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PAYDAY The Heist

If you are looking to play a good crime simulator, well not really, but something like that, then give Payday: The Heist a try. When you play it with a bunch of friends, you can have a lot of fun here and easily ignore the issues plaguing the game.
PAYDAY The Heist Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
93% User Score Based on 15,675 reviews
Critic Score 74%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3PCWindowsPlayStation
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PAYDAY The Heist Game Cover

About

PAYDAY The Heist is a single player and multiplayer shooter game. It was developed by OVERKILL - a Starbreeze Studio. and was released on October 20, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"PAYDAY™ The Heist" is a first-person shooter where players step into the shoes of a career criminal, pulling off intense heists alongside three other Co-Op partners. The game features six high-stake heists, each with its own challenges and objectives, and offers a massive character progression tree for building skills. With endless replayability, hostage trading, and additional DLC content, "PAYDAY™ The Heist" provides a thrilling, action-packed experience.

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93%
Audience ScoreBased on 15,675 reviews
story228 positive mentions
grinding95 negative mentions
  • The cooperative gameplay emphasizes teamwork and strategy, providing an engaging and rewarding experience during heists.
  • The game's atmosphere is gritty and immersive, enhanced by a dynamic soundtrack that complements the high-stakes heist scenarios.
  • The absence of microtransactions and excessive DLC is praised, contributing to a more enjoyable and fair gaming experience.
  • The graphics are considered dated and lack polish compared to modern titles, which may deter some players.
  • The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, making it less enjoyable for casual players.
  • The story is minimal and lacks depth, which detracts from character development and overall player engagement.
  • story
    988 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Payday: The Heist" is minimal and primarily serves as a backdrop for the game's heist-focused gameplay, with players engaging in a series of missions that lack deep narrative development. While the missions are varied and can be thrilling, they often boil down to straightforward objectives involving shooting and escaping, with little emphasis on character development or overarching plot. Overall, the game is more about the cooperative experience and action than a compelling story, leading to mixed feelings about its narrative depth.

    • “The gameplay centers around a series of scripted heists, ranging from bank robberies and jewelry store thefts to more complex missions like stealing gold or assaulting drug labs.”
    • “Every mission feels like a movie that’s gone horribly wrong but you’re too deep to back out.”
    • “The missions are well thought through and have a good spread of variety, the graphics are great, the music rocks and its just a really well rounded game.”
    • “The story doesn't make sense.”
    • “The story is non-existent.”
    • “There is no real plot to the game.”
  • gameplay
    939 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Payday: The Heist" is characterized by its cooperative, tactical shooter mechanics that emphasize teamwork and strategy during heists. While the game features a slower pace and a more challenging difficulty compared to its sequel, "Payday 2," it offers a rewarding experience with dynamic objectives and a variety of heist scenarios. Despite some dated mechanics and limited content, players appreciate the intense, action-packed gameplay and the nostalgic charm it brings to the cooperative shooter genre.

    • “The gameplay shines in its dynamic objectives and unpredictable AI, which keep each heist feeling fresh and chaotic.”
    • “The gameplay is incredible; even today, nearly 15 years since its release, it boasts great gunplay.”
    • “The cooperative gameplay fosters teamwork and creativity, as players adapt their strategies in the heat of the action.”
    • “The complete destruction of Payday: The Heist and early Payday 2's darker tone and difficult, tactical gameplay, and it being turned into a hecking wholesome mindlessly easy horde shooter is such a travesty.”
    • “The gameplay loop is quite tight and the skill ceiling can also be quite high.”
    • “While thrilling with friends, repetitive missions and dated mechanics hold it back from true greatness.”
  • graphics
    553 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Payday: The Heist" are generally considered dated but still charming, with many players appreciating the game's unique art style and atmosphere. While some reviews note that the visuals can feel rough and lack polish compared to modern titles, they are deemed acceptable for the game's age and often run smoothly on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose in enhancing the immersive co-op gameplay, even if they don't stand out as cutting-edge.

