Painkiller preview: Bombastic brutal combat drives this gorgeous reimagining

When I first sat down with the new Painkiller, having not played the franchise since the original game back in 2004, I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much more than another boomer shooter reboot in the same vein as DOOM. In fact, the two series share some similarities: demons rampaging through the world, over the top kills, and a menagerie of weapons that feel hefty and crunchy when let loose.

It was only after sitting down with Anshar Studios, and going through a preview of the new game, that I realised how much the two differ. On the face of things, in Painkiller, you’re playing a role in angels versus demons, rather than protecting a planet from a gate opening and unleashing hell; the weapons are also much more versatile here, and the spirit of the arena shooter is alive and well in this release, compared to the pathways of DOOM and its sequels.

If anything, I came away from my time with Painkiller feeling like the game is a fresh combination of Quake and Diablo, and in order to explain this summation, I’ll break down what I saw while sat in a conference room with Damian Wyspiański, Creative Director of Painkiller, and Aleksander Peklicz, Game Designer, in Kraków, some weeks ago.

It’s clear that Anshar Studios wants to pay ultimate homage to the Painkiller franchise, and show respect to the Polish development of the original, which was helmed by People Can Fly. The overall tone of the original game has been lovingly, and painstakingly, created to appeal to long-time fans, but the brash and bombastic action will easily pull in a new crowd of fans who are eager to see brutal gunplay.

Painkiller will launch on 9 October 2025

It’s no surprise to me that my time with Painkiller impressed so much; this is a studio so connected with brilliance, having worked on Observer: System Redux, Silent Hill 2, Dead by Daylight, and Baldur’s Gate 3, all alongside other terrific development teams. Painkiller marks the start of something new for Anshar Studios, while digging deep into gaming’s history, and while the essence of People Can Fly’s original game is intact, Anshar Studios has put their own flair on the action-packed shooter.

I find myself a little confused on what to call Painkiller. It’s not a sequel, and both Wyspiański and Peklicz are hesitant to call it a reboot. I suppose this is a reimagining, taking a template that was so popular in the early 2000s, and giving it a much-needed modern spin. Because, underneath all the smooth visuals, which run at a lush 60fps, the core of the arena shooter is here, along with huge guns that look as intimidating as they feel. However, additional systems developed by Anshar Studios manage to evolve and elevate this game beyond being just another shooter.

For example, there’s a cast of characters to control, each of which comes with a passive perk to suit your play style. This feature will shine as you play in co-op, and riff off the choices your friends make, although both members of the team insist that the passive perks are the least impressive part of what Painkiller has to offer.

3D Realms

At this point, I’m already starting to see Painkiller as something like Diablo, or an ARPG, where you choose an archetype character as your base, and develop them through skills, weapons, and abilities. This is amplified by the weaponry, which on the surface seems shallow, as there’s only six weapons to use. This belies the real depth that comes from upgrades to each weapon, which transforms it into something radically different.

The trusty shotgun is a slice of anarchy in close-combat, but it can be enhanced via elemental powers, much like each of the six weapons. With the shotgun, you can pair it with ice powers to create a freezing shot, or the SMG can be buffed with electricity to spit bullets that zap enemies. In a co-op scenario, or with quick weapon switching, you can combine them further, freezing a group of enemies in place only to then electrocute them with another gun, or by a teammate shooting after you’ve laid the trap.

This provides flexibility, which will be needed if you plan on scoring big points, because each raid is built to test your skills and rank your performance. Every scenario can be replayed, with different settings applied, or skills chosen, all to push you into playing better and representing yourself on a leaderboard. And each round of combat will be completely different, not only because of weapon combinations, but because a game director, much like we’ve seen in titles like Left 4 Dead, will oversee each raid and adjust the difficulty on the fly, or change the enemy placement, learning your skills as you play.

3D Realms

The more I saw of Painkiller, the more exciting it all sounded, because it harks back to a more simple formula. Of course, there’s an overarching story to experience, but the bulk of the game is in chasing the thrills of high scores and the competition of putting together a perfect run, by landing more headshots, clearing the raid faster than others, and creating combos by using the elemental system.

Look beneath the elements and even more depth leads to possibilities, as the tarot system of the original game has also returned, with each tarot card further boosting your character when applied before a raid. These cards can be unlocked using Soul Shards, and they come in a few varieties - Offensive, Defensive, and Utility. You’ll be able to pair these with a game plan, choosing the structure of your character, or boost things like your shield or ammo reserves.

The card, Exploited Reserves, is a good example, as it can regenerate all of your ammo upon stunning a demon. Eternal Vitality will replenish your health when you collect gold. Each card can then be upgraded, making them more powerful, and matching them up with your favourite weapon will make for easier clears across the game’s four difficulty levels.

With 44 tarot cards in the game at launch, there will be hundreds of combinations, and both developers are looking forward to how players end up breaking the game wide open through tarot card choice and elemental weaponry.

3D Realms

An in-game hub will rotate certain cards in and out of play each week, with the selection refreshing to keep players on their toes. Though, it’s emphasised that Painkiller will not feature any play-to-win mechanics, all new tarot cards will be free to every player, and there are no microtransactions planned.

That feeling of RPG style came back here, with my brain going into overdrive, thinking of the possibilities. With thousands of combinations of guns, elements and tarot, each character will feel utterly unique, but there are minutiae here that will captivate players as they seek out the most powerful builds, much like in an ARPG or MMORPG.

Beyond all the features implemented, Painkiller is frenetic, chaotic, and includes the level of combat you’d expect from a boomer shooter, with plenty of gore spattering around you as you make your way through each gorgeous biome. There’s real character and personality throughout the game, with plenty of snarling demons, and over-the-top bosses to test you. This is a brash, bold, and often beautiful reimagining that will thrill and excite every player who steps in front of the demon army.