PAYDAY™ The Heist

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 15,210 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
PAYDAY™ The Heist Game Cover
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.
Starting at $12.58Buy now
Get on Steam

"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.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 15,210 reviews
story226 positive mentions
grinding90 negative mentions
  • story951 mentions

    The story in "Payday: The Heist" is minimal and primarily serves as a backdrop for the game's heist missions, which are often described as repetitive and lacking depth. Players engage in a series of distinct heists, each with unique objectives, but the overall narrative is thin, with many reviewers noting the absence of a cohesive storyline. While the missions can be thrilling, especially in cooperative play, the lack of a substantial plot or character development detracts from the experience for some players.

    • “The missions are well-written and engaging, and the characters are interesting and well-developed.”
    • “Each mission consists of unique tasks that must be completed in order to advance through the level.”
    • “The first mission is like the movie 'Heat', there are other elements which remind you of 'The Dark Knight'; but the most remarkable of them is the joint operation done by Overkill with Valve to bring a mission set in Left 4 Dead's Mercy Hospital, which hints the beginning of the zombie outbreak.”
    • “The story is non-existent.”
    • “Without a story, and with highly repetitive gameplay, this piece made for boring, unimaginative experiences.”
    • “The overall story behind the characters is very shallow.”
  • gameplay883 mentions

    The gameplay of "Payday: The Heist" is characterized by its intense, cooperative heist mechanics that emphasize teamwork and strategy, making it a thrilling experience, especially when played with friends. While the game features solid gunplay and dynamic mission structures, many players note that it suffers from dated mechanics and a limited number of heists, leading to some repetitiveness. Overall, despite its flaws, the gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable, particularly for fans of cooperative shooters.

    • “The cooperative gameplay fosters teamwork and creativity, as players adapt their strategies in the heat of the action.”
    • “Developed by Overkill Software, it offers fast-paced, intense gameplay with a focus on teamwork and strategy.”
    • “With its varied objectives and dynamic gameplay, it offers thrilling and replayable experiences.”
    • “While thrilling with friends, repetitive missions and dated mechanics hold it back from true greatness.”
    • “The gameplay is jank, most of the guns feel really weird and aren't fun to shoot, the balance is all over the place, there are only 9 levels, all you do is grind.”
    • “Repetitive and linear gameplay make this a very dull, boring game.”
  • graphics534 mentions

    The graphics of "Payday: The Heist" are generally considered outdated, reflecting its 2011 release, yet many players appreciate the game's unique art style and atmosphere, which contribute to its immersive experience. While some reviews highlight the graphics as decent for their time, others note that they lack polish and can be visually confusing, particularly in terms of enemy visibility. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some players enjoying their nostalgic charm while others find them lacking compared to modern standards.

    • “The art style, while having dated graphics, really has a gritty and dark feeling with a realistic vibe despite the older graphics, making it seem much more immersive.”
    • “The graphics and sound design were also top-notch, immersing me completely in the high-stakes heists.”
    • “Great graphics for an old game, and the gameplay is just as enjoyable.”
    • “The graphics are beyond god awful.”
    • “The graphics look alright, but the game plays like someone made it in 48 hours for a game dev challenge.”
    • “Graphics lack polish and quite frankly feel dated, but that is not enough to take away from the enjoyment to be had here.”
  • music381 mentions

    The music in "Payday: The Heist" is widely praised for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting the work of composer Simon Viklund. The soundtrack features a mix of intense, adrenaline-pumping tracks that dynamically change based on the game's action, effectively setting the tone for each heist and keeping players engaged. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its immersive atmosphere and replayability.

    • “The overall soundtrack serves well in this game to ratchet tension at the appropriate times and overall fits the theme perfectly.”
    • “The music changes depending on your situation. If you are in stealth or 'investigating mode' the music is subtle and calm... then when things get heated up and the police come knocking, the music kicks up a notch and you're in for a treat.”
    • “The soundtrack is nearly perfect and will keep you pumped through hours of gameplay, visuals are good enough and there are very little to no bugs, as far as I've noticed.”
    • “Early Payday 2 also, but similarly to the storyline devolving into timesplitters at home, the music devolved into brostep rave music I'd sooner hear in an old YouTube frag montage than a game about robbing banks.”
    • “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.”
    • “The music has also become more 'techy' and 'dubsteppy' which really doesn't fit a serious atmosphere.”
  • replayability211 mentions

    Overall, "Payday: The Heist" is praised for its high replayability, attributed to its varied heists, dynamic gameplay, and customization options. While some players note that the limited number of heists (nine) may reduce replay value compared to its sequel, many emphasize that the unique challenges and random elements within each heist keep the experience fresh and engaging. The game is particularly enjoyable in cooperative play, enhancing its replayability through teamwork and strategy.

