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. 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.
  2. Cairnexus
    Jul 20, 2013
    8
    The concept is truly amazing...having a 4 player co-op game is always a blast. If I could compare it to anything I would compare it to Left 4 Dead, in the style of how fluid the movements are and how quick and easy the game is to learn. There is a few things that prevent this from getting a 10 from me. First if you play this alone or even with any computer AI on your team its really hit orThe concept is truly amazing...having a 4 player co-op game is always a blast. If I could compare it to anything I would compare it to Left 4 Dead, in the style of how fluid the movements are and how quick and easy the game is to learn. There is a few things that prevent this from getting a 10 from me. First if you play this alone or even with any computer AI on your team its really hit or miss on what will happen. Second the AI on harder difficulties are really skewed they are still not very smart when you are in a room alone or kiting them around something over and over. In short if you learn the "tricks" you can really abuse the AI and make the game extremely easy. Lastly the leveling system is really confusing and I'm not entirely sure how it works still. But beyond those minor things the game really has a great chance to shine and the sequel will be coming out shortly (and will hopefully improve on these weak points). So I give it an 8 from multiplayer perspective and 6 for single player experience.… Expand
  3. BrothaGreg
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    I feel like the rest, when I seen the trailer I was like ehhhhhh. When I played I felt like a real criminal lol! Sony and Overkill have done a fantastic job on this game. There is never any problems or crashes and I just love the Graphics! I would recommend this game to anyone 18 plus!
  4. LacquerHead
    Oct 30, 2012
    10
    $4.99 on Steam sale, and I'm having a great time.. Yes co-op kicks ass! Nothing like getting some friends online and exececuting a flawless heist.. And killing a **** of cops..
  5. Flumpor
    Aug 31, 2012
    9
    Upon playing about 25 hours with my friends I think it´s time for a rundown.
    Let´s start with the good things:
    - Incredibly Atmospheric: The music is some of the best I heard in a while and it really makes you feel the intensity of the battle and the quiet moments + the music at the end of a completed heist makes you really feel like a smart gangster. - Great Leveldesign:    Upon playing about 25 hours with my friends I think it´s time for a rundown.
    Let´s start with the good things:
    - Incredibly Atmospheric: The music is some of the best I heard in a while and it really makes you feel the intensity of the battle and the quiet moments + the music at the end of a completed heist makes you really feel like a smart gangster.
    - Great Leveldesign: For people who say they hate that this game is only shooting, you aren´t really that right. There are more then one way for a lot of the missions. For Example Mercy Hospital, you can go in and play a game of chance with the Teddybear Chainsaw (shooting) or hold people hostage, shoot down the cameras, dress up as Doctors and get the blood from him without even killing one person and there are more examples, some are really just shoot missions but incredibly stylistic.
    - Customization: While it takes some time to get all of the items it is not really annoying because you always have a reason to do what you do as a player since every mission should be 1-2 Levels up. Plus the Items really differ, from Health Packs to Sentry Guns or Shotgun to SMG you got it, except Sniper Riffle but why would you snipe on a heist?
    - Great Co-Op experience: This is the most important point, you need to have 3 to 4 people playing this game with you and a Teampseak or Skype Server but if you do, oh my is this game fun. You really need to come up with a strategy if you want to do Achievements or beat the Overkill difficulty, and only one of you needs the DLC so that everyone can play (You still don´t have the Technician class but what counts are the maps). And if you don´t have friends, or they don´t like Videogames, there probably are some cool people you can meet on the Internet.

    But there are also some bad things about this game:
    - No Explanation: Until I figured out I was able to Change my Class (Tab + 1-3) I was already level 11 and even if I love the level design you can get easily lost, you will be right on your track a few seconds later but nontheless annoying.
    - Unrealistic: While you have the feeling of being an amazing sophisticated Robber, you really start wondering if you just killed the entire Police department of ... the USA and I don´t know but it just bugs me that the enemies are so numerous but so weak.
    - Difficulty: It is always challenging which is a good thing but sometimes the game just feels to pull out a **** you Card by letting a Spec Ops leap into you from above and knocking out 1-3 People instantly.

