Payday 2

🎮 Steam ⏳ 5 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

More of the Same #

The second Payday entry is a cooperative first-person shooter that immerses you in the world of high-stakes heists. You take on the role of one of a team of professional criminals, executing robberies that range from small convenience store jobs to elaborate multi-day bank heists. Nothing new here when compared to the first title, it is just more content, better graphics and overall QOL improvements, so if you liked the first entry, than there is little to no excuse not to play this one.

Cooperative Depth and Customization #

The core gameplay revolves around teamwork, coordination, and strategy, rewarding people who plan carefully and adapt on the fly. Each heist can be approached in multiple ways, whether opting for stealth to avoid alarms or going in guns blazing, which adds a layer of tactical depth. One of the game’s standout features is its extensive customization system, built upon it’s amazing community. You can upgrade weapons, select different loadouts, and unlock skills through branching skill trees, allowing for highly personalized playstyles.

Replayability With Caveats #

The progression system encourages replaying missions to maximize rewards and experiment with different strategies. This title is really meant to be played in coop, so like the first one, I also don’t recommend playing this alone, it won’t be a very good experience. Additionally, some missions can feel repetitive over time, and the initial learning curve can be steep for newcomers unfamiliar with stealth mechanics or proper loadout optimization.

Enduring Co-op Appeal #

Despite these issues, this game has maintained a strong and active player base thanks to regular updates, DLC expansions, and community-created content. Its blend of adrenaline-fueled action, tactical planning, and cooperative gameplay makes it a memorable experience for anyone who enjoys team-oriented shooters. The thrill of pulling off a perfectly executed heist with friends remains the game’s most compelling feature. Unfortunately I didn’t managed to experience much of this since my friends quickly got tired of playing this, but this game is always in my mind when I think about playing coop to any extend, which says a lot about it’s quality.