Painkiller

 PC
Painkiller Image
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 62 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 330 Ratings

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  • 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 fightYou 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]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 62
  3. Negative: 1 out of 62
  1. Maxim Online
    100
    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.
  2. GameSpy
    90
    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.
  3. Gamezilla!
    87
    A visceral, intense shooter with well designed and realized levels, and certainly a “must have” title for FPS aficionados.
  4. Game Over Online
    83
    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.
  5. Gamer.tv
    80
    This game is so scary that even the end-of-level warps give you the creeps...Extremely playable and well-designed.
  6. RealGamer
    80
    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.
  7. PC Format
    49
    Hugely repetitive action game. Hugely repetitive action game. Hugely repetitive (you get the idea).

See all 62 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 83
  3. Negative: 12 out of 83
  1. Tom
    Jul 26, 2004
    10
    Suuuuuuuuuch cool, gr8 weapons, physic, and suuuuuuuch interesting... :D ...and polish 8) (I'm proud of it!)
  2. NicenV.
    Aug 14, 2008
    10
    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 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.… Expand
  4. Firmar
    Aug 13, 2010
    10
    Bloody massacre coupled with unusual weapons. One of the first big titles with Havok physics.
    This is most unexpected game which rightfully    Bloody massacre coupled with unusual weapons. One of the first big titles with Havok physics.
    This is most unexpected game which rightfully earned AAA status in gamers' minds shortly after release.    … Expand
  5. SmuqeQ.
    Jun 7, 2004
    9
    Very good game. The graphics are great, and monsters look great. It's also nice to see those skeleton guys takin those fatso shooters as Very good game. The graphics are great, and monsters look great. It's also nice to see those skeleton guys takin those fatso shooters as shield. And, it's fun to watch when enemies suddenly begin to fight each other. Well, anyways this game is great.. But those who want something more than a brainless shooting, leave this game in the shop.… Expand
  6. SimonB.
    Aug 16, 2006
    8
    [***SPOILERS***] It happened. After all these years of saying no to my Doc, I finally took a Painkiller, and it was good. You are a normal [***SPOILERS***] It happened. After all these years of saying no to my Doc, I finally took a Painkiller, and it was good. You are a normal man, Daniel. You die in a car crash and Gabriel (an angel of heaven) tells you that you need to do some mass murdering for heaven in a world called Purgatory. Okay, storyline-wise, I won't argue, this game is very poor. Why an 8 if I begin on such a low tone? Well... A while ago, Doom was born. Doom 1, I mean. Doom 1 was all about opening a door and finding a room full of frenzy beasts awaiting to fester or plant bullets on your flesh. Painkiller takes that back and blends it together for an exotic cocktail of gore and action. There is nothing to be scared of, nothing to be impressed about (aside from the towering bosses). Only, every once in a while ,you might get a satisfied smirk from blowing some ennemies to bits and finding nothing but gibs and blood on the walls around you. Purgatory is set out in five different worlds with different chapters. Every world puts you through great graphic architecture and endless killings of ennemies. There is absolutely NO story-telling aside from the introduction. You run around, shoot stuff and watch the ragdoll physics do their job on them as you've either taken them down or blown them to whatever hell they came from. This game reminds us old-school FPS fans of what FPS were a while back: Continuous massacres of hundreds of hordes of demons that just keep coming. All in all; This is by no means a deep game, nor something close to F.E.A.R or anything with a scenario and intelligent ennemies. But it -is- a true FPS in the likes of Serious Sam and games where you spend most of your time just killing and NEVER asking questions later. If you're the kind to not want to play a game but just see what happens around it, don't play Painkiller. But if you're the kind to enjoy being the "center of attraction", you'll love this game.… Expand
  7. KaneC.
    Feb 3, 2007
    7
    Good game, yah sure it gets a lil repetitive, but the ambient sounds are the shit, and the guns are cool. the gameplay is pretty fun and Good game, yah sure it gets a lil repetitive, but the ambient sounds are the shit, and the guns are cool. the gameplay is pretty fun and multiplayer is fun 2.… Expand
  8. MikkoA.
    May 2, 2004
    0
    I wanted to give this game 1 point for some nice graphics in some places, but refused to do so. The gameplay is simply awful and the main I wanted to give this game 1 point for some nice graphics in some places, but refused to do so. The gameplay is simply awful and the main character is the most clumsiest character I've ever controlled. Did I already say that the gameplay is awful? Well, saying it again doesn't hurt. Also, after 1 hour of fragging skeletons jumping from the ground and seeing that the game is nothing else, you don't wanna continue playing, you want to delete this crap from taking the space from your harddisk. I HAD high hopes for the multiplayer and well.. The only time I had fun, was exploring the map. The fragging itself was the most awful multiplayer experience I've seen. Only a few very boring weapons and did I mention the awful gameplay and character control? Oh yea, third time. Doesn't hurt to mention it again. Let me put it this way, AVOID THIS PIECE OF JUNK!… Expand

See all 83 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best PC Game of 2004
11
#11 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
31
#31 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

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