I’d say I’m not one for nostalgia, but that’d be a bold-faced lie. When I saw that the legendaryPainkillerwas being revived by none other than 3D Realms and Saber Interactive, I was thrilled. Then, it struck me that I wasn’t sure if this was such a good idea.
For those who haven’t kept up with mildly obscure legacy FPS franchises of yesteryear, the classicPainkillergames were a kind of an edgySerious Samordeal. Super-speedy run-and-gun titles where players stepped into the shoes (or hooves, as it were) of various humans and demons at the precipice of redemption. The only way to redeem themselves in the eyes of the ominous Creator, though, was to slaughter thousands upon thousands of demons. Who knew redemption could be achieved through the use of stake guns, weaponized meat grinders, and the like? The thing aboutPainkiller, though, is that it was very much a product of its time, and the developer Anshar Studios needs to prove it’s got the moxie to update the formula.
Is now the time to revive Painkiller, and what could be done to make it happen?
The developer attached to the neo-Painkillerproject, Anshar Studios, is no slouch. The studio has been credited for work onLayers of Fear,Observer: System Redux, andBaldur’s Gate 3of all things, though largely in support roles. Crucially, Anshar stakes claim to the acclaimed cyberpunk RPGGamedec, which admittedly has absolutely nothing to do withPainkiller‘s specific brand of gameplay.
Honestly, I’m not overly concerned as far as the talent goes: Anshar’s got loads of that. The bit I’m uncertain about is whetherPainkillerhas the chutzpah necessary to eke out a niche for itself in the modern gaming scene. It’s seriously difficult to overstate just how simple and straightforward these games were, even back in their heyday. Go from A to B, slaughter everything that moves along the way.
The reboot does have some novelties to its name, granted: three-player co-op is a particularly important feature judging by marketing materials, though the developer cites “full offline support” forthose of us who can’t stand other people for whatever reason. Anshar Studios has also highlighted game-changing tarot card perks to add a bonus layer of complexity to the slaughter, but each of the four playable characters also has their own unique abilities and whatnot to make them interesting.
2025’sPainkillerreboot is thus supposed to take the old, brutal run ‘n’ gun formula and slap a fresh layer of paint on top of it via distinctive characters, perks, and co-op. It could very well work: 2016’sDoomhas proven that there’s an appetite for ultra-speedy shooters. The only question that remains is whether thePainkillerIP, specifically, can command a substantial audience in this day and age. I know I’ll give it a fair shake, at least.
