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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Painkiller

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 62 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 78 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: DreamCatcher Interactive
Developer: People Can Fly
Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action
Players: 32
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Release Date: April 9, 2004
Summary
You play as Daniel Garner, a seemingly regular guy who as just been killed in a horrific car accident. Trapped in a dark and unwelcoming world between heaven and hell, you struggling to uncover the reasons why you've been denied entry into heaven. Awaiting your purification, you must fight through a seemingly endless number of demon soldiers as you to attempt to stop an imminent unholy war. [DreamCatcher Interactive]
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central
Also On The Web: ActionTrip Preview Adrenaline Vault Preview Firing Squad Preview Game Chronicles Hands On Game Chronicles Preview GamerFeed Preview GameSpot Preview Official Website People Can Fly
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Maxim Online
With speed and smarts to match its outrageous visuals, Painkiller boasts fiendishly clever monsters that attack in groups and learn from your defenses. No corpses shambling around like they have a load in their pants, these are monsters of the 28 Days Later variety: quick and scary.
Read Full Review >Four Fat Chicks
This game is the sort of which I'd like to see more: breathtaking attention to detail, deeply satisfying gameplay, and a focus on pure, simple fun that doesn't in any way defeat or diminish a richly powerful thematic narrative.
Read Full Review >Computer Games Magazine
It gamely delivers the pure joy of superbly crafted chaos, something it does better than any game released (so far) this year. [July 2004, p.56]
Next Level Gaming
I love it. I became addicted to this game very quickly. My wife is starting to get jealous now.
Read Full Review >GamerArchive
There’s an eerie absence of a whole lot of noise sans the atmospheric sounds in each level; another sinister part of the game to keep your interest in what is going on.
Read Full Review >Gamers' Temple
Painkiller puts the action back into action gaming and will pull you in, pump you up, and unleash the righteous demon-slayer buried within.
Read Full Review >Frictionless Insight
To call the game simple fun is to ignore Painkiller’s proof that straightforward play in elaborate environments with creative, demonic enemies and a sophisticated sense of style is tremendously entertaining. This is a first-person shooter that can be enjoyed in brief sessions or a protracted weekend of play.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
Perhaps what's most amazing is that it plays like the work of a seasoned developer with a rare grasp on atmosphere and tone, a rock-solid set of technologies, and sophisticated ideas about game design.
Read Full Review >Game Chronicles
An excellent mix of intense first person shooting combined with a sophisticated risk-reward system that actually integrates into the gameplay. The Tarot cards are pure genius and add a whole new level to the genre.
Read Full Review >2404.org
It offers a quick adrenaline rush and beautifully detailed levels running on the spectacular Havok2.0 physics engine and, I must say, this game is one of a kind.
Read Full Review >Stuff
Painkiller sports some of the best graphics to come down the PC pipe all year. The bosses (the hammer-wielding Saphathoraél in particular) all look incredible.
Read Full Review >AtomicGamer
Painkiller delivers satisfying gameplay, excellent visuals, and a visceral feel that veteran FPS players will feel right at home with.
Read Full Review >Gamer's Hell
But obviously, the gameplay is incredibly repetitive. There’s no denying that you don’t do much beyond running around shooting monsters and blowing up stuff.
Read Full Review >PC Gameworld
Its addictive and amazingly detailed single player game, coupled with a fun and varied old school multi-player game, set Painkiller apart from the rest while at the same time harkening us back to shooter days of old.
Read Full Review >Gamezilla!
A visceral, intense shooter with well designed and realized levels, and certainly a “must have” title for FPS aficionados.
Read Full Review >DailyGame
The shooter has outstanding graphics, addictive gameplay and solid multiplayer components, but it’s held back from becoming a true classic through its disappointing narrative and mediocre soundtrack.
Read Full Review >VideoGamesLife
Breathtaking attention to detail served with great graphics that'll run on anyone's system all make it highly commendable. The game provides a lot of intensely focused carnage, but absolutely nothing else, and that wasn't quite enough to keep us entertained for it's whole duration.