    • “The graphics, despite my personal love for the sorta washed-out color grading, and disappointment at its absence from Payday 3, are objectively quite dated.”
    • “The art style, while having dated graphics, really has a gritty and dark feeling with a realistic vibe, making it seem much more immersive.”
    • “While the graphics and mechanics show their age compared to modern shooters, Payday: The Heist is still an engaging and rewarding experience for fans of cooperative gameplay.”
    • “I can't say I was itching to play it; the graphics and clunky animations I'd seen in YouTube videos turned me off.”
    • “The graphics are a bit dated, and I wish there were grenades in the game (i.e. flashbangs), but a solid, fun, multiplayer game.”
    • “The graphics are beyond god awful.”
  • music
    409 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Payday: The Heist" is widely praised for its intense and immersive quality, composed by Simon Viklund, which enhances the game's gritty atmosphere and complements the high-stakes heist scenarios. Players appreciate the dynamic soundtrack that adapts to gameplay situations, creating a sense of urgency during action sequences while maintaining a fitting tone throughout each mission. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, elevating the gaming experience and contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The soundtrack, though limited, complements the action with adrenaline-pumping beats that heighten the urgency of escapes and firefights.”
    • “The music of Payday: The Heist, in my opinion, is in some ways better than its sequel.”
    • “Every song on the soundtrack is perfect and pairs well with the brutal and gritty theme of this game.”
    • “The music has also become more 'techy' and 'dubsteppy' which really doesn't fit a serious atmosphere.”
    • “The gameplay is good, good graphics but the soundtrack sucks; there is no way to switch it, the soundtrack goes over and over like Rambo: The Video Game.”
    • “2012 called, they want their music back.”
  • replayability
    222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by varied heists, randomized elements, and a robust progression system that encourages players to experiment with different strategies and loadouts. While some reviews note that the limited number of heists can lead to repetitive gameplay over time, many players find the experience engaging and addictive, especially when played with friends. Despite some criticisms regarding AI and animations, the game's fun factor and replay value remain strong, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of cooperative shooters.

    • “The heists are really fun and they have general replayability depending on the challenges you set for yourself as well as playing with online friends.”
    • “The gameplay is beyond addicting, and I like the fact that there's a lot of RNG in certain missions, which adds to the replayability.”
    • “Each heist has a variety of randomized elements, adding a ton of replayability.”
    • “The game consists of robbing the first world bank to robbing the mercy hospital for a total of 9 replayable missions.”
    • “A lack of diversity in heists also degrades the replay value significantly, and with the modding community unable to touch the game as it is at the moment, do not expect anything past stock maps.”
    • “It's replayable to the point of death!”
  • humor
    148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in this game is often described as quirky and entertaining, particularly when playing with friends, leading to memorable and hilarious moments during heists. Players appreciate the well-written characters and their humorous dialogue, which adds charm to the gameplay, although some feel that the humor can be hit or miss, especially in solo play. Overall, the game is recognized for its comedic elements, making it a fun experience, especially in cooperative settings.

    • “Playing with friends, yelling into cheap mics, failing the same mission 5 times but laughing through it like maniacs.”
    • “The characters are well-written and likable, and the dialogue is often humorous and entertaining.”
    • “This game is utterly hilarious with friends.”
    • “If you are unfunny, then you will definitely think this game is an 8/10.”
  • monetization
    144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is highly praised, with numerous reviews highlighting the absence of microtransactions and excessive DLC, which contrasts sharply with its sequel, Payday 2. Players appreciate the simplicity and fairness of the pricing model, noting that the game includes only one substantial DLC that adds meaningful content rather than a plethora of overpriced add-ons. Overall, the lack of microtransactions is seen as a significant advantage, contributing to a more enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “It's fun to play and the best part is... no microtransactions.”
    • “No microtransactions, just that makes it better than Payday 2.”
    • “I recommend this game more than Payday 2 because skills and teamwork are required to finish each heist and it's pretty more balanced than the sequel, also it doesn't have thousands of useless, overpriced, and pay-to-win DLCs and microtransactions.”
    • “It's also nice that there's not a lot of extra paid DLC, unlike the sequel which was a monetization hellscape.”
    • “However, in spite of all that, it remains the better game because it is untainted by Overkill's shady business practices such as excessive DLC and microtransactions.”
    • “The reason I say that Overkill ignores this game is good, is because they are more interested in screwing our wallets over on Payday 2 with microtransactions and paid content.”
  • grinding
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with many players noting that it requires a significant investment of time to unlock weapons, upgrades, and achievements. While some enjoy the challenge and find it rewarding, others feel that the repetitive gameplay and reliance on grinding detracts from the overall experience, making it less enjoyable, especially when playing solo. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is best suited for completionists or those who enjoy grinding, while casual players may find it frustrating and monotonous.

