Payday 2

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
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  1. Game Informer
    Aug 13, 2013
    83
    Pulling off a frictionless heist is the exception to the rule in Payday 2, but the tension is still palpable as you try to orchestrate a robbery without getting caught, and the adrenaline flows steadily as you inevitably repel the barrage of police waves while trying to make your getaway. The overly expensive upgrade system and lackluster AI could use some work, but the minute-to-minute action is thrilling enough to overcome these complaints.
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Sep 8, 2013
    80
    Coupled with a stronger focus on the sound and feel of gunplay, gamers are granted the chance to pull off memorable robberies worthy of Ocean’s Eleven, with shoot-outs as intense as Three Kings, unfortunately minus the Clooney. [October 2013, p82]
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  3. PlayStation Universe
    Aug 23, 2013
    80
    Payday 2 is a step in the right direction for co-op action still throttled by lame single-player and an annoying unlock system.
  5. Play UK
    Sep 25, 2013
    79
    Worthless solo but superb as an online game. [Issue#235, p.83]
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  6. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Oct 1, 2013
    75
    Payday 2 plays differently each time you boot it up. Nothing ever goes the way you planned, but that does not mean it does not feel the same each and every time. Despite its repetitive ways, this second payday feels more streamlined and fun than the first one. [October 2013 p.95]
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  7. NZGamer
    Aug 31, 2013
    75
    If you’re stuck playing PayDay 2 in singleplayer, or if connection problems and waiting for players to join drives you crazy, you’ll want to do the same.
  8. GameSpot
    Aug 23, 2013
    70
    Payday 2 brings crime to life with an alluring intensity that entertains in spite of some rough edges.
  9. Cheat Code Central
    Aug 14, 2013
    70
    If you have a friends list full of like-minded and degenerate buddies, you really can’t beat the co-op experience for the price. But, by yourself, if you think you are going to be able to accomplish anything within this game beyond the simplest of heists, you’ve got another thing coming.
  10. Metro GameCentral
    Aug 13, 2013
    70
    A far less significant improvement on the original than many will have hoped for, but still an enjoyable co-op shooter with a largely unique setting.
  11. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Aug 13, 2013
    70
    A sequel with increased complexity but no more finesse than the original. Payday 2 has a swag bag full of worthy ambitions, but overstretches when it comes to execution.
  12. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Aug 19, 2013
    65
    Payday 2 is not a game for people looking for something without flaws, as it currently rests, it is only a shell of the potential it holds.
  13. Gaming Age
    Aug 26, 2013
    58
    Payday 2 is a game that I really enjoy when it’s working right, which is definitely more often than not at this point.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best PS3 Game of 2013
47
#47 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
86
#86 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 193 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 101 out of 193
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 193
  3. Negative: 60 out of 193
  1. JohnConnor333
    Aug 20, 2013
    4
    Way overhyped. This game is getting so much attention because no other game has done this yet (and so many want it) I feel like i'm playingWay overhyped. This game is getting so much attention because no other game has done this yet (and so many want it) I feel like i'm playing a very early unfinished product. The AI is bad (and so bad that NOTHING compares to it) Better off not even calling it AI. You'll be in firefight and your AI friends will just stand in the middle of the street. Funny if it wasn't so sad. The cops..lol. You'll see them running..then disappear and reappear in different location. Love the soundtrack, style, and concept. I hope they rake in enough to actually make a decent game that is more playable online (better matchmaking) and fun offline splitscreen. If you disagree with this then you are wrong.… Full Review »
  2. Cerberus0
    Mar 21, 2014
    5
    I'm level 91. Let me repeat that....I'm level 91 and the max level is 100. So I **** you not when I tell you this game is best described asI'm level 91. Let me repeat that....I'm level 91 and the max level is 100. So I **** you not when I tell you this game is best described as the following: A modd for an early 1998 3D pc game with upgraded mediocre graphics by today's standards. Don't follow me yet? I haven't seen ai this stupid since the first 3D fps games came out in the 90's. Hell I think I might be insulting some of those games by comparing them to payday 2. Worst ai I have any recollection of period. Got that? Okay let's move on...

