Painkiller (video game)

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Painkiller

Developer(s) People Can Fly
Publisher(s) DreamCatcher Interactive
Version 1.64
Platform(s) PC, Xbox
Release date April 12, 2004 (NA)
January 27, 2007 (Steam)
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: Mature (M)
Media CD
DVD
Download
System requirements Windows:
Input methods Keyboard

Mouse

Painkiller is a first-person shooter PC game released on April 12, 2004. It was published by DreamCatcher Interactive and developed by Polish game studio People Can Fly. It attempts to replicate the 'old-school FPS' gameplay of Doom and Quake. It has 24 levels of seemingly unconnected designs that include medieval castles, factories and lunatic asylums. Five of the levels are 'boss levels' with some of the largest FPS bosses to date. The game takes place in Purgatory and Hell. It is notable for using the Havok 2.0 physics engine extensively. The main character, Daniel Garner, is voiced by Cam Clarke.

Contents

[edit] Story

The game revolves around a young man named Daniel Garner, who is happily married to his wife Catherine. At the start of the game, Daniel is about to take Catherine out for a birthday meal. As they drive towards their destination at high speed, in the pouring rain, Daniel takes his eyes off the road to look at his wife and while his attention is diverted, he ploughs their car into a truck. Both of them are killed instantly.

While Catherine manages to make it to Heaven and live in harmony, Daniel is trapped in Purgatory and is told that in order to receive purification, he has to kill four of Lucifer's generals in order to prevent a war between Heaven and Hell. With little choice available to him Daniel accepts the task.

With the forces of Hell seizing and corrupting various parts of Purgatory, Daniel goes through different and random phases of history within Purgatory, which range greatly from ancient times to the modern era. These include Medieval Europe, Babylon, the Crusades, 1800s and even a time slice of modern industry.

[edit] Weapons

Painkiller has 5 guns, each with two normal modes of fire and often a third combination fire.

  • Painkiller — The eponymous Painkiller is a mechanized close combat weapon. The primary fire (Pain) causes the end of the weapon to open up into a rapidly-rotating fan of blades. The secondary fire (Killer) ejects the blades from the weapon and can damage enemies and also attach to inanimate objects. A damaging beam of energy then projects from the player to the point of impact, provided the player aims the weapon towards the disengaged blades. Pressing the secondary fire button again will return the blades to the weapon. The combination fire is performed by holding down the primary fire, then hitting the secondary fire, causing the rotating blades to be fired from the weapon. It is also used to 'painkiller jump', which involves standing on a piece of debris and using secondary fire on it in order to launch yourself into the air. Also, hitting a defeated enemy multiple times with the Painkiller's secondary fire will cause them to drop trinkets, which can be picked up to add to your total gold score for that level. "Gibbing" the enemy while they are suspended in mid-air, either by utilizing the Painkiller weapon's primary mode or one of the other weapons, will drop a valuable gold ring, also adding to the player's gold score. This has given rise to the practice known as "Monster Juggling" using the Painkiller secondary mode repeatedly to keep the corpse suspended in mid air and drop gold trinkets, then finishing it off with a short burst in the primary mode to reduce it to gibs and drop a golden ring, all of which must be accomplished before the corpse dissolves into nothingness a few seconds after its death. This is also a potent weapon in deathmatch and other multiplayer games, as it allows you to sweep in for the quick kill and confuse opponents.
  • Shotgun — The primary mode fires two shotgun shells, the closer the target, the more devastating result will be achieved but the farther the target is away, the wider the pellet spread will be. The shotgun's secondary fire freezes opponents solid for a short time. After they're frozen, damage from any source will destroy the enemy.
  • Stakegun — The stakegun is a pneumatic sling that shoots stakes at the enemy that can pin their dead bodies to the wall or rarely to other enemies. Its secondary fire is a grenade launcher and if the bouncing grenade is hit by a stake, it becomes a fast-moving explosive missile. The stakes and grenades launched fly in an arc, and the stakes erupt in fire if in the air long enough. Grenade can also be shot with a stake while it's still in air. That way, grenade achieves much more range and explodes on impact when it hits anything, not only enemies. In deathmatch games, impaling an opponent with a stake can lead to an instant death.
  • Chaingun — The chaingun's primary fire is a rocket launcher and the secondary fire is a rapid-firing chaingun. This combo is used extensively in deathmatch games, for its ability to send players flying. The chaingun does extra damage to opponents and monsters when they are in the air.
  • Electrodriver — The electrodriver's primary fire launches shurikens at enemies. The secondary fire shoots a stream of electricity at close range. The combination fire is performed by holding down the secondary fire, then hitting the primary fire, which launches the electro driver disk which damages any enemies in close proximity to it with electricity.