    • “No-nonsense gameplay: there’s no grinding for skills or gear.”
    • “I would say it's a skill tree but it's more like a skill line if anything, very linear but isn't grindy either.”
    • “No weapon mods, no grinding for cash and XP and random card drops, no having to deal with concealment numbers and assets, no skill tree planning, no perk deck selection or DLC fest or weapon reputation restrictions.”
    • “Everything about this game is none other than grinding.”
    • “The progression system requires a hefty amount of grinding to unlock new weapons, gadgets, attachments, and buffs for your character and weapons.”
    • “The game gets repetitive and tedious pretty fast.”
  • atmosphere
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Payday: The Heist" is widely praised for its gritty, immersive quality that sets it apart from its sequel, "Payday 2." Players appreciate the detailed environments, intense sound design, and a serious tone that enhances the feeling of participating in high-stakes heists. The combination of atmospheric music and realistic visuals contributes to a tense and engaging experience, making it a standout in the cooperative shooter genre.

    • “The environments are varied and detailed enough to immerse players in the tense atmosphere of each heist, from claustrophobic bank interiors to sprawling industrial zones.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game feels much darker than its successors, and it embraces that feeling to give it the authentic heisting feel.”
    • “Every heist has a serious, grungy, and intense atmosphere to it, and they all feel like a movie scene in a thriller heist movie.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game feels much darker than its successors and it embraces that feeling to give it the authentic heisting feel.”
    • “But this game maintains the gritty, rough around the edges atmosphere that Payday 2 wholly abandoned for their weird supernatural Illuminati storyline that they decided to run with after the Hoxton Revenge arc concluded.”
    • “In Payday 2, however, that gritty and serious atmosphere is barely present.”
  • stability
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing during critical moments and issues with AI behavior. While some players find the glitches amusing or manageable, others describe the game as a "buggy mess" that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, a few reviews note that the game runs well on modern systems and is less buggy compared to its sequel, Payday 2.

    • “Runs great on most computers and it can be easily played by anyone.”
    • “Gameplay is so smooth, no glitches, the controls are fair enough.”
    • “Great game, teamwork is essential in this game, graphics fine, no glitches!”
    • “Most of the game is buggy... don't know how there are 'very positive reviews'... everything about this game is literally garbage.”
    • “It is a buggy, crashing mess.”
    • “Not only is it a mess of game-breaking glitches that makes one restart their game and/or level, but it also has little to no replay value.”
  • optimization
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to run smoothly on a variety of hardware, including older systems, while others report significant performance issues such as stuttering and poor AI responsiveness. Although some users found the game well-optimized with good graphics and performance, many expressed disappointment over its lack of optimization, particularly on newer hardware. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely among players, with a notable divide between those who experience smooth gameplay and those who encounter frustrating performance problems.

    • “Good optimization, despite my old 2012 laptop, the game runs well on almost all maps at medium settings.”
    • “The game is also extremely technically sound; I was able to play on 4K resolution with all of the graphic options maxed out and I was still able to hit the heights of 160 fps, so this is one of the best optimized games out there at the moment.”
    • “It's optimized and lighter so it runs better on PCs.”
    • “Dated, poorly optimized shooter with dumb AI, boring heists, unreadable text, no fun.”
    • “The optimization is poor with this one.”
    • “So while the game is to be commended for making a valiant effort at providing something new on the shooter/coop scene, that effort was in vain due to the extremely poor and lackluster performance of the game itself.”
  • emotional
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight a mixed emotional landscape in the game, with some players feeling anger and frustration due to its shift from a darker, tactical experience to a more lighthearted, easygoing shooter. Others express a deep emotional connection to characters and moments, finding joy and attachment in the gameplay and community interactions. Overall, while some players miss the emotional depth of earlier titles, others appreciate the new emotional dynamics introduced in character interactions.

    • “Bulldozers in this game make me want to cry for 37 consecutive hours, 11/10”
    • “Everyone got killed and I cried”
    • “And hey, you might even get emotionally invested in these four maniacs as you play...”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is described as decent, but it is hindered by a lack of a compelling story, which detracts from the overall experience. While the gameplay is enjoyable, the absence of deeper character arcs limits the potential for player engagement.

    • “The character development is impressive, allowing players to truly connect with the characters.”
    • “I love how the character development unfolds throughout the game, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
    • “The depth of character development adds layers to the story, enhancing the overall gaming experience.”
    • “Fun gameplay, yet the lack of a real story or any character development really holds this game back.”
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74%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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25h Median play time
143h Average play time
10h Main story
46h Completionist
10-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

PAYDAY The Heist is a shooter game.

PAYDAY The Heist is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation.

The main story can be completed in around 10 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 46 hours to finish. On average players spend around 143 hours playing PAYDAY The Heist.

PAYDAY The Heist was released on October 20, 2011.

PAYDAY The Heist was developed by OVERKILL - a Starbreeze Studio..

PAYDAY The Heist has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

PAYDAY The Heist is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Killing Floor, Killing Floor 2, Payday 2, World War Z, Sanctum 2 and others.