Soldier of Fortune: Payback PlayStation 3
User Score
4.6 out of 10

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 5 out of 10

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  1. Guivera
    Feb 28, 2011
    3
    One of the worst plots and shortest campaigns I have EVER seen. Certainly this game deserves its bad reviews, its clunky, buggy and can't compete with the likes of COD and Battlefield. There are enjoyable elements such as being able to blow off limbs (crude i know, but we all know it's fun) but overall this game belongs in the bargain bin at best.
  2. IlanXD
    Aug 22, 2012
    7
    Well, this game can be fun at times, but it is really not that fun. There are many difficult parts in the game where you can lose your mind. Most graphics feel wooden. It is a nice game, but clearly not "great".
  3. ToddK.
    Jan 3, 2008
    8
    This is a very FUN game to play if you enjoy blasting off body parts and a lot of blood. The reviews don't do this game justice. Much better than a 50. It is a very short single player campaign though.
  4. WolfeS.
    Dec 1, 2007
    8
    The first FPS that I know of to come out for the PS3 where body parts fly and I love it. SOF Payback definitely earns its Mature rating and while it may not be the slickest FPS out it sure does feel like war. Its intense over-the-top violence is a must have for persons of the genre. The graphics are good but the dismemberment ups the ante by adding to the overall equation. The weapons and their options (many types of scopes, an under-barrel grenade launcher, silencer) are great and the sound is very good. And I love the locations - I felt like I was right there in the rice patties with the enemy lurking nearby. Crouched and sneaking through reeds and thick rice plants that grew out of waist-high water, I knew the enemy was closeby. ...and then they heard me. RATATATT!! They began to yell and shoot at me! Their bullets hit their mark and my hair stood on end. I fired my AK-47 in the direction from which I was hit and didn't let off the trigger until the clip ran out. I didn't get them all... Cool.… Expand
  5. TimD.
    Dec 4, 2007
    7
    1st thing of note is finally someone is taking advantage of 1080p. The graphics are great and the draw distances are really dynamic. That aside the game play is a bit of a let down. The AI is essentially retarded. Either the guys will run right at you and sometimes right past you or they will just stand there mindlessly and shoot at you. Its also kind of stupid that your dropping everyone with single shot kills but when you get to the level bosses, they are virtually indestrucible. To cap everything else, the ending is about as dumb as can be. Unfortunately not many people play online. The online play is decent but lacks in number of Maps. Recommend rental.… Expand
  6. NotTelling
    Feb 21, 2008
    10
    This game is extremely underrated. The problem most people have with this game is that it has a horrible plot. I agree wholeheartedly, but it doesn't ruin the game. Where most games nowadays are using good plots to compel people through the games, this game is taking it back to the roots of the genre. After all, who played Doom for the plot? The plot in that game can be explained in a single sentence, yet it's regarded as the grand daddy of first person shooters. The motivation to play the game is the gameplay; the excessive shooting, blood, and gore. Comparably, the levels in Soldier of Fortune: Payback are uninspiring, but they are merely a beautiful backdrop to the mass carnage you lay down. Who played Contra for the level design? Most people focus on the flaws of the game, but one look at the bright side of the game fades all of the flaws into silhouette. Buy and play this game expecting it to be what it is. It's a mindless shooter that does it better than any game in recent years.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
50 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 14
  3. Negative: 5 out of 14
  1. 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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  2. ZTGD
    65
    If you are a fan of the series and can handle some of the hang-ups found in this latest chapter then by all means snatch it up, I know I could use more people online to play with. However, most FPS gamers looking for the next best thing will find Payback a bit too much on the derivative side to warrant its full price tag.
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  3. PSX Extreme
    61
    I can clearly see a solid game here; it's just that it is really marred by a poor framerate and boring campaign structure. It doesn't offer much value as a single-player game, and with a barren online community, it most certainly doesn't have any multiplayer value to speak of.
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