Read Full Review >GameZone
A great game that will truly be appreciated by FPS purists like myself who remember the good old days where all you needed was a bunch of ammo, some nasty monsters, periodic powerups, and an itchy trigger finger to get you from the beginning of the stage to the end.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
The outstanding graphics, unparalleled physics, huge levels, tons of unlockable cards, enormous bosses, and gameplay variety make this a must-have for anyone who pines for the glory days of "Doom." [June 2004, p.134]
Read Full Review >GameSpot
It offers up lots of spectacularly visceral, bloody, in-your-face action through its numerous, action-packed single-player levels. And it looks beautiful, it sounds great, and it's got a pretty good old-school multiplayer deathmatch mode, for good measure.
Read Full Review >Worth Playing
The story is interesting, without getting too laden with metaphysical theory, the action is blistering, the sound is creepy, the graphics sharp and clear (with a few minor slowdowns when multiple multiple enemies attack), and the multiplayer fun and varied.
Read Full Review >Australian GamePro
Painkiller gives us both something ancient and something fresh and off the cuff. It’s bold in its approach and defiantly steps away from trends.
Read Full Review >1UP
Painkiller focuses little on AI, puzzles, or plot, and instead sets its sights squarely on appeasing the raw twitch shooter in most of us. At this, the game excels marvelously.
Read Full Review >eToychest
The atmosphere, over-the-top-physics, vast seas of enemies and bosses that reign as some of the most impressive in any video game to date all equate to title that is worth your time. It is unfortunate that with a little more focused effort on fleshing out the multiplayer game, Painkiller could have gone from a very good game to an instant classic.
Read Full Review >Warcry
I did enjoy the game itself, but I got tired of going back to find that one monster that would trigger the next area. The cutscenes are great, though I did find the storyline a bit weak. Then again, this isnt an rpg. It's a fps!!
Read Full Review >Armchair Empire
In long stretches, Painkiller can become repetitive. (By long stretches, I mean two or more hours.)
Read Full Review >Play.tm
Gruesome, bloody and at times compelling - even if you might admonish yourself for thinking it.
Read Full Review >PC Gamer
Visually, Painkiller is sumptuous. I won't disclose the awe-inspiring setting of the last level except to say that it's one of the most dazzling displays I've ever seen in a game. [July 2004, p.76]
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
If you're not precious about tactical elements it's a real hoot. With more level consistency, it could've become the shooter king. [GamesMaster]
Read Full Review >Computer and Video Games
Painkiller abounds with sublime touches, such as the boxes full of postcards that flutter down around you when shot and the fireworks that send multi-coloured sparks whizzing in all directions. I've said it once, and I'll say it again - there's nothing wrong at all with violent videogames. Disagree, and I'll send you to hell with a wooden stake through your eye socket.
Read Full Review >Game Over Online
This title is pure unadulterated action, a great adrenaline run. Its staying power will rest on how fleshed out the multiplayer can be and whether there are any new maps, levels, modifications or expansion packs in store.
Read Full Review >PGNx Media
What makes Painkiller different from other similar games are the awesome visuals. The architecture is particularly great.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
The striking image quality of this absolutely gorgeous pastiche of tainted purgatory is a big factor in Painkiller's appeal. [June 2004, p.66]
Gaming Age
The environments created, enemies that spawn, and weapon you use sets this apart from most FPS’s on the market.
Read Full Review >FiringSquad
The stake gun and painkiller are simply useless in multiplayer, and they’re your starting weapons. This is as poorly thought out as id giving the blaster as the weapon in "Quake II."
Read Full Review >AceGamez
An incredibly addictive and surprisingly fun FPS that concentrates more on mindless button bashing than in tactics, exploration or anything else than many modern shooters now live by.
Read Full Review >PC Arena
In delivering a fantastic single player experience for a street price of $40, Painkiller is one of the best FPS money can buy today and isn't anything short of highly recommended.
Read Full Review >GamePro
One of the most lovingly crafted games in years, Painkiller looks awesome, sounds intimidating, and controls simply and smoothly.
