Payday 3, the latest installment from Starbreeze Studios published by Deep Silver, seeks to build on the franchise’s legacy of high-stakes heists and intense cooperative gameplay. Set against the backdrop of a daring return to the criminal underworld, the Payday Gang faces new challenges and new opportunities in the bustling streets of New York City – which we tackled on a PlayStation 5.
Payday 3 expands on the heisting formula, offering a vastly improved casing phase, allowing players to meticulously plan their approach. This added depth enhances the tactical element of the Payday formula, rewarding careful observation and strategy. Shooting mechanics have seen significant improvements as well, providing a more tactile experience, adding to the intensity of decision-making in split second situations during heists.
The heists available in Payday 3 are excellent, each dripping with atmosphere and offering different approaches and objectives. From stealth-only infiltrations to elaborate museum heists, the dynamic unfolding of these missions based on player actions provides a thrilling experience. The variation in approaches and difficulty modes, along with unique modifiers, forms the foundation of the game’s appeal, creating an addictive loop that’s hard to not come back to.
The setting of New York City breathes life into the heist locations, offering visually dynamic environments that distinguish themselves from previous settings. The attention to detail in locations like the Surphaze art gallery and Neon Cradle nightclub reinforces the core fantasy and adds to the immersion, raising the bar when compared to Payday 2.
The soundtrack by Gustavo Coutinho, especially during high-intensity moments, amplifies the adrenaline-pumping nature of shootouts. The technical performance on the PlayStation 5 version maintains high frame rates, ensuring a smooth experience even during chaotic action sequences. The absence of significant bugs also contributes to a more polished experience, especially when compared to other live service games at launch.
While the narrative serves as a backdrop, it takes a backseat to the gameplay, with cutscenes that play after completing heists. The story’s strength lies more in its ability to immerse players in the world rather than being the main focal point while in the game.
The emphasis on stealth as the most efficient approach may limit the experience for players preferring a more dynamic firefight style. Stealth challenges offer significant rewards, leading to a potential imbalance in progression. The game incentivizes specific challenges, sometimes feeling excessively grindy and catering more to hardcore players.
The matchmaking system, crucial for cooperative gameplay, experienced some instability when we played, hindering the overall experience – though we assume this will get smoother quickly. Another thing we hope will improve post-launch is the amount of content available, which is somewhat underwhelming if you compare it to how much content Payday 2 had after years of support.
Payday 3 builds on the franchise’s foundation, offering an engaging cooperative heisting experience. The improvements in planning, gunplay, and atmospheric heist environments enhance the core gameplay. However, issues with grinding, a lack of offline play, and potential content limitations may deter some players. With further content updates and refinements, Payday 3 has the potential to become a standout co-op shooter.
Score: 7.2/10
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