Battlebit Remastered: A Fun, Mindless Co-op Shooter

A Refreshingly Simple Approach

While the gaming industry grapples with ballooning budgets and unrealistic AAA expectations, Painkiller arrives as a breath of fresh air - an unpretentious roguelike FPS that knows exactly what it wants to be. Imagine kicking back with friends, cold drink in hand, diving into this no-frills cooperative experience without worrying about battle passes or seasonal content. Will it dethrone Doom: The Dark Ages? Probably not. Does it deliver tense storytelling? Hardly - and frankly, that's part of its charm.

This revival perfectly captures the essence of the original: a stress-free, satisfyingly mindless three-player shooter where you constantly tweak weapons and perks between runs. No live-service mechanics, no endless grind - just pure, distilled shooter fun of the kind we rarely see anymore.

Damned Good Gameplay

The game wastes no time plunging you into its hellish playground. As a wisecracking demon hunter stranded in Purgatory, you'll inhabit Purgatory's Crossing - your basecamp for selecting characters, weapons, and tarot cards before jumping into raids. Whether teaming with friends or capable AI companions (which pleasantly surprised me during previews), you'll always tackle missions as a trio.

Each character brings unique advantages to the battlefield:

• Ink: Gains +20% health regeneration
• Void: Boosts weapon damage by 10%
• Roch: Starts with +25 health
• Sol: Features 50% greater ammo capacity

Satanic Arsenal

The weapon selection channels that classic PC shooter spirit:

The Stakegun deserves special mention - nothing compares to the visceral satisfaction of pinning demons to walls with railgun-powered wooden stakes. Similarly, the Electrodriver's lightning alt-fire clears rooms beautifully, while spinning blades make quick work of weaker foes. Better still, permanent upgrades ensure your arsenal grows deadlier with each successful run.

Cards Against Demonicity

The roguelike deckbuilding mechanic adds strategic depth. Randomized tarot cards like Profane Blessing (+30% weapon damage) grant powerful temporary boosts, though early-game card draws come at premium prices.

Old-School Carnage

Gameplay follows classic boomer-shooter principles: dumb enemies, big waves, and constant action. While AI isn't winning any Turing tests, the sheer volume of foes keeps battles intense, especially when revival mechanics create clutch moments during tough fights.

Graphically, Painkiller won't rewrite the rulebook, and the intentionally B-movie dialogue won't win Oscars. But crucially, the game embraces its over-the-top identity without pretension.

Perfect Mindless Fun

Releasing October 9 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, Painkiller delivers exactly what it promises: A laid-back shooter experience perfect for gaming sessions with friends. In a crowded release calendar, its simplicity might seem underwhelming - but for pure cooperative carnage without complications, few titles will satisfy quite like this hellish romp.