Soldier of Fortune: Payback

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 11 out of 24
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  1. FuzY
    Dec 17, 2007
    6
    I've always been a fan of the SoF series for it's 'mindless' gameplay. By that I mean it's like those movies that you just switch off and enjoy. If you've been playing some story heavy games recently like I have then Soldier of Fortune is a good way of clearing your head (no pun intended!). Graphically it seems unfinished as some areas just seem to lack any I've always been a fan of the SoF series for it's 'mindless' gameplay. By that I mean it's like those movies that you just switch off and enjoy. If you've been playing some story heavy games recently like I have then Soldier of Fortune is a good way of clearing your head (no pun intended!). Graphically it seems unfinished as some areas just seem to lack any texture - like faces and weapons - where as other areas look quite nice. The controls seem a bit sluggish at first but can be helped by turning the sensitivity up. With all the great shooters on the 360 at the moment SoF will be easily lost in the crowd but if you see it preowned or discounted (like I did) it's worth a look and should entertain for a short while, as long as you don't take it to seriously.… Expand
  2. DuxaC.
    Nov 15, 2007
    3
    Looks like a PS2 game, plays like its a pre-alpha built. As soon as you press Start, you are dropped in the middle of a city with guns blazing. There is no easing into the action, you are simply dropped in. Which inst necessarily bad. The textures are washed out, and edges are jaggedy. The game looks like a PS2 port to a 360. With games full of unbelievable visuals like Assasin's Looks like a PS2 game, plays like its a pre-alpha built. As soon as you press Start, you are dropped in the middle of a city with guns blazing. There is no easing into the action, you are simply dropped in. Which inst necessarily bad. The textures are washed out, and edges are jaggedy. The game looks like a PS2 port to a 360. With games full of unbelievable visuals like Assasin's Creed and COD4 hitting the market. It is hard to believe SOF:Payback was not held back to recieve more polish. Soldier of Fortune 1 and 2 were a great success, SOF:Payback is a great downfall for the franchise, and should have not been released. The only thing that stayed from the SOF's great legacy is the dismemberment of enemy bodies. But that is not nearly enough to cover up for the game's other downfalls. 3/10, and that is being generous.… Expand
  3. ablindkid
    Nov 6, 2011
    2
    A sheer disappointment in comparison to Double Helix. It's generic and unpolished. To make things even worse, the developer decided to strip away the interesting and unsettling gore systems of the last two games in favor of buckets of faking looking blood and limbs that fly off and subsequently disappear.
  4. ChadC.
    Nov 16, 2007
    4
    Pretty mediocre shooter other than the dismemberment it really doesnt have much going for it. Dont get me wrong seeing someone get there head shot off by a sniper in Team Deathmatch was pretty satisfying after that youll get the feeling of claustaphobia because the levels are so tiny and theres only a select amount of weapons to choose from. I hate to say it but sierra should let this Pretty mediocre shooter other than the dismemberment it really doesnt have much going for it. Dont get me wrong seeing someone get there head shot off by a sniper in Team Deathmatch was pretty satisfying after that youll get the feeling of claustaphobia because the levels are so tiny and theres only a select amount of weapons to choose from. I hate to say it but sierra should let this series die, theres to many great shooters out there dont buy this not so good very repetitive game im mad i did. … Expand
  5. BigDaddyDavee
    May 27, 2008
    6
    This game isn't as bad as people have made it out to be. I agree that it is definately unfinished, has poor framerates at times and does nothing new at all. It is however, fun. The shooting mechanic is very tight and the graphics are good.