[edit] Painkiller: Battle Out of Hell

Painkiller: Battle out of Hell is an expansion pack for Painkiller, released on November 22, 2004. It was developed and published by the same companies as Painkiller. Battle Out of Hell features an all-new 10-level single player campaign, two new weapons (each taking a page out of the original game's book with two fire modes each), new multiplayer modes, and improved visual effects.

[edit] Story

Add-on continues the story where the original left off: Lucifer is killed and his position as ruler of Hell is now free. Alastor, one of four hell generals Daniel Garner was assigned to kill in the original game, appears with a horde of demons and confronts Daniel, who now has to retreat with the help of Eve. Daniel's new goal is to battle through out of hell and eliminate Alastor, who is now rightful ruler of the demonic forces. Before confronting his powerful enemy, Daniel visits such places as an orphanage full of possessed children, a hellish circus named Loony Land, a pirate bay, colliseums, Necropolis, and even a twisted version of World War II Leningrad. After taking out Alastor, Eve thanks Daniel for allowing her to take control. Eve offers Daniel the chance to rule by her side, but Daniel, pointing his gun at Eve, refuses and the screen fades to black.

[edit] New weapons

  • Flamethrower — The secondary fire is as one would expect from a typical flamethrower, and the primary fire is a submachine gun with armour-piercing rounds, which is similar to the chaingun. Although its rate of fire is much lower, the individual shots are more damaging. The combination fire is performed by holding down the secondary fire, then hitting the primary fire, which launches a flaming canister of fuel, which can be shot to detonate it or will eventually explode on its own. The combination fire can be dangerous as one fuel canister can easily kill the player himself.
  • Bolt Driver — The Bolt Driver is Painkiller's take on a sniper rifle, which is capable of zooming in the player's view. It fires five short pieces of rebar in quick succession. The secondary fire launches a fusillade of unpredictably bouncing explosives. If the secondary fire is used correctly, it is the most destructive weapon in the game, especially in tight quarters. The combination fire is triggered by successfully hitting the bouncing explosives with the primary fire.

[edit] Painkiller: Hell Wars

In 2006 the game was released on the Xbox as Painkiller: Hell Wars. While not a straight port, it is actually a mix of the game and its expansion, Battle out of Hell. Painkiller: Hell Wars was also announced for Sony's PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2.[1]However both versions were cancelled worldwide.

[edit] Other Editions

Painkiller: Special Edition is a budget version of the game. It includes only 12 of the 24 levels in the full game, no FMV videos, and no multiplayer mode. It does, however, show its award winning features on the front case like PC Gaming World Game of the Year, Game Informer game of the month and Gamespy's editor's choice.

Painkiller: Gold Edition (aka Painkiller: Black Edition in North America) combines the Battle Out of Hell expansion with the original game onto a single disc. It also features mapping and editing tools, a limited edition Penny Arcade poster, a making-of movie, and behind the scenes interviews, and the latest patch which adds new features to the game and bring its quality up to competition standard (see Professional gaming below).