    Resume: Payday is an incredibly immersive and fun Co-Op Shooter which has tons of replay value and variety but has some problems here and there. All in all, definitely worth to check out if you have friends    … Expand
  6. Winstonthebeast
    Aug 8, 2012
    9
    Some pretty good graphics, A fast paced fps robbery how much more can you ask for. I honestly tnk from watching the trailers it make it look like yo had more outside freedom but you really dont but it makes up for the robbery freedom and also gives you egleest a good half an hour for each hiest so its more realistic in a sense
  7. tadchav
    Aug 9, 2012
    9
    Well besides getting this on sale on steam for ONLY 5 dollars, I am very pleased with my investment. The game-play is very original and can be challenging when it needs to. I failed the first bank heist 2 times but I had so much fun doing it that I kept playing again. The leveling system is not very polished but it is fair and gets the job done. Overall 9 out of 10
  8. Lavaground
    Aug 26, 2012
    10
    Well i don't have to repeat what most people already said. I'd rather like to advise that group of "negative" reviewers to play this game with friends and voip, talk to each other or die trying xD Random gameplay gets really hard in higher levels, but is still possible. My tip for "BattleKeks": Try to do the heist "Plan A" Style, the first door is not intended to be sawed open, you have toWell i don't have to repeat what most people already said. I'd rather like to advise that group of "negative" reviewers to play this game with friends and voip, talk to each other or die trying xD Random gameplay gets really hard in higher levels, but is still possible. My tip for "BattleKeks": Try to do the heist "Plan A" Style, the first door is not intended to be sawed open, you have to do the heist the "right" way to bypass this ;)

    The new level are really great and as expected very challenging. I don't know any shooter which is harder to complete/master/achieve the this one, maybe DayZ but thats kind of another genre so it's out of competition. It's the "I wanna be the Guy" of FPS xD

    Highly recommended to buy and enjoy and also the big advise to play this game with people you know !    … Expand
  9. bart567
    Sep 9, 2012
    10
    Payday: The Heist is one of the best Indie shooters around at the moment, and with a growing community and DLC's in the wings, Overkill software have made a triumphant splash into the gaming world with their debut title.

    Like many others, I was skeptical when I first saw trailers for this game. It looked clunky and low quality, but I thought twenty dollars was not much of a risk.    Payday: The Heist is one of the best Indie shooters around at the moment, and with a growing community and DLC's in the wings, Overkill software have made a triumphant splash into the gaming world with their debut title.

    Like many others, I was skeptical when I first saw trailers for this game. It looked clunky and low quality, but I thought twenty dollars was not much of a risk. Looking back, I would have paid much, much more for this game than I did. The action is brutal and fast, the gunplay is awesome, and the gameplay is flawless. The upgrade system leaves for massive replay value.