Read Full Review >GMR Magazine
The game's physics interact brilliantly with your actions to create game sequences much more memorable than any cut-scene could ever be. [July 2004, p.86]
Computer Gaming World
The truest and most gratifying shooter since "Doom." [July 2004, p.69]
Cheat Code Central
You'll need a fairly souped up machine and graphics card to get the most out of Painkiller but if you have yearned for the return of games like "Serious Sam," "Doom" and the original "Quake" your next stop is Purgatory. Tell 'em I sent you.
Yahoo! Games
Meaty weapons, fast action, and overwhelming odds bring a Doom-like vibe to its high body count. And thanks in no small part to the excellent physics engine, Painkiller is an intense and visceral game.
Read Full Review >Gamer.tv
This game is so scary that even the end-of-level warps give you the creeps...Extremely playable and well-designed.
Read Full Review >Adrenaline Vault
It has times where it bogs down in the monotony of endless waves of enemies that do nothing but cluster on your position, but it balances itself out with a great deal of depth in what they do.
Read Full Review >WHAM! Gaming
Blasting an exploding barrel just as a group of foes are shambling past it and watching their aerial acrobatics just never gets old.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
Painkiller is pure adrenaline. If you don't feel the rush while playing this game, you're probably dead.
Read Full Review >RealGamer
Graphics are smooth and clean and detail in the game is never compromised with interactive surroundings, excellent weapon effects and great animation of the action taking place.
Read Full Review >GameShark
The multiplayer is adequate but uninspiring and the cutscenes are best skipped, but the single-player game brings home the bacon.
Read Full Review >GamerFeed
The action is fast paced, with great weaponry and enemies that will surprise the hell out of you. Multiplayer is even faster than the single-player game, and is amazingly reminiscent of "Quake."
Read Full Review >ActionTrip
The level design is not always top-notch and occasionally, the game might lose some of its pacing, but in the grand scheme of things, it all balances out nicely with the unique and fun bosses and some frantic over-the-top shooting, slashing, breaking and stabbing action.
Read Full Review >Loaded Inc
This is the antithesis of thought and strategy. It is a carnival ride, an action movie and an all-you-can-eat-burger bar. This is the quintessential twitch game.
Read Full Review >Game Revolution
If you’re a fan of mindless destruction, you’d be hard pressed to find a game as immediately gratifying as Painkiller. Just don’t expect it to be a cure-all.
Read Full Review >Gamers Depot
The Painkiller soundtrack doesn’t exist. It is a heavily repetitious heavy metal lick that repeats itself way too much.
Read Full Review >IGN
Rather than presenting us with individually challenging enemies, Painkiller opts to throw dozens of enemies at you at a time. On the other hand, since Painkiller focuses just on twitch play, it's free of the distraction of puzzles, plot and, for the most part, personality.
Read Full Review >Boomtown
It's about being scared out of your wits one minute and then bellowing with laughter at something gruesomely humorous the next.
Read Full Review >Cincinnati Enquirer
A good choice for folks who want to wind down at the end of the day with a fast-paced diversion that requires absolutely no brainpower to master and enjoy.
Read Full Review >Total Video Games
We were massively disappointed by the comical AI, which definitely has a substantial impact on the game – Serious Sam has shown that run-and-gun games can be fun, but this seriously detracts from the overall experience.
Read Full Review >games(TM)
As a celebration of the FPS genre's base instincts, Painkiller crosses the finishing line in first place; anything more than that and it doesn't even make it out of the blocks. [June 2004, p.100]
Read Full Review >VIA Gamers Arena
Even with it's absolutely gorgeous maps and great physics this game lacks any type of real challenge in the story. It is a straight out FPS with only mindless monsters to kill over and over again.
Read Full Review >Edge Magazine
If you're looking for a sparklingly attractive shooter with a side order of slinky physics, this delivers the goods. But it's about as average as FPS gaming gets. [June 2004, p.105]
PC Format
Hugely repetitive action game. Hugely repetitive action game. Hugely repetitive (you get the idea).