  6. Jay
    Nov 25, 2007
    8
    I think this game is great. A refreshing change to everything else thats out right now. You dont get tired of shooting enemies like you do in most other fps's. OK the framerate is a bit dodgy sometimes and you get a tad of slowdown but you forgive it. You get to choose yr weapons before each level and the enemys sneak up on you and hit hard from time to time. Gives you a feel of I think this game is great. A refreshing change to everything else thats out right now. You dont get tired of shooting enemies like you do in most other fps's. OK the framerate is a bit dodgy sometimes and you get a tad of slowdown but you forgive it. You get to choose yr weapons before each level and the enemys sneak up on you and hit hard from time to time. Gives you a feel of being a bad ass commando. Like it… Expand
  7. RichT.
    Nov 16, 2007
    8
    Hey all, I am Cool "DJ ICE" and here is another one of my game reviews. I hope this helps you decide to buy or rent the following game. Remember, this is strictly MY OPINION and everyone has thier own taste in video games. Everyone is welcome to their own interpretation. Enjoy: "SOLDIER OF FORTUNE: PAYBACK" on XBOX 360. Played on a 1080i HDTV with DOLBY 5.1 SURROUND SOUND I will get Hey all, I am Cool "DJ ICE" and here is another one of my game reviews. I hope this helps you decide to buy or rent the following game. Remember, this is strictly MY OPINION and everyone has thier own taste in video games. Everyone is welcome to their own interpretation. Enjoy: "SOLDIER OF FORTUNE: PAYBACK" on XBOX 360. Played on a 1080i HDTV with DOLBY 5.1 SURROUND SOUND I will get straight to the point. This game is non-stop action, killing, and over-the-top violence and gore. It's by no means a perfect game, (but how many games are?) It's not the best First Person Shooter ever, or the best war-game ever, but it's an easy to get into time-waster and best of all...FUN! First the POSITIVES: It's a fun, easy to play, action-packed arcade shooter with a cheesy 1-liners and tongue-in-cheek voice acting. The violence, gore and dismemberment are some of the best ever seen in a video game, along side FAR CRY, CONAN and of course the MORTAL KOMBAT series. You can actually cut off someone's head AFTER you have killed them, and blood will squirt out and you will see their bone marrow! CLASSIC! The graphics are actually amazing, especially the jungle levels and the amazing HDR lighting effects. It reminds me of a cross between FAR CRY and RAINBOX SIC: VEGAS. It's not as pretty as Call of Duty 4 or Ghost Recon 2, but it's way better than most First Person Shooters out there. The sound effects are really good, and the way people scream in pain is funny. The game has some some awesome gunfights and a great weapon selection. In fact, it may be the most weapons to choose and customize that I've seen in this type of game. I am not a big fan of online multiplayer, however I have enjoyed playing this online so far. There are not that many people playing it (yet) so it's quick to "jump in" to a match, and ZERO LAG that I have seen. Also, there is NO MAP, so it's realistic and easier for a casual gamer or "noobie". You can sit and "camp", or run around and hide various places. You do not have a map in real life war! It would be cool if there was online co-op or A.I. bots so you could just create quick missions, similar to GHOST RECON 2 or RAINBOW SIX: VEGAS. Now the NEGATIVES: This game is nowhere near as polished or have nearly as many options and features as some other games. It doesn't touch HALO 3 or BIOSHOCK for gameplay control and story. The framerate drops occasionally, especially during explosions and when shooting multiple enemies. Strangley, it's happens most in the opening level, and then seems to go away after that? Also, you should tweak the default control settings for the X & Y sensitiviy, and SHUT OFF AUTO AIM! The default settings felt weird, and the AUTO AIM makes the cursor seem to skip around. SUMMARY: I think that this game is going to get "lost in the shuffle" because of the time frame that it was released, along with tons of other great games! Do yourself a favor and at least rent it. It's over-the-top fun, and it's personally one of my favorite games. … Expand
  8. TimW
    Feb 21, 2008
    8
    I bought this game reading all of the bad reviews and it's not as bad as they say. The single player is pretty bad in the beginning but as you progress it gets better. The one thing I like is the multiplayer. Its very fun and if you want to take a break from cod4 then this is a good alternative. The gore is really funny and entertaining and if you don't want it then you can turn I bought this game reading all of the bad reviews and it's not as bad as they say. The single player is pretty bad in the beginning but as you progress it gets better. The one thing I like is the multiplayer. Its very fun and if you want to take a break from cod4 then this is a good alternative. The gore is really funny and entertaining and if you don't want it then you can turn it off in the menu. All in all the single player is mediocre but the multiplayer is good… Expand
  9. Ordish
    Sep 12, 2013
    4
    Overall the game isn't totally horrible. The problems are unstable frame rates, terrible animations, ridicules AI, and overall low budget graphics and sound. Once you get past all of that, the game is mildly entertaining.