    You can complete missions one of two ways, in stealth without triggering endless waves of brainless police and swat, or trigger the alarm and do things while shooting. Let me just say that it pays more to just trigger the alarms and deal with the waves of endless bots. UNLESS you are in a group with mics that are all speced in one of the trees or are high enough level to be speced in multiple trees. If you are in a pug group you might as well just trigger the alarm since somebody is going to anyways...save some time.

    Graphics - Mediocre is being a little bit nice. If you get up close to objects you can literally make out their colour bits (google 8 bit games). Everything close up looks like utter **** It's like minecraft quality. For some reason in 75% of the world you can't make bullet holes. So shooting most walls just doesn't leave any marks at all. The physics are completely nonexistent except for ragdoll effects. You walk right through most enemies and your teammates.

    The maps have invisible walls right in the middle of open streets that only the ai can walk through.

    There are so many glitches in this game it's not even funny. It's froze my ps3 3 times. Recently there's been an influx of host connection problems. It will say you are disconnected from psn (when you aren't) if you are the host and you lose everything in the middle of a game. If you aren't hosting it will say "connection to the host has been lost". Certain levels like the Diamond store are GLITCHED and CANNOT be completed in stealth because the getaway van doesn't open. You have to trigger the alarm and then wait for the van to come back to complete it.

    So why in the hell is this getting positive reviews? I don't know tbh. I think it has something to do with the fact that people on the ps3 have never experienced this sort of game before (4 player coop with objectives and goals? sounds old but it's not in the context of robbery). I certainly haven't played anything like this on the ps3 before.

    This is a modd....a beta version of a game if you will. It is not complete and yet they are selling it for ...29.99 or 39.99 as a full fledged game. This thing is still in development. It has a deep skill tree system and a bunch of good ideas....but it isn't done.

    If you need to play this game go play it on pc. The console version is far far behind in updates and dlc. Infact if you play the console version and then look at the pc version on youtube you will think that it was payday 3. I don't even want to imagine what this game was like before the 25 gb update consoles got in 2013. I'm playing this thing in 2014 cause it's free on ps plus (I wonder why...).

    The other thing to mention is how easy the hardest missions are. You can be in a team of lvl 50's or below and beat the hardest heists it has to offer. Thus it begs the question of why even bother going to lvl 100 when you've completed the hardest levels the game has to offer? (pc has higher difficulty levels)
    Oh and that's another thing. The game has hardly any levels. YOu will be running the same maps over and over and over again. Especially since 'rats' hands out an insane amount of exp compared to the others and can be completed on the highest difficulty SOLO in a fraction of the time it's counterparts take. It still feels like I am farming exp all the time just to unlock something that might help me do the mission in stealth.

    The other issue with this game is the enemies have 100% accuracy and know EXACTLY where you are at all times. You can't hide behind bushes or try to sneak up on the enemy....they know exactly where you are 24/7. Even if you are inside a building behind a number of walls they know exactly where you are. The next problem is the shooting. Most of your shots will not register if you go full auto on someone. You have to fire in bursts. And most of the time you won't know when the enemy is dead or about to get up and shoot you again....so it's always a good idea to pound a few extra shots into them to make sure. Unlike most games this one has arcadey kind of enemy attacks. You will hardly ever see enemy gunshots...whether this is realistic or not it makes for some frustrating experiences since you won't know where in the hell the enemy is and where he is shooting you from. The other arcadey feature is full armour regeneration after about 4 seconds of not being attacked. Maybe by Payday 5 we will have a game deserving this metascore.    … Full Review »
  3. tarsus
    Aug 18, 2013
    4
    This game isn't bad. It's very fun and challenging at times. However, the fact that I cannot get into a match AT ALL and the fact that thereThis game isn't bad. It's very fun and challenging at times. However, the fact that I cannot get into a match AT ALL and the fact that there is no split screen co-op is ridiculous. This is the perfect game to have split screen co-op, but they completely neglected that. Perhaps they'll release an expansion or something, but until then, I won't be playing too much. The AI is so freaking stupid. If you play by yourself, expect to die alot. The AI cannot understand simple tasks like carrying bags or anything of that nature. The majority of the time they just stand there.… Full Review »
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