Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
Review
If symptoms persist, see your doctor
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Creatures Crawl In Search Of Blood (cntd)
Throughout the levels, the souls of defeated enemies can be collected as part of Daniel’s main quest. Apart from collecting new weapons and ammo, as is the case with any other FPS, you can also find coins scattered in crates and boxes. The coins can be used to purchase Tarot Cards which are basically upgrades and buffs for your character such as increasing health or improving endurance. Tarot cards become available only after certain mission criteria are met, so if the mission goals aren’t met, the Tarot Cards do not unlock.
And Grizzy Ghouls From Every Tomb
The audio is pretty good… if you happen to enjoy heavy metal music. Upcoming battles are forewarned, by the music picking up in tempo in the heavy metal beats. The music does fit the style and subject matter of the game. The dialogue in the cut-scenes is fully voiced and a decent quality although the words don’t always match their lips. The sound effects aren’t that bad either. I particularly enjoyed the sound of the stake gun as it flung the stakes at the undead creatures. The sound of the timber lodging in an enemy was an enjoyable one.
Not so enjoyable is the graphics. They aren’t horrible by any means – especially the cut-scenes – but they certainly look outdated. And even worse is when you’re facing the wrong direction when a horde of enemy units converges on your position. The ensuing battle can look like a polygon display with the creatures hard up against the screen. It just looks a tad messy. The locations are fairly nice though despite being a bit dreary, with a spread of scenery ranging from a graveyard to a classical theatre. Each has their own charm and has enemies to suit each location.
The Funk Of Forty Thousand Years
Shooting games have come a long way since the days of Wolfenstein and Doom. For many First (or Third) Person Shooters, a story is intertwined within the game, giving us a sense of connection with the character. Painkiller: Hell & Damnation does no such thing. With the minimalist story shown in too few cut-scenes and the boring gameplay, I couldn’t have cared less if Daniel Carver was able to collect the seven thousand souls required to return him to his beloved Catherine.
The audio attempts to give the game a bit of urgency with its high tempo Heavy Metal tunes and does a reasonable job in this regard. And although the visuals are nice, they are quite dated. The game comes with a couple of multiplayer modes which will certainly add something and the entire single player campaign can be played in co-op with a friend. Modes like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag multiplayer games could add a touch a replayability to Painkiller: Hell & Damnation. With Halloween coming up, you could certainly give this one a look-in, but if you’re after a FPS to play, you may want to look elsewhere for some enjoyment.
5.7
fun score
Pros
Great Heavy Metal music turns up the tempo as battles commence
Cons
Visuals are somewhat outdated, and the storyline is severely lacking