  10. attwah-nz
    Apr 20, 2013
    7
    Just paid $10 (NZ) for this and I have given it a 7 even though I am still playing the single player campaign for the first time. What a time warp. Developed in 2007 it looks more like a 20th Century N64 game. Basically, it looks TERRIBLE, Sounds TERRIBLE, (some of the worst voice acting ever) and is infested with more flaws than I care to name. BUT................... It's a cracking, oldJust paid $10 (NZ) for this and I have given it a 7 even though I am still playing the single player campaign for the first time. What a time warp. Developed in 2007 it looks more like a 20th Century N64 game. Basically, it looks TERRIBLE, Sounds TERRIBLE, (some of the worst voice acting ever) and is infested with more flaws than I care to name. BUT................... It's a cracking, old school shooter that asks nothing of you but to blast your way through every mission, no thought required. Brilliant......... Ten Bucks well spent.… Expand
  11. Zman6495
    Jul 22, 2013
    4
    I had heard about Soldier of Fortune: Payback's ridiculous level of violence and decided that I would give it a try as it was only 4 dollars. Overall, I was very disappointed by this game, even if it was very cheap. While the extreme gore is kind of cool at first, the novelty wears off after the first 20 minutes. After that the gore just feels gimmicky. The game is also extremelyI had heard about Soldier of Fortune: Payback's ridiculous level of violence and decided that I would give it a try as it was only 4 dollars. Overall, I was very disappointed by this game, even if it was very cheap. While the extreme gore is kind of cool at first, the novelty wears off after the first 20 minutes. After that the gore just feels gimmicky. The game is also extremely frustrating due to the very poor AI. The enemies are programmed to do a grand total of two things: suicide charge at you and attempt to beat you to death with the butt of their gun, or stand in the open and shoot at you. This makes the game feel extremely tedious and boring. The terrible controls only add to the mess, as they are very unresponsive and make targeting a pain, even at close range. Overall, Soldier of Fortune: Payback is a tedious and boring mess that isn't worth your money, no matter how low the price is.… Expand
  12. TMind
    Oct 20, 2017
    6
    Well is the first game of the series i played. The history is rather secondary and empty in the beginning but started to get good later on. The gameplay is rather good, point and shoot and move... if you stop you die. Easy enough to understand how to play.
  13. Richdag
    Dec 3, 2022
    10
    So much fun, heads exploding makes you just feel more badass than it should

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
97
#97 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
50

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 35
  3. Negative: 10 out of 35
  1. GameDaily
    60
    The bland story mode, despite whisking you away to numerous locations, features lame brain artificial intelligence, a boring narrative, corny characters and the same point A to point B objectives, making it worth just a few hours of play.
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  2. IGN
    61
    Soldier of Fortune: Payback has one thing going for it: excessive dismemberment. Everything else is standard stuff for a shooter. Yet, I must admit, that I get a guilty pleasure playing Payback. Though it's not a good game, it's still fun to see body parts fly.
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  3. GamesRadar+
    60
    As cliché shooters go, Payback is no "Black," but it's not bad either. If all you're looking for is a predictable, middle-of-the-road shooter - you know, like if you just beat "Mass Effect" and want to rent a couple hours of mindless mayhem - you could do better, but you could also do a lot worse.
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