's one of the most boring and fairly unimaginative games I've ever played. It's described as "executing dynamic heists", but you're not "executing" anything; the heist is merely the backdrop, a story to an on-rails shooter where you shoot wave after wave cops and security personal in the head(or waste ammo on weakerI'm really not sure why everyone is so ecstatic about this game, it's one of the most boring and fairly unimaginative games I've ever played. It's described as "executing dynamic heists", but you're not "executing" anything; the heist is merely the backdrop, a story to an on-rails shooter where you shoot wave after wave cops and security personal in the head(or waste ammo on weaker hit-boxes). And that's what you do, move shooting guys in the head, stop, shoot more guys, move again shooting guys. Someone was right to describe it as left 4 dead, but with a different theme, but l4d's single player and coop bored me after I'd done everything on expert, but at least that backdrop was compelling, as were the characters, and the scenery and graphics interesting. This has no real interesting story or narrative or characters on rails that makes you want to play for that, and the gameplay is pretty dumb for a game these days. The hitboxes are simply and easy, and it takes a while to unlock any interesting weapons, which don't change the game much, except like the grenade launcher maybe make the game stupid easy, and this game doesn't need anymore brain dead elements. My friends gushed over it during the last free weekend (before the one at the time of me writing this) when I played it, and was bored before we were done the first run through, so I don't see the "endless replay" value they boast. But I guess any sense of a real game is gone from this generation. Just so you know what kind of gamers were talking about here, they have some of the most hours on l4d games, but complained about lack of "realism" in l4d2 (huh? who cares?) and despise the multiplayer...probably because they are so bad at it. So yeah, if you like games with no real variety or challenge, that you could probably finish smashing your face on the keyboard (what I was eventually doing for the weekend I was roped into playing this with those friends) Payday might be the game for you.… Expand
  48. Klewer
    Jul 2, 2014
    5
    While the core game is solid enough and enjoyable, it becomes very repetitive and after your first couple of heists it becomes predictable and bland. If your just looking for pure action blasting away at things worth a go.
  49. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 11, 2020
    5
    Interesting idea for a game, but a boring execution that left me unsatisfied.
  50. DaGleese
    Oct 21, 2012
    4
    As much as I like the idea of what they were trying to do in this game, it falls short in pretty much every direction. You can tell the game was designed to be 'Action Packed', every moment on the edge of your seat! However the outcome is not like that at all, it is just a grind through shooting police officers, and telling hostages to stay on the floor while you wait for task X toAs much as I like the idea of what they were trying to do in this game, it falls short in pretty much every direction. You can tell the game was designed to be 'Action Packed', every moment on the edge of your seat! However the outcome is not like that at all, it is just a grind through shooting police officers, and telling hostages to stay on the floor while you wait for task X to complete. The cops just keep coming, so killing them doesnt really give any gratitude, it just feels like a waste of bullets. For a game entirely based on shooting, you dont have much ammo, which some people might think makes it more challenging, but they are wrong, it just makes the whole thing stale, and makes you feel guilty for doing the very thing the game revolves around; shooting.

    Then there's the AI.... the AI is just rediculously bad, it is programmed as if it was a noob cheating on an fps game with an aimbot, literally as soon as a pixel of your body is out of cover 5 bullets are hitting it, its really frustrating because when you get hit it blurs your vision and you cant see the shooter, and so your forced back into cover, I found the easiest way to actually down police officers is to take advantage of nooks and crannys to shoot them, like the gap between a door and the frame, because the AI doesnt seem to see you there, however that just also takes the fun out, because then it's just a case of shooting a completely dumbass unreactive AI, and its then too easy. I gave it a 4, because I admire the idea, and it is obvious alot of effort went into the game. I also didnt pay much for the game, got it in the steam sale for a fiver, and to be honest... the fiver feels like a bit of a waste on it... It's just not that much fun to play...    … Expand
  51. BattleKeks
    Jul 28, 2012
    4
    I found something out what really makes me angry about that game. It starts really promissing: You enter the hospital, for example and you´re about to start the heist. All good. You are cocentrating on your objective and you´re really into that "I can play the bad guys" setting.
    But, and its the same in every mission, after you set up a saw, for example, to break a door, which    I found something out what really makes me angry about that game. It starts really promissing: You enter the hospital, for example and you´re about to start the heist. All good. You are cocentrating on your objective and you´re really into that "I can play the bad guys" setting.
    But, and its the same in every mission, after you set up a saw, for example, to break a door, which takes about 5 minutes which is ridiculous enough to break a door...., the bad thing begins.

