Painkiller returns in 2025 as a brutal co-op shooter—with Doom-like gunplay, grappling hooks, and loads of demons to nail to the wall.
Hallelujah, hell is freezing over: Painkiller is returning this fall! However as an alternative of simple solo carnage, 2025 will see the arrival of a co-op shooter for 3 demon hunters – can this work? After a couple of bloody rounds within the prologue and two full ranges, I’d say: sure, it certain can!
Previous cult shooter, new idea
In 2004, Painkiller allow us to flip hell the other way up as a one-man military: A linear degree marathon, steel soundtrack, and tons of monsters bursting into items in a hail of bullets. Predominant hero Daniel Garner slaughtered his method by way of purgatory alone, with out cowl, with out reloading, however with loads of absurd weapons.
Over 20 years later, developer Anshar Studios is trying a balancing act: Painkiller (2025) ought to really feel acquainted, however shine with contemporary concepts. Most likely the largest change: as an alternative of going solo, we now have a crew of as much as three gamers (or bots, if you happen to actually wish to play alone) on the shotgun.
This time round, iconic leather-based jacket hero Daniel Garner is not noted of the image – as an alternative, we slip into the function of 4 new champions named Ink, Void, Sol, and Roch, chosen by the creator himself to cease the demon hordes. Every of those anti-heroes has their very own perks: one can take extra injury, the following offers additional injury, and so forth.
The brand new Painkiller additionally takes a distinct strategy when it comes to construction. Whereas the unique was a sequence of ranges, the 2025 spin-off focuses on replay worth by way of development: we will improve weapons and talents, unlock new devices, and steadily enhance our expertise (extra on that in a second).
Briefly: Painkiller (2025) seems like a gathering of previous and new – nonetheless a fast-paced enviornment shooter with a boomer shooter really feel, however packaged in trendy co-op buildings. Happily, the tempo stays excessive: the prologue will get straight to the purpose, and inside minutes I discover myself stomping by way of bloody stays.
However, the texture of the sport is barely totally different than it was again then – along with basic bunny hopping, sprint maneuvers and even a grappling hook have been added, permitting me to whirl round even sooner. The brand new strikes make for fast-paced, agile gameplay à la Doom Everlasting, whereas the previous Painkiller felt comparatively down-to-earth.
And the environment? Whereas the unique was extra of an exaggerated heavy steel nightmare, the reboot can also be darkish and gothic, however in a extra delicate method. Within the Cathedral Bridge degree, for instance, I combat my method by way of a collapsed cathedral whereas a darkish sky hangs over the scene – visually actually cool and gothic as hell, within the truest sense of the phrase.No comparability to the clunky graphics of 2004.
Previous-school weapons and Doom gunplayAnd that is the place the brand new installment makes a spectacular entrance: There are bangs, clangs, and splatters in all places, sufficient to deliver tears of pleasure to the eyes of any Doom fan.
We finally have seven infernal weapons at our disposal, every with major and secondary fireplace, and we’ve to decide on two earlier than every degree.
It doesn’t sound like a lot at first, however what weapons they’re! The legendary stake gun is again – a type of transportable ballista that fires thick picket stakes, permitting me to nail enemies to the partitions in fashion.
The primary demon I catch with it flies a number of meters by way of the chapel, writhing, after which stays impaled on a pillar. Nailed it, as they are saying. Additionally again once more: the Electrodriver, which fires shurikens in secondary fireplace and shreds whole rows of enemies.
After all, the eponymous Painkiller blade can also be a should: This rotating noticed chops up all the pieces that comes too shut and now even serves as a grappling hook that I can use to tug enemies towards me and switch them into bloody confetti.
One other new characteristic is that melee kills now replenish ammunition – however I didn’t really want to make use of this characteristic as a result of you’ll be able to all the time discover sufficient provides within the ranges. After all, this may change at any time within the greater problem ranges.
By the way in which, the builders have one other ace up their sleeve: weapon upgrades! With every mission accomplished, we accumulate cash and hell shards, which we will use to pimp our favourite weapons or unlock utterly new weapons.
For instance, you’ll be able to improve the stakes of the stake gun to drills that simply pierce shields and armor.With the ultimate replace, they even explode as soon as they’ve dug into the rotten flesh of your enemies.
I’ve solely accomplished two ranges on the bottom problem setting to this point, however I’m certain that tailoring your loadout to particular enemy varieties might add one other layer of technique to the already intense gunplay.
Nonetheless, I’m glad that Painkiller stays primarily a brutally easy shooter – you’ll be able to actually really feel each projectile hitting you, and also you not often should do greater than pull the set off, dodge, and goal like hell. That’s the way it ought to be!
By purgatory collectively
In my play session, I (with two bots at my aspect) mastered the prologue and two different ranges, and it actually felt like Doom (2016) crossed with Left 4 Lifeless or Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.Hordes of smaller demons storm out from each nook, and alone you’d be challenged, however not overwhelmed.
However with different gamers, it’s superb crew chaos: Whereas I rush forward with the stake gun and actually nail zombies to the wall, my accomplice covers my again with a hail of SMG bullets.
Once in a while, one among my companions warns me when one other group of screaming hellspawn rushes out of a aspect passage or a very nasty elite mob spawns – communication is certainly useful, even when Painkiller isn’t a tactical shooter per se.
After all, the query arises: Is the basic Painkiller essence misplaced within the course of? In any case, the previous sport was a pure single-player journey. Primarily based on my impressions to this point, I might say no. Painkiller stays Painkiller, solely now the enjoyable is shared.
Necessary: Nobody is pressured to play co-op right here. If you would like, you’ll be able to full all the sport solo with bot companions beginning October 9, 2025, and get a equally intense expertise, simply by yourself.
Editor’s conclusion
After my hellish journey by way of the preview model of Painkiller, I’m optimistic – and likewise relieved. As a fan of the unique, I used to be frightened about whether or not the balancing act between old-school shooter and trendy co-op horde shooter might work in any respect.
However Anshar Studios appears to know precisely what elements make this franchise profitable. The gunplay bangs like a double-barreled shotgun, the environment is darkish and gothic but splendidly exaggerated, and in co-op, the entire thing unfolds with a pull that’s exhausting to withstand.
Certain, you need to be prepared for a brutal, fast-paced, cooperative hell experience that falls someplace between the high-speed carnage of Doom Everlasting and the team-oriented battlefest of Vermintide/Darktide. Painkiller (2025) caters to precisely this area of interest – and that makes it nearly distinctive within the present shooter panorama.
After all, there are nonetheless inquiries to be answered. Will all ranges be as various as those we performed? Will the development and improve system maintain us motivated in the long term, or will we simply find yourself grinding for skins? And can the sport be simply as thrilling in solo mode as it’s in co-op (key phrase: AI bots)? The ultimate model should reply these questions. However my impression is that this can be a sport with lots of potential to win again previous followers and appeal to new co-op buddies. Anybody who’s eager for extra PvE co-op shooters – maybe disillusioned by different titles – ought to keep watch over Painkiller.