    This is one of the best PC shooters around. Buy it now, you wont regret it.    … Expand
  10. tighra
    Nov 3, 2012
    9
    Great game, exiting missions and challenging difficulty levels. The grafic is also ok. You can adjust your equip to your needs exactly. If you play as single player your KI-Mates will follow your calling. For the higher difficult grade its necessary to play with real people together.
  11. killing4cookies
    Nov 3, 2012
    9
    Payday:the heist is a first person shooter indie game made by the company overkill, their first game and a very good job of it. It takes you to a group of 4 bank robbers (you being one of them) they are all controlled by players, although the game does have AI for robbers instead of players, this AI has a common phraise know as **** They dont complete mission objectives, making singlePayday:the heist is a first person shooter indie game made by the company overkill, their first game and a very good job of it. It takes you to a group of 4 bank robbers (you being one of them) they are all controlled by players, although the game does have AI for robbers instead of players, this AI has a common phraise know as **** They dont complete mission objectives, making single player quite the pain in the ass, and will just be plain stupid. Like reviving you almost instantly in front of the entire pissed off Chinese army and wondering off like there's zero **** given. However these small errors can be overlooked by simply playing the game. It's a real joy, the music sounds like a continuing countdown to the next epic assault wave, the reloading and shooting feels real and powerful. You honestly feel like a hardcore robber without having to go into gregge and threaten the guy at the counter with a (clearly fake) water pistol, and later getting arrested.
    Although not explained, this game has a levelling up system, and a quite good one for that fact. The enemies aim very well with very powerful shots forcing you to take cover and work as a team, somthing not seen so often with new modern games. The graphics look very photo realistic and slick allowing you to dive into the games atmosphere even more. So you may think "well that's all good but there's a serious lack of content here I mean there's only like 9 missions?" we'll I can tell you that these are very long and very good missions, they are all extremely different from each other and all give you a new experience. There's different ways of doing them and they are all an average of 45 mins. And the game may say great replay ability, I thought this was meanly an excuse but they weren't kidding. I've played that first world bank mission close to 50 times give or take a few. Trust me I there's plenty of content. All In all payday is a wonderful game. Another thing is it doesn't have dedicated servers so playing can be annoying with unreliable hosts and bad servers but you can always host your own if your willing to wait five minuets. It's good all round and though it has some faults they can all be overlooked by the sheer fun and enjoyment you'll get out of it.    … Expand
  12. Your_Jesus
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Best 20 bucks you could ever spend, really great game, great teamwork, great maps, or heists :P, would really recommend this game for anyone who wants a really good game.
  13. Nightshadow
    Nov 22, 2012
    10
    When I read some papers this game was considered as a little brother of L4D only with cops instead of zombies. In that reviews the game look not very good. When I tried it I found that this game is amazing than L4D. The soundtrack is very good, the game isn't a only way from start point to end point but you need to move continuosly in the map for complete goals or take the police in theWhen I read some papers this game was considered as a little brother of L4D only with cops instead of zombies. In that reviews the game look not very good. When I tried it I found that this game is amazing than L4D. The soundtrack is very good, the game isn't a only way from start point to end point but you need to move continuosly in the map for complete goals or take the police in the back. It's more strategic than most fps that I tried and is good to play in solo as in multiplayer (but if you have a good team with vocal chat is better)
    IA isn't very smart but this is a multiplayer game first so it's acceptable and the graphics isn't top, but in a game where you need online people is good because also old PCs can run it
    Replayability is high because cops don't spawn from the same areas (or if they, they can be of others tipe), also every heist have some story variables that can change the battlefield, so every game is a "new" game also if the map have the same name.    … Expand
  14. llamahobo
    Dec 8, 2012
    10
    Fantastic Game.
    Great fun, good by yourself, but much better cooperative. Hours and hours of fun with your Mates!
    Great cooperative game and very well done, also considering this was their first game (Overkill) the deserve a high five. the only downside is there isn't more heists! although, 6 is actually good because they change every time you play it and there is the no mercy map (free    Fantastic Game.
    Great fun, good by yourself, but much better cooperative. Hours and hours of fun with your Mates!
    Great cooperative game and very well done, also considering this was their first game (Overkill) the deserve a high five. the only downside is there isn't more heists! although, 6 is actually good because they change every time you play it and there is the no mercy map (free for pc :D) and the 2 dlc maps which also give you a new unlock tree. :D :D :D :D :D BUY THIS GAME RIGHT NOW    … Expand
  15. CustardInc
    Apr 22, 2013
    9
    A very good game, not your usual twitch shooting, run in and kill 'em all first person shooter, which makes a nice change. My only criticisms are that it is very difficult to play the game solo and that it seems to take quite a while to rank up and unlock new guns (about 4 hours of gameplay and no new guns so far, I don't mind all that much though).
  16. MaxHazard
    Jan 12, 2013
    8
    While nothing ground breaking, Payday: The Heist does deliver. What exactly does it deliver? Pure cooperative arcade styled action packed fun! Do not expect next-gen graphics are AAA assets, but do expect to have a blast either taking down 'the man' or screwing around with friends. This game does what many have failed to do over the past decade... Focus on fun!
  17. 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.
  18. Dielo
    May 31, 2013
    10
    Very good game, full of fun... is the best game to play with your friends. I do not like that i need to pay for the DLC, but its ok, was a cheap game, i only payed 5 dollars for it. The game is for me a 9.5
  19. 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
  20. azgoodaz
    Jan 8, 2015
    8
    This is the game that made Payday popular. Payday is filled with unique heist missions to get jewels, or money. But within these heist missions you can either go into them run and gun or how most people do it by doing it stealthy. A lot of people also do speed runs on the hardest heist missions so people can compete against each other to see who can do the mission the fastest but withoutThis is the game that made Payday popular. Payday is filled with unique heist missions to get jewels, or money. But within these heist missions you can either go into them run and gun or how most people do it by doing it stealthy. A lot of people also do speed runs on the hardest heist missions so people can compete against each other to see who can do the mission the fastest but without getting caught.… Expand
  21. ritardedartkid
    Dec 27, 2013
    8