    From now on, that game is about to shoot. And kill. And shoot. And kill. I could continue. All you have to do is to shoot the police, which is extremely boring, the game tells you like " forget about your objective, just shoot as many cops as you can".
    After you did that, and the door finally got open, you have to break another door, of course you have to wait 5 minutes again and shoot as many cops as possible. Bad thing is, the shootings are not really spectacular. Graphics are kinda boring and dusty, gameplay is ultra 08 / 15.

    All in all, I am really dissappointed with that game.
    It starts very promissing, you try to get into the story, but after a minute, all you have to do is shoot shoot shoot and forget about anything else. Wow, sometimes you have to reset the saw, lol.
    I would N O T recommend it to buy, unless you want uninspired 08/15 shooting, but in that genre, there are 100 games out there who make it betther.    … Expand
  52. Gladio77
    Nov 8, 2011
    3
    Graphics look decent but the lack of realism is very irritating. You rob banks but when you shoot a civilian you get punished with extra time. Kinda strange, armed robbers with high ethical standards. Compared to the numerous better games out there, BF3, Shogun and even oldies like GTA and mass effect not really worth your money.
  53. JimCorbett
    Apr 2, 2012
    3
    The floaty controls absolutely break this game. It does not flow and the enemies are either brain dead or extremely smart. The unlock system is pretty lame and not up to par with current games. THere is no introduction or anything to tell you how to play the game either, google is used for that. The game is somewhat cheap, but you only get a few missions available to play and that coupledThe floaty controls absolutely break this game. It does not flow and the enemies are either brain dead or extremely smart. The unlock system is pretty lame and not up to par with current games. THere is no introduction or anything to tell you how to play the game either, google is used for that. The game is somewhat cheap, but you only get a few missions available to play and that coupled with the broken gameplay is just a huge deal breaker for me.… Expand
  54. moon2587
    May 9, 2013
    2
    I picked up this game because it was billed as the same kind of game as Left 4 Dead, a game I highly enjoy. To be fair, it is just like Left 4 Dead. Just as a blatant rip off with no improvement or adaption.

    See, in Left 4 Dead you have objectives to survive in a linear level and occasionally you have to fight off hordes of zombies while watching out for special zombies that can make    I picked up this game because it was billed as the same kind of game as Left 4 Dead, a game I highly enjoy. To be fair, it is just like Left 4 Dead. Just as a blatant rip off with no improvement or adaption.

    See, in Left 4 Dead you have objectives to survive in a linear level and occasionally you have to fight off hordes of zombies while watching out for special zombies that can make your day even worse. If you get incapacitated you hope your teammates can pick you up further down and you get to rejoin the fun.

    In Payday, you have objectives to survive in a linear level and occasionally you have to fight off hordes of police while watching out for special police that can make your day even worse. If you get incapacitated you hope your teammates can trade a hostage further down and you get to rejoin the fun.

    If it seems I cut and paste that last paragraph, no worries, that is exactly what the developers did for the game mechanics. Instead of having zombies, you have brain dead hordes of police to gun down. Well done aptly named Overkill Software. Occasionally you have to deal with special police forces such as the martial arts 'smoker' or the one hit wonder 'bulldozer'. These are the police equivalents of the 'hunter' and 'tank' zombies respectably.

    There is a problem here though. First off, as you would imagine, everyone has a gun.So the developers put in a 'recovering shield' system on top of a normal health point pool. This makes it a cover game. The problem of this is that in a cover game usually you then have the ability to lean out of cover, usually considered a standard feature. It is sorely missing from this game however, which forces you and your teammates to leave cover.

    This brings me to the next problem. Every cop is a marksman in automatic fire, uses automatic weapons, and is perfectly willing to shoot up a room to kill you. While that might tie into real life where police need to be proficient marksman, you however as the crook seem to have higher morals then the police since you get heavy penalties if you so much as graze a civilian. Said civilians loving to jump up and run into the line of fire. I felt as a criminal more of the protector of these poor AI imbeciles having to constantly tell them to stay down so that my teammates, the police, or myself didn't accidentally shoot them. Add onto this the police's ability to shoot at you from across the map without fail and no good way to tell where the fire is coming from.

    Speaking of AI imbeciles, don't even bother trying to play this game by yourself. Just like in Left 4 Dead you will have to do all the objectives yourself. But considering all the AI has to do in a zombie game is just shoot the zombies, having basic AI can be forgiven. In Payday you need to do things like set up drills that will constantly jam. This forces you to run over and spend several seconds unjamming it so it can finish up the five minute countdown before you get to the next objective. This SHOULD have been something you could tell either an AI or human player to do, or just have the AI do automatically. But it doesn't which gives a solo player more of a workload besides being the only human player in a town with more cops then a police state apparently.

