The existence of PAYDAY 3 it was announced in 2016 and a year later it was revealed that the project was already in production. The announcement excited fans, but that hype gradually turned into concern as the years passed and little was known about it. PAYDAY 3Could it be that I was in development hell?
Now, practically 7 years after the existence of PAYDAY 3 and after a lot of business trouble, Starbreeze finally got a look at the product. As part of the Xbox Game Showcase of Summer Game Fest 2023, the developer gave us a new look at the project that seeks to renew the series a decade after the debut of its latest installment.
But do you manage to make the necessary adjustments so that PAYDAY return to glory Starbreeze invited us to a virtual presentation and to test the game in order to resolve that question. Do you want the short answer? He’s on the right track.
Video: Payday 3 Gameplay Trailer | Xbox Showcase 2023
PAYDAY 3 wants to be the perfect heist
It’s easy to say, but it’s been 10 years since PAYDAY 2 debuted and became a sensation. While you may remember 2013 as if it were yesterday, the reality is that a decade can feel like centuries, especially for a fast-moving industry like video games.
One of the most significant changes to PAYDAY and which represents a completely new era for the franchise is that Starbreeze developed it on Unreal Engine 4. Past installments were made on Diesel, a game engine developed by the defunct company Grin in 2001. Although Diesel received updates and modifications, The switch to Unreal Engine will allow Starbreeze to have modern tools without having to invest development resources. It is worth mentioning that Starbreeze confirmed to us that his plan is to update PAYDAY 3 to Unreal Engine 5 in the future, so it is a matter of time before the game takes advantage of the latest technologies from Epic Games.
In the hours that I could play PAYDAY 3 I had the opportunity to participate in 2 heists, both in New York City, which is the location of this new story. The first was an assault on a small bank branch. The mission was simple, infiltrate, enter the vault from the roof and escape with the money. Well… actually it was a bit more complicated. We had to take some hostages, take down a bunch of cops, and run to our van before reinforcements arrived. The second assault took us to an art gallery, which the plan was for us to sneak into, grab some paintings, and escape in a helicopter that was waiting for us on the roof. It was an intense assault, since a small mistake brought down our facade of simple art enthusiasts to reveal us for what we were: lovers of foreign things. What was the small bug in question? A grenade that we detonated by accident before entering the compound.
Both missions were highly entertaining, showing us that PAYDAY 3 It has not only been revamped with new options, but with heists that are interesting and highly entertaining. I was delighted to see that after 2 installments and over a decade, PAYDAY you can still have good and refreshing ideas. Sure, previous installments have already seen us rob banks and infiltrate art galleries, but the small details of the missions (like having to find and use QR codes to open doors) will manage to surprise veterans. Also, the levels feel well done to avoid fatigue and make you feel like every return to a heist is a little different. Something important considering that it is a game made to be played over and over again.
This all sounds good, but what are the tangible changes we can expect from PAYDAY 3? The first is that, as expected, this new installment looks much better. Of course, you shouldn’t expect the graphic top of the generation either, but the evolution in textures, lighting and, above all, character models is noticeable.
Of course, Starbreeze also took the opportunity to implement new ideas to PAYDAY 3. One of the main novelties is the hostage situations that are what they sound like. When starting a heist you will have the opportunity to take civilians and hold them against their will. This will help you negotiate with the authorities and get benefits that can be the difference between getting out with millions or ending up in prison. In the demo we were able to take advantage of the hostages to get health and even extra time that was key to disintegrating the floor and entering the vault that had the money.
Another important change is that the phase without mask has a greater relevance. In previous installments, you could only take advantage of this spectator mode to review the place and little else. Now you will be able to perform some actions like picking locks (there is a new minigame to do this), which makes it a more relevant phase. Also, there are new movement options such as vaulting (being able to jump over barriers) that make moving around the maps feel more natural. They are small changes that make PAYDAY 3 feel like a renewed experience.
Paragraphs ago I commented that a decade can feel like centuries in gaming and believe me I don’t say that lightly. He had not played for several years PAYDAY 2so I decided to come back after trying the demo of PAYDAY 3 to truly feel the evolution. What a change! The formula remains almost intact, but small details like movement and all gunplay have been drastically improved to the point that the difference in aiming is like night and day. The new installment has those little tweaks needed to make it feel like a 2023 game by getting rid of all that stuff that makes the 2013 release already feel a bit clunky.
In many ways PAYDAY 3 it will be a little more of the same, but if something is not broken, why change it? The same heist formula that made big hits to PAYDAand and PAYDAY 2 come back the way you love it. Be careful, as we already mentioned, that does not mean that it lacks evolution either. It is clear that Starbreeze recognized where improvements were needed and what were the key changes that will allow PAYDAY 3 be better prepared for the future. The result is an experience better adapted by modern standards and one that is shaping up to be a success.
PAYDAY 3 It will arrive on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC on September 21, 2023. We remind you that it will be a launch that will come directly to Xbox Game Pass. You can learn more about this delivery if you click here.
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