8Bit/Digi

Gamers who are seeking a crime thrilled adventure or the desire to build their own criminal empire but can’t wait for Grand Theft Auto V will take joy in organizing a major heist in Payday 2.

Payday 2 is an online first person-shooter that has gamers work in a crew of four players to execute a successful robbery while trying to hold out against the cops. Think of it as all the best heist movies (like Heat, Oceans Eleven and Point Break) rolled into a single game.

Dallas, Hoxton, Chains and Wolf are back to organize and execute a series of robberies in the Washington DC area. Besides the setting, Overkill Software has successfully reworked the setup of the gameplay.

The biggest change to the gameplay is the introduction of CRIMENET, a database system that allows the players to chose their jobs from local contacts. New contacts with better-paying jobs become available as the player progresses.

New to the gameplay is the introduction of RPG-elements that allows the player to upgrade their characters with new skills and traits. Players could also modify their weapons for a better performance depending on the setting.

The game also has a greater emphasis on stealth, in which the team could complete their objective without attracting the police.

It’s an improvement overs its predecessor but it does have a few flaws. Its fun to play with friends while a lot of the co-op is lost when you’re trying to go lone wolf with an AI. With that comes the games biggest letdown of lacking a true single player campaign. A series of webisodes had set the game up for a potential single player experience that unfortunately was never made.

Payday 2 is no Grand Theft Auto but it’s the best excuses you have wanted to get a few friends together for a weekend LAN party.

Final Score: 8/10

Disclaimer: The game used for this review was purchased on Steam. 

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