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 78 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Painkiller Wins gave it a10:
Painkiller is one of the most straightforward games of all time. That isn't saying it's bad; after all; Pacman was straightforward; yet it's made of win. Painkiller offers hours of fun killing, the attention to detail is superlative in every level; and you can see how much work was really put into it. Don't bother listening to the people who say it's boring or mindless. While it doesn't actually have THAT good a story; the missions are different enough from each other to play and have fun in. Unlike some modern FPS games; it's not trying to boast its physics. It's just there for FUN; something which a lot of people seem to have forgotten how to have.
Painkiller Blows gave it a0:
Do Not waste your money on this garbage, unless you want to wait longer for the game to load than to actually play it. It is mindless, random, repetitive, nonsensical violence -- about 5 minutes worth for every 10 minutes spent loading the crap. Enough said.
John R. gave it a10:
Seriously - I'm not joking: Painkiller may be one of the best action games ever made. Most people describe it as a more serious and darker Serious Sam... but in fact Painkiller is much more. The epic story about Daniel Garner who is being abused to fight for heaven is... not really important since there is no direct connection between the cutscenes and the levels but it's still a fantastic backbone for those weird worlds the player is about to encounter. There is graveyards, caves but also military bases, a medieval village and even a cathedral and an amphitheatre where you fight the weirdest kinds of demons ranging from skeletons armed with clubs to fat punks with machineguns. The game is a really surreal experience and has a high artistic value. And you can be sure to find some of the greatest bosses in this game. Anyway: Painkiller is simple. It absolutely sticks to simplicity and that's its strong point. Every single one of the six weapons is perfectly designed and every enemy has his own ways of attacking you - if you're not too ignorant to accept this simple kind of action you will actually even be surprised how perfect the gameplay is. And there is some unique features that make Painkiller really special such as the demon transformation gained by collecting enemies' souls and unlockable tarot cards which give the player some bonusses. And these tarot cards can only be achieved by fulfilling special tasks such as only using a certain weapon, not being hurt once in a level, collecting all gold, killing all enemies etc.. These special tasks make the action actually quite varied. Also the multiplayer mode is plain fun. It's one of the most entertaining deathmatch games ever made. The fast pace and the very different kinds of weapons are making it really special - and the fact that the game was represented at the World Cyber Games speaks for itself. Also check out the official addon Battle out of Hell which is almost as great as the main game. But don't even think about playing Overdose which is actually just a fan made production that somehow got turned into a commercial addon - it simply sucks. Btw: By now there is sort of a sequel to this game called NecroVisioN. It has been made by some of the original developers and it's even using an improved PAIN engine. Unfortunately the developers didn't stick to the formula of Painkiller but tried to combine the story with the actual gameply and make the fighting more "interesting" - which actually made NecroVisioN just another average shooter. That's why I even more recommend Painkiller and its addon Battle out of Hell. The gameplay won't get old and the graphics are still nice to look at.
David S gave it a10:
Painkiller is simple and focused, and although its niche gameplay will turn off some, those who can appreciate its deliberate repetitive and un-complex gameplay will find it to be surprisingly deep, polished, and thrilling. My only objection is the game's story, which is unneccasary, and depressing. However, since the story doesn't actually enter into the gameplay, and all cutscenes are skip-able, so I don't feel the need to deduct points for it. Think of it as a diamond that has a piece of ugly rock embedded in it. Once the rock is removed, you still have a diamond.
Tim C. gave it a0:
Worse FPS ever, repetitive, poorly concepted and drab, this game is ok for maybe 5min but when you have completed one level you have completed them all.
Nicen V. gave it a10:
Don`t be fooled by ppl who have no idea. If u love fps , if u love action and straight forward shooting you u r right here. NO lame "we are so great we have a physic" stuff from HL2. Pure FPS Fun.
Mark R. gave it a9:
Fantastic game. Oozes atmosphere with superb graphics and sound. Very simple arcade gameplay and with great 'pick up and playability. Absorbing environments and enemies, coupled with some amazing weapons make this my all time fav horror game. Love the clowns in the expansion!
