First-person shooter and heist-themed game Payday 3 is a guilty pleasure, though it suffered a criminally bad release because of its always-online rule, glitchy servers and matchmaking problems — resulting in “Mostly Negative” reviews on Steam.
Developer Starbreeze Studios released the third installment of this multiplayer bank robbery simulation series Sept. 21, and received heavy criticism from fans who had trouble joining servers.
Payday 3 revolves around the original gang, Dallas, Hoxton, Chains and Wolf, and newcomers Joy and Pearl as they return to the life of crime they thought they left behind in Payday 2.
Set in 2020s New York, the game’s aesthetics pull from the opening of Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film “The Dark Knight,” with characters wearing uncanny clown masks in a city dominated by gritty violence.
Upon release, players furiously shared screenshots of their screens, which read “matchmaking error” twice.
Gamers disapproved of the internet connection requirement and pleaded for the developers to introduce an offline mode on X, formerly Twitter, which Starbreeze boss Tobias Sjögren admitted might be possible.
For users with poor internet connections who don’t want to play with others, maintaining a constant connection is a ridiculous struggle to introduce when the first two games are playable offline.
Starbreeze also said an “unforeseen error” attacked their matchmaking software, rendering it incapable of handling the massive influx of players, which is why so many people received the infamous “matchmaking error.”
A faulty launch isn’t a perfect indicator of a game’s content and enjoyability. But, it’s a shame to put consumers at both financial and in-game disadvantages, considering it costs a hardy $40.
The campaign consists of eight heists, which is stingy compared to its predecessor’s twelve.
Still, they are thrilling and well-conceived, and there are plenty of new and old elements to relish.
Players can now use hostages in a negotiation phase — press the right buttons, and you can grab a person, tie up their hands and trade them as a hostage to the police to buy more time and resources. Or use them as a human shield against enemies.
It’s a comically evil and clever addition to a game that’s plot relies on you being a jerk.
Payday 3’s pros are baked into its intoxicating gaming formula.
Players pick between planning a covert burglary or instigating a shootout to gain a vault key that opens a loot-filled room.
The game amplifies the mental fortitude necessary to win by ensuring players use a range of skills, particularly stealthiness.
In Rock the Cradle, users partner with returning Ukrainian contractor Vlad Kozak to steal so-called C-Stacks from a nightclub ridden with socialites.
It’s a weirdly accurate reflection of how a robbery may play out in the age of cryptocurrency, as you have to enter the club’s VIP area with or without permission to access the crypto wallet.
There are a dozen ways to execute a heist correctly, which adds to the game’s addictive nature.
Regarding the gameplay and guns, you can technically play solo by being matched with three other NPCs who act as useless companions.
The execution would feel more immersive and private without the bots who overshadow the joy of flying solo.
The cops are just as aimless, which is less frustrating since they’re your targets. However, the police’s frivolous movements make shootouts flat and eliminate applying grace and tactfulness.
While the AIs are dizzying, rapper and actor Ice-T from “Law & Order” makes a cameo as the character Mac, an amusing and endearing inclusion.
Although the graphics appear dated and lack the realism you’d expect in a 2023 game, it’s fortunate that unexpected frame rate drops and crashes didn’t plague the release, a problem many video game debuts are having, like The Last of Us: Part 1 for PC back in March.
For all the game’s cons, which are fixable, at its core Payday 3 is an untouchable concept that makes you wish you could be a bank robber for an hour.
Payday 3 is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.