PayDay: The Heist Review

payday_heatstreetheist_screenshot__1_

If looking at screenshots of the game immediately make you think of the first few minutes of the superhero blockbuster hit, The Dark Knight, you're not alone.  Is it as good as The Dark Knight?  Definitely not, but PayDay: The Heist is a fun game to play that should surprise a lot of shooter fans.

What Is It?

PayDay: The Heist is a multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Overkill Software, and that's all there really is to say.  The premise of the game is straightforward.  All the player has to do is rob banks.

What makes the game confusing is that it really makes no attempt to explain itself.  It suffers from vague and unhelpful tutorials, but if players can get by this, they'll find a heck of an intriguing game.

Why Should I Care?

PayDay puts players in the action right off the bat.  There are six maps to play in, each varying in size and its features.  For example, the first map in the game has the look of an average, clean bank in the city.  Objectives include, holding patrons hostage, capturing the bank manager, obtaining information, drilling holes into walls to access the safe, and a handful of other things.  Each objective is simple enough to carry out, but as stated earlier, the game doesn't really do a good job of telling you what to do.

payday_heatstreetheist_screenshot__6_Despite this, the action in the game is linear enough to the point where your objectives are obvious.  Players that don't know what they're doing simply have to follow an arrow they see on the screen, and they'll be back on track.

Performing these duties successfully builds up the character being used, enabling access to better weapons and abilities.  Building up certain attributes can only be done on the game's home screen though, and as random as it is–again, the game didn't even explain how it works.

Most of the time players will spend confused with the game is when they're figuring stuff out, but once it's all figured out, PayDay definitely becomes more playable.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

While the game doesn't explain itself very well, it's still extremely fun.  The shooting mechanics are off at times, but they're easy to figure out for any fan of first-person shooters.  On top of that, the multiplayer, provided you have friends with the game, is a very enjoyable experience that will be filled with heated arguments regarding camping and reviving people.  The customizations players can make with the characters really give PayDay some style and personality, and it makes the game that much more fun.

At $20, though, it's a bit hard to recommend.  It might be worth demoing first.

Title:
PayDay: The Heist
Platform:
PlayStation 3
Publisher:
Sony Online Entertainment
Developer:
Overkill Software
Genre:
Action/Shooter
Release Date:
October 29, 2011
ESRB Rating:
M

If looking at screenshots of the game immediately make you think of the first few minutes of the superhero blockbuster hit, The Dark Knight, you're not alone.  Is it as good as The Dark Knight?  Definitely not, but PayDay: The…

payday_heatstreetheist_screenshot__1_

If looking at screenshots of the game immediately make you think of the first few minutes of the superhero blockbuster hit, The Dark Knight, you're not alone.  Is it as good as The Dark Knight?  Definitely not, but PayDay: The Heist is a fun game to play that should surprise a lot of shooter fans.

What Is It?

PayDay: The Heist is a multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Overkill Software, and that's all there really is to say.  The premise of the game is straightforward.  All the player has to do is rob banks.

What makes the game confusing is that it really makes no attempt to explain itself.  It suffers from vague and unhelpful tutorials, but if players can get by this, they'll find a heck of an intriguing game.

Why Should I Care?

PayDay puts players in the action right off the bat.  There are six maps to play in, each varying in size and its features.  For example, the first map in the game has the look of an average, clean bank in the city.  Objectives include, holding patrons hostage, capturing the bank manager, obtaining information, drilling holes into walls to access the safe, and a handful of other things.  Each objective is simple enough to carry out, but as stated earlier, the game doesn't really do a good job of telling you what to do.

payday_heatstreetheist_screenshot__6_Despite this, the action in the game is linear enough to the point where your objectives are obvious.  Players that don't know what they're doing simply have to follow an arrow they see on the screen, and they'll be back on track.

Performing these duties successfully builds up the character being used, enabling access to better weapons and abilities.  Building up certain attributes can only be done on the game's home screen though, and as random as it is–again, the game didn't even explain how it works.

Most of the time players will spend confused with the game is when they're figuring stuff out, but once it's all figured out, PayDay definitely becomes more playable.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

While the game doesn't explain itself very well, it's still extremely fun.  The shooting mechanics are off at times, but they're easy to figure out for any fan of first-person shooters.  On top of that, the multiplayer, provided you have friends with the game, is a very enjoyable experience that will be filled with heated arguments regarding camping and reviving people.  The customizations players can make with the characters really give PayDay some style and personality, and it makes the game that much more fun.

At $20, though, it's a bit hard to recommend.  It might be worth demoing first.

Date published: 11/04/2011
3.5 / 5 stars