    Surprisingly fun. I didn't expect to enjoy this game so much, but I guess there's just something intriguing about being a bank robber. Despite only having 6 heists there's a ton of replayability as parts of each heist are randomly generated. Unlockable weapons and player upgrades are dispersed throughout the skill tree basically taunting you into playing just a little bit more to unlockSurprisingly fun. I didn't expect to enjoy this game so much, but I guess there's just something intriguing about being a bank robber. Despite only having 6 heists there's a ton of replayability as parts of each heist are randomly generated. Unlockable weapons and player upgrades are dispersed throughout the skill tree basically taunting you into playing just a little bit more to unlock something new. The game is a little rough around the edges with occasional glitches, enemies getting stuck in walls, and the UI can be difficult to use, but overall it's a great first release from Overkill Software.… Expand
  22. nikoooo
    May 4, 2013
    9
    After hours of playing this game, all I can say is wow. This game is amazing. It focuses on teamwork and communicating with each other. The gameplay is very face-paced as the police attacks you wave after wave and the more bulldozers, tazers, and cloakers come, the more tension you build and the more fun it gets. The graphics, in my opinion, are gorgeous. It's not Battlefield 3 or Crysis,After hours of playing this game, all I can say is wow. This game is amazing. It focuses on teamwork and communicating with each other. The gameplay is very face-paced as the police attacks you wave after wave and the more bulldozers, tazers, and cloakers come, the more tension you build and the more fun it gets. The graphics, in my opinion, are gorgeous. It's not Battlefield 3 or Crysis, but for a $20 game, you can't go wrong. There are some minor problems I have with this game, though. When you're interacting with something like reviving your teammate, fixing a drill, etc, it doesn't let you look around you and the mouse acceleration. I don't really mind the 1st one but Overkill is fixing that in Payday 2 which is great news, but mouse acceleration was a huge problem for me when I first got the game. However, I soon got used to this and Overkill has also been trying to fix the problem. I was saddened when I found out there were no mods available because of the engine the game is running on. Hopefully Payday 2 will be more flexible with mods and such. If this game was a $50 title, I would grab it. Amazing co-op game.
    9/10    … Expand
  23. 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.
  24. 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!
  25. 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.
  26. MrCyberDino
    Aug 9, 2013
    9
    Upon hearing of the game, I was hyped. It looked like the mission green leaf clover from gta 4 but instead in a full game. The missions are very good fun, especially if you have a full team of mates, but even in single player the AI does a very good job. The graphics are quite good for a 20 dollars game compared to other downloadable titles. The game play is fast paced and very good. theUpon hearing of the game, I was hyped. It looked like the mission green leaf clover from gta 4 but instead in a full game. The missions are very good fun, especially if you have a full team of mates, but even in single player the AI does a very good job. The graphics are quite good for a 20 dollars game compared to other downloadable titles. The game play is fast paced and very good. the gunplay holds up well and there are enough maps and enough unlockables to keep payday interesting. Only some minor gripes would be that the AI is flawed, as they are clearly not a person, and the 1st mission is gthe only one where you rob a bank, and I wish there were a few more bank robbing missions, and the player had a bit more imput into the missions. Overall, the game is definitely worth the $20 and is worth your time.… Expand
  27. Uback
    Jun 13, 2013
    9
    Hmm Payday... This game is just so much fun. But only the MP-part though. It's not really fun to play with the AI since it is kind of dull. But the game overall feels great. The guns have a certain kick in them, they feel power full and the enemies are tough. It is for once a shooter game that require a certain tactic. One person can't just run out in the open like a mad man, and expect toHmm Payday... This game is just so much fun. But only the MP-part though. It's not really fun to play with the AI since it is kind of dull. But the game overall feels great. The guns have a certain kick in them, they feel power full and the enemies are tough. It is for once a shooter game that require a certain tactic. One person can't just run out in the open like a mad man, and expect to run from it in good shape.
    The game is very recommendable    … Expand
  28. AngryScotsman
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Payday The Heist is one of those games where you are unsure of whether its good or not but when you eventually buy it it is very addicting. Payday's Graphics are very nice. The game play is a smooth experience and has great elements involved, there aren't a mountain of weapons like you see in some FPS' but theres enough for you to enjoy. The levelling system is a cool feature you have toPayday The Heist is one of those games where you are unsure of whether its good or not but when you eventually buy it it is very addicting. Payday's Graphics are very nice. The game play is a smooth experience and has great elements involved, there aren't a mountain of weapons like you see in some FPS' but theres enough for you to enjoy. The levelling system is a cool feature you have to acquire a certain amount of cash altogether and you can level up picking between which class tree you want to go down Assault, Sharpshooter or support, these can be changed at any time in-game by holding Tab and pressing the 1,2,3 or 4 (4 is a dlc class that is called the technician). Overall the game is amazing its great to play play with 3 other people (preferably friends because communication is key in this game although the in-game voice chat is pretty poor) and have a good time. For £14.99 this game is well worth it and if you're unsure there is always the steam sales.… Expand
  29. 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
  30. 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.
  31. 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
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. Assassinreviews
    Nov 29, 2013
    10
    Games like this are made to play non-stop for days and with friends. This is the first heist game that i have played that has turned out very good. The upgrade system/feature is well made and provides interesting experience by gaining experience and using that to upgrade your character. The way they have made it so each class is for a specific task. If you play this game with your matesGames like this are made to play non-stop for days and with friends. This is the first heist game that i have played that has turned out very good. The upgrade system/feature is well made and provides interesting experience by gaining experience and using that to upgrade your character. The way they have made it so each class is for a specific task. If you play this game with your mates the game will be a bit easier depending on your friends first person shooter experience, also a lot more fun.
    The range of maps is also something to like about this game, they are small and make it harder to escape the authority although some players don't like the type of maps or the size of the maps because they are too small. Sorry to ruin your fun but this isn't Call of duty.
    Anyway, If you and your mates are looking for a game to play then i recommend this game, it's a load of fun and you can sit down for hours and play without losing interest.

