Yes, yes, yes! This game gets it freaking done and I love it. Payday 2 is a perfect game to go out on this console generation and it's so, so, so awesome. But don't take my word for it. Watch the video for yourself and see just how sick the gameplay is.
This is easily going to be one of the best sleeper hits of 2013... easily. I love the style of the game and the tension and the options and the new forms of diversity that Overkill implemented into the gameplay mechanics. The uncertainty of missions, the multiple branching scenarios involving doing the heist, making the trade and trying to secure a getaway is priceless... it's everything a heist game should be and I love that.
Now of course there are a couple of things that still kind of nag on me about the game but it's nothing too serious. I'll go ahead and throw them out there anyway: it would be nice if bullet impacts were a bit more pronounced and the effects were accentuated just a bit more so that it brings that visceral feeling of combat to life. Battlefield 3 players know exactly what I'm talking about – there's also a few sweps in Garry's Mod that have a similar effect, especially when using GDCW's RPK-74, where it just looks like you're shredding the stage to bits even though Gmod doesn't actually support the same kind of levolution as Battlefield. Perception is sometimes a powerful tool for impression.
Anyway, other than that minor gripe above, I love the game. I really love this game and I could easily see it being one of those titles that takes up more time than it should, like Mount & Blade.
But let's talk a little bit about what's changed from Payday: The Heist to Payday 2. As mentioned, the game now has entire missions spanning several stages. So you do the actual heist, the deal to exchange the goods for money, and then depending on how that goes depends on if you'll get caught by unforeseen forces or if you'll get a clean payday.
Hostages play a much larger role in the game now, and stealth is a very viable option for players of a skilled ilk. Civilian casualties will cause you to lose large brackets of money if you aren't careful. Carrying goods such as paintings, gold, money bags, etc., will actually weigh your character down, and it's easy to leave a man behind, as mentioned in Ryan Winslett's hands-on preview of the game.
Set for release this August for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, Payday 2 is definitely a game to keep your eye on if you're looking for a serious cooperative heist game to play with your friends. You can learn more about the game by paying a visit to the official website.