    Overall, this could have been an interesting game. Had the AI for everyone been better, the objectives not tedious, the slew of reality flaws, and it not being a blatant rip off of another game just with guns this game could have been good. But it is only a year and some months old and it feels even more dated then that. Save your $20 and the $10 for the dlc and buy something else, like maybe the better Left 4 Dead. If there was a way to get money back from steam for this, I would.    … Expand
  55. debigman
    May 15, 2014
    2
    This game is bad. Really bad. The bots are so stupid that they can't accomplish objectives, and can't protect you when you are trying to do so. Don't even pay 99 cents for this unless you have 3 friends who wanna play.
  56. NevNav
    May 30, 2013
    1
    Bought this game from steam sale for 5 was expecting for robbery game instead i got COD with some bank elements added to it Basicly if you dont move to certain point or objective there will be endless amount of cops .
    Too few lvl.s too stupid AI Drills getting stuck entire time maybe next time dont buy a chinese copy .
    Ugly graphics Crappy movement Guns unrealistic M4 shoots    Bought this game from steam sale for 5 was expecting for robbery game instead i got COD with some bank elements added to it Basicly if you dont move to certain point or objective there will be endless amount of cops .
    Too few lvl.s too stupid AI Drills getting stuck entire time maybe next time dont buy a chinese copy .
    Ugly graphics Crappy movement Guns unrealistic M4 shoots its mag to empty in 1-2 sec like it's shooting 2000 rpm .
    Every police is a sniper even with shotguns police shooting you through cars and spawning behind you or next to you .
    Police running through walls & sometimes bugging out
    Taser police really after you shot like 100 cops they sent in a police with taser ......................-.-

    TLDR Buy a COD instead this is just its little brother that tryes to be a bank robbery game but fails in it hard.    … Expand
  57. donstuka
    Aug 14, 2013
    1
    Wow, this game is a complete waste of money, seriously! I really thought this would be a game with strategy where you can choose to rob a bank silently or with gunpower. Sadly the whole is just shooting police and killing thousands of them. no strategy at all just simple grinding and shooting. also pretty bugged.

    You better spend your money on a nice meal in a restaurant or something else...
  58. leonlp12
    Oct 27, 2011
    0
    Payday: The Heist is a great game with a good replayability however the single player of the game is pretty bad while the AI on the game are bad sometimes they pretty much let you die. The online of the game is fairly good but does get boring after some gameplay and sometimes I would rather be playing with bots other then some people online.
  59. Xalder1
    Nov 26, 2011
    0
    Unplayable. I bought this game because a friend of mine did. He has a worse computer and connection than me, and I already know we will be unable to play together as this game lags like your computer is made of **** On single player. With no AI companions. I don't know how the **** the game is supposed to run four people online when it has absolutely no options to at the very least turnUnplayable. I bought this game because a friend of mine did. He has a worse computer and connection than me, and I already know we will be unable to play together as this game lags like your computer is made of **** On single player. With no AI companions. I don't know how the **** the game is supposed to run four people online when it has absolutely no options to at the very least turn the graphics to low to attempt to reduce lag. Do not get it.… Expand
  60. kuehnau
    Jun 8, 2013
    0
    Think of "Left 4 Dead", but with cops and robbers instead and about a million times harder. I don't know why the developers thought it'd be a good idea to make the game so fricking hard, but I won't be spending money on the second one.
  61. molenga123
    Oct 28, 2014
    0
    Bad game, bad graphics, not cool, not funny, this is the worst game I have ever played, I got this game free, so I spent my time downloading it., do not buy it!,
  62. Crackfarmer
    Nov 12, 2015
    0
    Terrible Game, AI is crap. Engine is buggy, not much Missions to play. After the 4th time doing the same Mission it gets lame. Wouldn't recommend this Game to anyone.
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Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Best PC Game of 2011
40
#40 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
47
#47 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 27, 2012
    70
    Entertaining cooperative multiplayer is why you should try this unconventional shooter. Technical issues and obsolete visuals prevent a higher rating. [Jan 2012]
  2. GameStar
    Dec 22, 2011
    80
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer
    Dec 1, 2011
    71
    Payday is the most exciting parts of your favorite movies cobbled together, swapping the brains for extra bullets. [Jan 2012, p.67]
See all critic reviews »