[edit] Painkiller: Overdose

Another Painkiller game, titled Painkiller: Overdose, was released for PC on October 30, 2007 worldwide. Originally being developed by Mindware Studios from Czech Republic as a fan-made game mod, DreamCatcher granted the project full financial and technical support. In Overdose, the player takes the role of Belial, a half-angel, half-demon gatekeeper. The game contains 6 new weapons, 40 monster types and 16 new levels. The story is said to tie wandering ends and provide a bridge between the original game and a potential sequel.[1] On October 17, 2007, the demo was released[2]. On October 23, 2007, DreamCatcher announced that the game has started shipping to retail stores[3].

[edit] New weapons

  • The Razor Cube — A metallic cube that unfolds into a flurry of blades, its functionality is identical to the Painkiller from the original game. Again a combo can be performed by holding down the left mouse button and then hitting the right mouse button.
  • The BoneGun — A reworked version of the Shotgun, sporting a more skeletal look with wishbones decorating the barrels. Its primary fire shoots high-speed bone fragments while its secondary now petrifies opponents instead of freezing them .Notably the petrifying ammunition is harder to find now, and the shotgun spread is slightly larger.
  • The Crossbow — Replacing the Stake-Gun, the crossbow is an improved version of the Boltgun from Battle Out Of Hell. It fires three bolts simultaneously with deadly accuracy. Alternate fire launches several exploding shrunken skulls that bounce around or explode on contact with an enemy.
  • The Rocket Launcher — Virtually unchanged from its previous installments,the only difference is that it now fires three small rockets orbiting each other instead of a single large one thus reducing the firepower and splash damage of the primary fire.
  • The Demon Head — Belial's first weapon is the torn off head of a demon guarding the dungeon he was imprisoned in.It can fire a laser beam from its eyes or let loose a terrifying scream that can pierce through multiple opponents at a time. The Demon Head is recommended against more powerful monsters since the laser can render them unable to attack and the shriek can quickly dispose of them.
  • The Shadow Blade — A demonically charged dagger. Primary launches a wave of three homing skulls that do medium damage and can track quite well. Secondary launches the spinning dagger forward .It will cut through most opponents until it is called back or after it has gone a certain distance. The player can direct its course with the crosshair.The longer the distance the dagger flies, the more ammunition it will drain.
  • The Flintlock — An old western style shotgun filled with radioactive waste.Received fairly late in the game, it fires either concentrated bursts of green waste or a spray of slime that damages and slows down enemies it hits. Primary can be used as an alternative for the crossbow while the secondary should be preserved for hordes of fast melee monsters.
  • The Demon Eggs — Essentially they are Painkiller's version of a grenade that can be stuck to walls or even enemies. Primary fire throws an egg. Pressing primary fire again will detonate it while pressing secondary will throw another one. The player can stick multiple eggs to one single strong opponent then detonate them all at once to kill it and the surrounding monsters.The player can also create traps and lure crowds of monsters into mined areas for quick disposal.

[edit] Reception

Reviews
Publication Score
Painkiller
GameSpot 8.5/10[4]
PC Gamer 84/100
Game Informer 8.5/10[5]
IGN 7/10[6]
GameSpy 4/5[7]
Game Rankings 82%[8]
Battle out of Hell
GameSpot 7.6/10[9]
Game Informer 8/10[10]
IGN 7.5/10[11]
Game Rankings 77%[12]
Hell Wars
GameSpot 7.9/10[13]
Game Informer 7.75/10[14]
IGN 5.2/10[15]
Game Rankings 68%[16]
Overdose
GameSpot 7/10[17]
Game Informer 6.75/10[18]
Game Rankings 75%[19]