    This is AssassinReviews,
    Thanks for reading :D    … Expand
  35. komf
    Dec 5, 2013
    9
    all map is hard,big,fun,long
    if you want big heist
    this game better then 2
    and cool Characters,cool map,cool weapon,cool enemy
    most charming game ever
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. Dracodelta
    Jan 22, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, I like the differentiating enemy types throughout the wave with their special abilities. What makes it a true co-op game is that when you face special enemies alone, you are probably not going to succeed because they have abilities that can cripple you. I love the face that there are key bindings for aim down sight because many games do not have key bindings for laptops (:… Expand
  39. UndeadSoldier11
    Mar 4, 2014
    9
    9/10
    +Loads of fun
    +Skill tree to upgrade things YOU want +Heists change each time keeping it fresh and new +Different ways to do heists (ex. Stealth vs. Guns Blazin') +Very different heists that take place in unique environments +Heists REQUIRE cooperation which is nice to play with friends and see how you use teamwork to get that payday. -Not enough guns. There are only a select    9/10
    +Loads of fun
    +Skill tree to upgrade things YOU want
    +Heists change each time keeping it fresh and new
    +Different ways to do heists (ex. Stealth vs. Guns Blazin')
    +Very different heists that take place in unique environments
    +Heists REQUIRE cooperation which is nice to play with friends and see how you use teamwork to get that payday.

