Development studio: Anshar Studios
Publisher: 3D Realms and Saber Interactive
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/|S
Release date: October 21, 2025
The platform on which the game was tested: PlayStation 5
Starting price: 39.99 euros
The return of a big name, but does it have a "soul"?
Reboot Painkiller arrived with a clear promise: to bring back the distinctive "metal" fervor of the classic 2004 title, but at the same time push it into a modern co-op environment. Probably the developer wanted to achieve something in the style of Helldivers II. A fun shooter, funny moments and banter with the crew in the good old familiar Painkiller style. In practice, we got high octane co-op FPS for up to three players (with full offline support) set in purgatory, with campaign/procedural arenas and a familiar arsenal (including variations of the classic stakegun) te tarot mapama as sistemom “buildova”. I zaista, youhnička isporuka je solidna. Što i ne iznenađuje, because Anshar studio izbacuje visoko polirane titles. No, primjećujem da fali “ono newhat”. Jednostavno, youško je povezati stari painkiller i new painkiller. Fali - duša.
A twist in game design
New struktura games oslanja on mission co-op loop i dodatni Rogue Angel mode. Rogue-like inspirirane, ručno rađene, but nasumično komponirane arene. To je svjesno udaljavanje od mračne, solo furioznosti starog Painkiller i približavanje modernism servisnim šuterthere is: baza, awards, nadogradnje. Veteransma vjerojatno to zvuči poznato, but also problematično. Jednostavno niis onizgled Pain killer-u, a solo gameplay je - tanak. Iste bridge koje su gameri prijavljivali u preview fazi - nažalost - ugledalo je svijetlo dana i sa Day-1 izlaskom. Što ne treba pretjerano čuditi, because šanse da se newhat drastično promjeni iz preview faze u release fazi u AA igri bilo bi ravno manjem čudu. Still je to poalreadyi development poduhvat koji također iziskuis and dodatna financijska ulaganja, a samim time bi značio vjerojato i jači delay izlaska games.
Gameplay: fast, loud, functional. Leisurely.
Kretanje je brzo - skok, dash, grapple - a vatrena moć je bogata. Kombinacije prthere isrnih i sekundarnih shotova, with kombinaciju power-up kawara služi as meta sloj koji buffa sposobnosti i potiče timsku sinergiju. On papiru, izgleda dobro. IN praksi? Paaaa… ne baš idealno. Neki shotovi su very zadovoljavajući, whereas su drugi jednostavno isprazni, without dubine, tosadni. Nije baš tragedija, but is and ispod boomer-shooter očekivanja koji bi title sugerirao. WITH time se slažu i kritičari igara, spominjajući “plutajuće” paljbe i promašen “muscle feeling” shoteva.
But in order not to turn out that everything is negative, it is not. The weapons are very imaginative, visually powerful, and when everything clicks into place (especially in a well-coordinated team), the pace can be addictive. The game is fast, fluid, energetic and presentationally strong. It's absolutely fun, once you get going.
Structure and progression: 9 missions, 3 acts
The campaign boils down to nine missions across three acts. On paper it sounds like a focused dose of action, but the falling surprise curve destroys the motivation for “one more run”. Progression through weapon and map mods is there, but too often it doesn't change the style of play enough to encourage a longer grind. I also noticed this on steam reviews as something that often comes through in the impressions of gamers. Tasks and targeted activities are repetitive, and content and unique moments rarely break the routine.
Dakle, puške su fantastične, moći odlične. Still, malo toga konkretnog what možeš s njthere is. What jest - previše recikliranja dovodi do zaključka da možeš vidjeti sve what game nudi u jednoj gaming sesiji.
Solo vs co-op: It's not even a competition
Ako planiware play solo, očekivanja spustite. Još malo. Jednostavno u igri na solo, nije to to. Nema se tamo šta puno tražiti. Ova game there is focus, a čini se da is and tako koncipirana, na co-op segmentu i tu game na svoje snage. Barem se trudi. IN co-op modeu, kad ekipa komunicira i postavi dobre perkove - stvar jednostavno oživi. Forbavno is and brzo. Fromvan same kampanje, Rogue angel is on neki način još tu i as osigurač dugovječnosti. Rotiparadiseuće arene, loot, proceduralne permutacije. Ako volite kwarke co-op sesije in style “hop in na 30 minutes” - ovo je super mod za vas.
Monetization: bang for buck
Price za AA igru co-op šutera - čini se oke. Ukoliko ćete play co-op. INkoliko nećete, definitivno fali opravdanja za ovu cijenu. WITH obzirom na potencijal IP-a, ovo je moglo be daleko, daleko bolje. Game vjerojatno cilja na audience koji bi mogla pokupiti od dijela co-op shootera i pronašla svois a place pod suncem - ali vjerojatno beige neke globalno popularne masivne zajednice who bi ovu igru gamela dugo vrijeme. Što postavlja upitnik nad cijelim pitanjem - there is li ova game smisla in the long term u smislu igrivosti.
In addition, the current score on steam by the community is generally overall "mixed". So the game could definitely be better, but it's not worth throwing away. That sweet spot between "come on, give it to me, it's already on sale for 19 euros".
Where Painkiller (2025) Succeeds
- Pace and legibility of the fight: when the team clicks, the action has nice kinetics and a level of visual clarity that allows for "flow" without fatigue.
- Arsenal and styling: imaginative weapon variants and "purgatory" aesthetics offer enough spectacle for short co-op sessions.
- Technical presentation: fluid framerate and solid, clean graphics.
Where the game loses the battle
- Identity: the title bears the brand, but not the character which made the series cult; tone and humor remain generic.
- A solo experience: bots and goal design do not carry the game; solo players they remain short-sleeved.
- Progression and goals: repetitive tasks, a modest number of missions and unimpactful weapon mods reduce longevity.
Verdict: recommendation with limitations
Pain killer (2025) je kompetentni, but derivativni co-op FPS. Ako tražite brze, “trigger-happy” seanse s dvoje prijatelja, toit will bete solid, vizualno atraktivan doživljaj which will vas držati nekoliko večeri. Ako ste došli po mračni, solistički, beskompromisni Pain killer - ovaj reboot ne brings tu vrstu katarze. U najboljim trenucthere is, igra isporučuje čisti adrenaline; u prosjeku, sve ono between podsjeća da je riječ o projektu which is prigrlio trend više nego vlastitu mitologiju.
If you play primarily with a team, Painkiller (2025) can be a correct choice with realistic expectations and willingness to repeat. If you want a single-player boomer-shooter with an identity, the current market offers stronger alternatives - and some players on Steam openly suggest that the "new" Painkiller is a name without the old soul. If Anshar Studios moves away from the generic goals through a few major patches, strengthens the solos, and refines the feel of the weapons, this reboot can go from "competent" to "recommended". Today, it's not there yet.
Evaluation: 2.5/5 - “Dovoljno za vikend u co-opu, premalo za ostati dulje.”
A copy of the PlayStation 5 version of the game was provided by publishers 3D Realms and Saber Interactive for review purposes