With the first release of the original Painkiller in 2004, reception was generally positive with an average critic score of 82% at Game Rankings[8]. Painkiller was mostly praised for its simple yet entertaining FPS gameplay and its varied level and artistic design. Gamespot noted the variety in levels and foes by stating "Remarkably, the eclectic variety of settings somehow ends up having a cohesive feel to it, and the variety itself is definitely to the game's credit"[4] while GameSpy praised the physics engine calling it "an original, muscular engine, capable of vast spectacular levels"[7]. However while IGN noted the gameplay positively, they also mentioned repetition in certain stages going on to say "simple aiming exercises seem to lack a little substance when compared to more recent shooters"[6]. Another criticism was focused on its multiplayer aspect being similar to that of the older Quake games, being called by Gamespot as a more of a "throwback to the days of the original Quake" with the feel of "déjà vu".[4]

Upon its release, Painkiller received "PC Game of the Month" awards from Game Informer and Gamespot, "Editors Choice" from GameSpy, Computer Games Magazine and PC Zone and "Kick Ass Product" from Maximum PC.

In May 2008, Painkiller was featured on Escapist Magazine's weekly review series Zero Punctuation. Reviewer Ben Croshaw stated that Painkiller was an example of an excellent FPS game, praising its removing aspects such as key hunting and fetch sidequests in favour of "Pure genocidal fun". [20] Seemingly hours after the review, the Painkiller banner found on the Steam Store appeared on the front page, now sporting the tag "All you really need to know is that there is a gun that shoots shurikens and lightning...", a quote from the review . [21]

Battle out of Hell was also met with a positive response but with less only being an expansion pack. While some were enthusiastic over the new content, like Game Informer even saying "If I had to pick a game to be the poster child for the concept of expansion packs, Painkiller: Battle Out Of Hell might well be it"[10], others like Gamespot found some of the levels not as interesting as the original saying "for the most part, much of the rest of the game is kind of bland" but still found "Great Painkiller gameplay mostly intact". They also pointed out longer loading times and "aggravating" puzzles[9].

Upon the release in 2006 of the Xbox port Hell Wars, many were generally pleased with its translation while others found some issues. IGN were not favourable towards the "Environmental textures" that "don't do much to enhance the experience" and even found the port to have additional bugs like when enemies "get stuck out of sight on a level [that] mean you can't advance until you reload your game"[15].

Three years later in late 2007 when Overdose was released, reception, while also positive was quick to point the game's shortcomings. GameZone praised Overdose for retaining the basic gameplay elements that made the original 2004 title popular, and that it "extends the world with new weapons, enemies, bosses, and levels that will fulfill any adrenaline junkie's craving"[22]. Gamespot however were still annoyed by the long load times and unhappy with the quiet multiplayer mode but were still positive over the gameplay concluding" this old-fashioned shooter is a welcome respite from the scripted, story-driven epics littering the FPS landscape these days (and a pleasant reminder of the simple joy of shooting fiendish creeps in the face)"[17]. Game Informer however found the game to be aged and while "there is a group out there who will find this game charming", it concluded that "their numbers might be growing thin."[18]

[edit] Professional gaming

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (May 2008)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

At the end of 2004 Painkiller was chosen by the Cyberathlete Professional League to be their official 2005 World Tour game. This was slightly controversial with many e-sports followers and competitors due to the fact other games had proven themselves just as, or more popular online multiplayer games. As the tour had already been announced as a one-on-one deathmatch format competition, Unreal Tournament 2004 and Doom 3 were also fan favourites for this tour. However, since Unreal Tournament 2004 developer Epic Games were in the process of changing publisher from Atari to Midway Games and could not guarantee their full support throughout the year-long tour, it was not chosen.

This agreement between the CPL and Dreamcatcher also meant that no other organization was allowed to use Painkiller in a gaming competition with prizes above USD2000.- without obtaining a license from the CPL. It also had effects on Painkiller beyond professional competition; a patch was released to add new features to the game and bring its quality up to competition standard. This updated version of the game also resulted in a special edition re-release of the game bearing the CPL World Tour logo, entitled Painkiller: Gold Edition in North America and Painkiller: Black Edition elsewhere. This new version contained both Painkiller and its expansion pack Painkiller: Battle out of Hell unpatched, among other additions including a video about the making of the game.