    -Not enough guns. There are only a select few guns, not to many to fit everybody's preference
    -No gun customization. It would be fun to upgrade gun by exactly what you want
    -No mods. This game would be super fun with mods because after awhile the heists do get boring and repetitive. It would be nice to see heists that people make.    … Expand
  40. death12123
    Apr 22, 2019
    9
    Payday The Heist definitely deserved more love. At it's low price point of 20 bucks, you got 6 memorable stages, 2 paid DLC stages and 1 free one.

    I wasn't really fond of the level up system but overtime it grew on me and it was how it should've been. Though it was unpolished, the enjoyment was there. The gunplay felt great and co-op was well balanced out. The callout system, special    Payday The Heist definitely deserved more love. At it's low price point of 20 bucks, you got 6 memorable stages, 2 paid DLC stages and 1 free one.

    I wasn't really fond of the level up system but overtime it grew on me and it was how it should've been. Though it was unpolished, the enjoyment was there. The gunplay felt great and co-op was well balanced out.

    The callout system, special enemies, guns, etc. Everything was all good. For 20 bucks this game was definitely worth it. The four heisters you will remember with their personalities too. Nothing will ever beat the original 4 and their interactivity.

    The only real negative is the AI is bad. At least ingames like L4D they help but here they kinda just leave you hanging.    … Expand
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. quack_duck_
    Jul 7, 2014
    10
    This game, although has it's problems, holds up as a fantastic co-op FPS. The graphics are fine, on a higher setting they are quite good. The gameplay WITH FRIENDS is great. After 2 years, this still is a great game that I think everyone should try with a few friends.
  44. 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!,
  45. 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
  46. Salzstreuer
    Jul 12, 2015
    9
    First until now I played this game like 50 hours and mostly of them alone.
    I played all the Heists including the DLC Content and the "No Mercy"-Heist, which is a L4D Fanfiction, what's quite funny, because the developers clearly took many things out of the Franchise from Valve.
    You are one of four robbers doing heists to earn money, because you know money is awesome. The gunplay is    First until now I played this game like 50 hours and mostly of them alone.
    I played all the Heists including the DLC Content and the "No Mercy"-Heist, which is a L4D Fanfiction, what's quite funny, because the developers clearly took many things out of the Franchise from Valve.

    You are one of four robbers doing heists to earn money, because you know money is awesome.
    The gunplay is ok, every weapon has its downsides and also unique good ones.
    I'm going to take the less amount of weapons due to the fact that every weapon has to be played differently, not like in other games.
    Although I'm not a fan of "bullet tracing" in games, because they're often done awfully, here I still don't like them, but they're not annoying nor ugly.

    It has different classes of enemies, with different AI, pretty awesome, although the AI is sometimes randomly stupid or OP, like the snipers on OVERKILL.
    The AI of your teammates are not very good, it's a COOP-game, don't expect something else.
    Go to public servers, the community isn't that bad and the game offers great connection, I played with people from Australia(I'm European) without any lag.

    The HUD is ok, although I don't like crosshairs, but that's irrelevant now, it offers the information you need, the design is less important.

    It has like 9 Heists, which may take you up to 20-40min(on OVERKILL with bots), that aren't that much, but they are all kind of unique and doesn't look the same.
    But the most important thing; The missions aren't always the same, means that the game is replayable over and over again.
    That's awesome and is a huge plus for me.