    • “In my opinion, this game is worth the money, as the amount of heist variations, challenges, and little 'hidden things' greatly extends the replayability of the game.”
    • “With its varied objectives and dynamic gameplay, it offers thrilling and replayable experiences.”
    • “The game also has a lot of replay value, as each heist can be played differently depending on the choices you make and the random elements that occur - mission objectives also change as well as certain aspects of each heist based on difficulty and actions.”
    • “You could argue L4D only had like 4 or so campaigns, but the difference is that game has a lot of custom maps and Payday does not, so there's not really as much replay value in my opinion.”
    • “It's certainly less replayable than the second game due to its comparatively smaller amount of content, but it more than makes up for that with the overall quality of its content.”
    • “Once you've played all the heists and unlocked most of the weapons, there's not much more replayability.”
  • monetization148 mentions

    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 game's pricing model, noting that it only features one DLC that adds meaningful content rather than a plethora of overpriced options. 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 for finishing 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.”
    • “This game is a remnant of when Overkill was so much better, long before gameplay got dumbed down, pointless 'new' enemies, DLCs that pop out to slap you silly, oh and, no microtransactions.”
  • humor145 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny characters, witty dialogue, and entertaining scenarios, particularly in cooperative play. Many reviews note that the game's comedic elements, such as quirky character interactions and absurd situations, enhance the overall experience, making it more enjoyable when played with friends. However, some players feel that the humor can fall flat in solo play, suggesting that the game's comedic charm is best appreciated in a multiplayer setting.

    • “This game introduced me to the most exciting, funny, and entertaining co-op shooters ever made.”
    • “The characters are well-written and likable, and the dialogue is often humorous and entertaining.”
    • “Payday the heist is a hilarious game that will keep you entertained for hours.”
    • “If you are unfunny, then you will definitely think this game is an 8/10.”
  • grinding103 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant hours to unlock weapons, upgrades, and achievements. Many reviewers noted that the repetitive nature of missions and the slow progression system can lead to frustration, especially when playing solo or with unhelpful AI teammates. While some players enjoy the grind as part of the experience, others find it detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the game feel like a chore rather than a fun endeavor.

    • “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.”
    • “The progression system requires a hefty amount of grinding to unlock new weapons, gadgets, attachments, and buffs for your character and weapons.”
    • “Unlocking new weapons and equipment can also take quite some time, and you will most likely be grinding a lot.”
    • “The game gets repetitive and tedious pretty fast.”
  • atmosphere60 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Payday: The Heist" is widely praised for its gritty, immersive quality that sets it apart from its sequel, "Payday 2." Reviewers highlight the game's serious tone, detailed graphics, and effective sound design, which together create a cinematic experience reminiscent of a heist thriller. The cooperative gameplay enhances this atmosphere, making players feel like a cohesive team of robbers, further enriched by the game's dynamic heists and engaging soundtrack.

    • “The feeling and atmosphere this game provides is something you will not get playing both sequels.”
    • “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 character models and environments are detailed and atmospheric, and the sound design does a good job of creating a sense of immersion and tension.”
    • “In Payday 2, however, that gritty and serious atmosphere is barely present.”
    • “The music has also become more 'techy' and 'dubsteppy,' which really doesn't fit a serious atmosphere.”
    • “The sequels improve on the gameplay but lose too much of the story, atmosphere, and have way shorter levels.”
  • stability59 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing, AI issues, and matchmaking problems. While some players find the glitches amusing or manageable, others describe the experience as frustrating and detrimental to enjoyment. Overall, the game is seen as less stable compared to its sequel, with a mix of fun gameplay overshadowed by its technical shortcomings.

    • “Great game! Teamwork is essential in this game, graphics are fine, and there are no glitches!”
    • “Runs great on most computers and can be easily played by anyone.”
    • “Gameplay is so smooth, with no glitches, and the controls are fair enough.”
    • “Payday, unfortunately, is a somewhat buggy mess in which most of the maps are frustrating at best.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization43 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting it runs smoothly on a variety of hardware, including older systems. However, some users report issues with the peer-to-peer simulation system, which can lead to lag and unresponsive AI during gameplay. While the graphics are considered decent and performance is often praised, there are mixed opinions regarding optimization quality, with a few players experiencing significant 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.”
    • “The p2p simulation system is not properly optimized, and whenever you have lags or packet loss, AI becomes super reactive in no time. I won't say that it could be optimized in a better way because the engine itself can't keep up.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a friendly and wholesome community that fosters deep connections among players, with many expressing strong emotional attachments to characters and narratives. Players report moments of genuine emotional engagement, from touching interactions to intense experiences that evoke tears, showcasing the game's ability to create impactful and memorable moments. However, some players feel a lack of emotional depth in certain gameplay elements, indicating a mixed experience in emotional investment.

    • “Bulldozers in this game make me want to cry for 37 consecutive hours, 11/10.”
    • “It was a lot of fun to watch an energized Jess 'mop like mad!' and kind of touching to see her inspired husband tell her about his dreams.”
    • “And hey, you might even get emotionally invested in these four maniacs as you play...”
  • character development2 mentions

    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' journeys.”
    • “I love how the character development unfolds throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
    • “The depth of character development adds layers to the story, making it a memorable experience.”
    • “Fun gameplay, yet the lack of a real story or any character development really holds this game back.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

Buy PAYDAY™ The Heist

Play time

25hMedian play time
143hAverage play time
10hMain story
46hCompletionist
10-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games