The CPL World Tour exclusively used the PK++ mod developed and continuously supported by the Pkeuro modding team, most notably Blowfish, who is also acknowledged in the in-game credits and manual for versions of the game from Battle Out Of Hell onwards. The mod featured numerous game fixes, HUD features, spectator modes, and in-game bots for offline play. Many of the deliverables put in place by Dreamcatcher were in fact provided by the PK++ mod.

However, Quake 4 was selected as the one-versus-one deathmatch game of the CPL for 2006, replacing Painkiller. Given Painkiller's almost exclusive competitive play, this change is likely to have a significant effect on the game, potentially bringing an end to its multiplayer community.

[edit] Film

On August 1, 2007, producing company Guy Walks Into a Bar announced they acquired the film rights to Painkiller and have begun pre-production. Jon Berg (Elf, Out of Time) and Todd Komarnicki (Elf) will act as producers.[23]

[edit] Soundtrack

The music was primarily written by Marcin "Cedyń" Czartyński.

  1. "The Painkiller" - 1:54
  2. "Morph In" - 3:02
  3. "Banshee" - 2:46
  4. "Playing Tarot" - 3:22
  5. "Lokhi" - 2:23
  6. "Switch" - 2:42
  7. "Corpus Dei" - 3:18
  8. "Voosh" - 2:48
  9. "Bear Me the Light" - 2:46
  10. "Me Versus the Underworld" - 2:01
  11. "Kill My Boss" - 3:15
  12. "Fire in the Hole" - 2:47
  13. "Power It Up" - 2:31
  14. "X E Qt R" - 2:13
  15. "Electrodriving" - 2:16
  16. "Babel" - 3:13 (Bonus track)
  17. "Painkiller" - 3:15 (Bonus track)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Painkiller OVERDOSE
  2. ^ Project Overdose - Community :: View topic - Painkiller OVERDOSE Demo Released
  3. ^ Painkiller: Overdose Headed to a Store Near You
  4. ^ a b c Greg Kasavin (2004-04-09). Painkiller Review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  5. ^ Adam Biessener. Painkiller Review. GameInformer. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  6. ^ a b Steve Butts (2004-04-12). Painkiller Review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  7. ^ a b Tom Chick (2004-04-16). Painkiller Review. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  8. ^ a b Gamerankings: Painkiller. Retrieved on November 12, 2007.
  9. ^ a b Erik Wolpaw (2004-11-22). Painkiller: Battle out of Hell Review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  10. ^ a b Adam Biessener. Painkiller: Battle out of Hell Review. GameInformer. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  11. ^ Tom McNamara (2004-11-11). Painkiller: Battle out of Hell Review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  12. ^ Gamerankings: Painkiller: Battle out of Hell. Retrieved on November 12, 2007.
  13. ^ Geg Kasavin (2006-07-29). Painkiller: Hell Wars Review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  14. ^ Adam Biessener. Painkiller: Hell Wars Review. GameInformer. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  15. ^ a b Charles Onyett (2006-08-02). Painkiller: Hell Wars Review. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  16. ^ Gamerankings: Painkiller: Hell Wars. Retrieved on November 12, 2007.
  17. ^ a b Ben Reeves (2007-11-03). Painkiller: Overdose Review. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  18. ^ a b Adam Biessener. Painkiller: Overdose Review. GameInformer. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  19. ^ Gamerankings: Painkiller: Overdose. Retrieved on November 12, 2007.
  20. ^ Ben Croshaw (2008-05-22). The Escapist : Video Galleries : Zero Punctuation : Painkiller. Escapist Magazine. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  21. ^ Mike Fahey (2008-05-23). Adwatch: How Painkiller should have been advertised. Kotaku. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  22. ^ Brock Smith (2007-05-11). Painkiller: Overdose Review. GameZone. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  23. ^ Painkiller movie on the way. GamerNode. Retrieved on August 1, 2007.

[edit] External links