    The unlock system.. I don't like unlock system and that one in particular.
    At the beginning you have 2 useless weapons and aren't a big help, you have to unlock everything first, also things you may not want or need, which is eating a lot of time.
    I like the 3(with the DLC, 4) skilltrees itself, but not how they managed it.

    Well, the graphics, they are not good, everyone can see that, but actually I don't mind, I do more care about visual bugs, which haven't ever been fixed although it's 2015, 4 years after the release.
    At least every Budget PC will be able to run this smoothly, even and sh*tty laptop is.

    Overall, I like it,
    I played it 32 hours in the last few days.    … Expand
  47. 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 :)
  48. kaitme
    Aug 26, 2015
    10
    this game is great. it has great graphics, really good missions and awesome perk tree. my main problem is that i dont have firends to play this game with, so its pretty boring for me. and when you start playing the game its very difficult to understand the perk trees, they never tell you much about it and until you fully understand it,
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. hassall
    Dec 16, 2016
    9
    A very fun game to play with friends, it is even fun with people online.The game has great graphics, really good missions and awesome perk tree. for me this game is a 9 for me.
  52. RoloApunta
    Dec 15, 2016
    10
    El mejor juego de asaltos coperativos de la vida
    Si quieres jugar un buen juego de asaltos no te bajes el gta5 con este basta

    El juego lo e probado y que puedo decir ¡Es una maravilla!, Uno elige 4 personajes dalas, chains wolf y hoxton creo los cuales son atracadores de tiendas
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 11, 2020
    5
    Interesting idea for a game, but a boring execution that left me unsatisfied.
  56. Vleidar
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Игра лишь для веселого время с друзьями. Играйте за грабителя. Уровней здесь очень мало ( чтобы открыть несколько уровней, вам надо купить DLC ). Достаточно оружии. Хорошая графика ( но есть немного мыло ). Хороший уровень сложности. Интересные уровни. Хорошая стрельба. Много интересных деталей. Оптимизация на высших уровней ( Если у вас пк до 2009 года, то у вас будет все нормально ).Игра лишь для веселого время с друзьями. Играйте за грабителя. Уровней здесь очень мало ( чтобы открыть несколько уровней, вам надо купить DLC ). Достаточно оружии. Хорошая графика ( но есть немного мыло ). Хороший уровень сложности. Интересные уровни. Хорошая стрельба. Много интересных деталей. Оптимизация на высших уровней ( Если у вас пк до 2009 года, то у вас будет все нормально ). Здест также можно улучшать свои навыки ( стрельбу, новые оружие и т.д. ). Довольно умные нпс. Есть также пасхалки. Динамичный Экшн. Много интересных масок ( некоторые надо либо выполнить какие то задание, и купить DLC ). По поводу DLC. Стоит покупать его? DLC стоит не дорого. Он дает доступ к несколько уровней ( они не такие интересные чем предыдущие ), много масок, немного оружии и все. Если есть лишние деньги, то можно купить, а если нет, и вы хотите специально купить, то нет.… Expand
  57. 1nvas1on
    Jun 24, 2020
    9
    Very interesting and solid overall shooter, robbing banks and shooting is fun.
    A very good game that still have replay value and is still good today.
  58. YigidOx2
    Mar 19, 2021
    6
    I am writing this comment just because I am making a list for myself .
  59. 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.
  60. a2zChiller
    Aug 9, 2021
    9
    Grab a friend and play this game! This is one of the best co-op experiences you can have in a video game!
  61. Bruninho1997
    Oct 14, 2021
    9
    Extremamente divertido jogar com os amigos, uma pena que após um tempo se torna muito repetitivo.
  62. Seathate
    Aug 10, 2023
    8
    Arkadaşlarınızla oynayabileceğiniz ve birlikle rol yapmanıza olanak sağlayan eğlenceli bir online deneyim kesinlikle.
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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 »