This aint the killer of pain… but it’ll cause it
I’ll admit it right up front; I completely missed Painkiller back in the day. I was probably too busy shooting Covenant or arguing about which Final Fantasy had the best combat system. So, coming into this reboot, I had no emotional attachment or rose-colored memories. Honestly though that might’ve helped. Players will play as one of four unlucky souls stuck in Purgatory, forced to fight off endless demonic hordes to stop a fallen angel named Azazel from turning Earth into his personal barbecue pit. It’s all metal album covers and over-the-top dialogue, and the game knows exactly what it is.
There’s no deep lore to unpack here, no moral gray areas; just you, some ridiculous weapons, and a few thousand demons that need introducing to the business end of a stake gun. The first thing you’ll notice is that Painkiller does not believe in subtlety. You move fast, you shoot faster, and things explode in ways that would make Michael Bay proud. I’ve learned from my friends on the podcast that the spike gun and the lighting shooting gun were staples in the original game, which is neat for the fans.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
The movement system allows players to double jump, dash, and grapple around arenas with a sense of speed that honestly for me is just too damn fast. I felt like I was cosplaying as the greased up deaf guy from the Family Guy show the way I was slipping around these levels. I don’t know why these new games that try to emulate the old school boomer shooter feel the need to include this loosey-goosey feeling movement systems but I swear we need to study this.
After a few hours though, more cracks start to show. The level design leans heavily on arena-style layouts; wave after wave of enemies until the exit opens up. It’s not bad, just repetitive. The boss fights try to mix things up but rarely deliver the kind of wow factor you’d expect from something this chaotic. There’s also a roguelike-inspired “Rogue Angel” mode that adds randomization and replayability. It’s fine, but it doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Mostly, it just feels like a different way to do the same thing: shoot more demons.
Co-op is where Painkiller really comes alive, or as alive as being a demon hunter in purgatory can be. Players can squad up with up to three friends online, and suddenly the chaos becomes beautiful. There’s something inherently satisfying about a random yelling “cover me!” while you both sprint through a cathedral full of skeleton knights. Solo play, though? Not so much. The game clearly favors a team setup, and playing alone highlights some of its weaker points. Enemies feel tankier, AI companions (when they show up) don’t pull their weight, and the pacing gets uneven fast. If you’re buying this, grab a buddy or two. This is not a “quiet Saturday night alone with headphones” kind of game; it’s a “Discord call full of laughter and swearing” kind of game. I miss having the time and friend group for these types of games.
Painkiller is one of those games that’s fun because of its attitude, not its depth. It’s not here to change your life; it just wants you to shoot everything that moves and maybe headbang a little while you do it. The problem is that after a while, the repetition sets in. You start to feel like you’ve seen every type of arena, every demon variation, and every combo the game has to offer. That “wow” factor fades, and what’s left is a fun, but slightly hollow, experience.
Still, there’s something undeniably charming about how straightforward it is. It’s a throwback to when shooters were about reflexes, not morality meters. It doesn’t care about narrative twists or prestige storytelling it just wants to entertain you for a few hours, and in that sense, it mostly succeeds. If you’ve got friends to play with, this is a good weekend pick. You’ll have a blast tearing through demons, laughing at the ridiculous story, and remembering why simple, over-the-top shooters still have a place in 2025. If you’re playing solo, though… your mileage may vary.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
