Legendary FPS Painkiller Makes a Comeback with a Modern Remake

The legendary first-person shooter Painkiller first burst onto the scene in 2004, quickly gaining cult status for its fast-paced action, dark gothic world, and over-the-top weapon combat. Now, the series returns with a modern reimagining developed by Anshar Studios and published by 3D Realms, available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

If you’ve never played the original, the concept is simple but striking — you take on the role of a lost soul trapped in Purgatory, seeking redemption. In this new version, your goal is clear: defeat the fallen angel Azazel and his three Nephilim offspring to earn your way into Heaven.

While that sets the stage, the focus of Painkiller isn’t on story — it’s on intense, relentless action. In short: kill demons, survive the chaos, and unleash destruction however you want.

Each mission, known as a raid, has you forming a three-person team — either with online players or AI-controlled allies. Between raids, you’ll return to Purgatory’s Crossing, the central hub where you can customize your loadout. You’ll pick one of four characters — Ink, Void, Sol, or Roch — each offering a unique advantage: Ink boosts health recovery, Void increases weapon damage, Sol expands ammo capacity, and Roch raises maximum health.

Combat focuses on speed, agility, and firepower. Every player begins with the iconic Painkiller weapon, a permanent part of your arsenal. Its alt-fire mode, the Shredder, can tear through enemies or act as a grappling hook, letting you swing across arenas or pull enemies toward you. However, tougher foes can counterattack if they’re not stunned first, so timing is key.

In addition to the Painkiller, you can bring two more weapons into each raid. The game features six selectable weapons (not including the Painkiller), each offering one primary fire mode and two alternate fire options, creating a total of 18 firing styles. Through upgrades — earned by collecting ancient souls during raids — you can further enhance each weapon, unlocking up to 72 unique attack variations.

Longtime fans will recognize returning classics like the Stakegun and Electrodriver. The Stakegun can impale enemies and launch grenades, and skilled players can combine both attacks — for instance, firing a grenade and hitting it mid-air with a stake for explosive long-range damage.

The Electrodriver excels at crowd control, using electric shocks to stun groups of enemies while firing bouncing shuriken that ricochet around corners. By chaining both abilities, you can clear entire waves of enemies in seconds.

New weapons are joining the lineup too, like the Handcannon, a precision sidearm perfect for players with sharp aim. It offers high DPS potential and can even be fitted with a scope for long-range sniping.

Beyond weapon customization, Painkiller also introduces tarot cards — powerful modifiers that enhance abilities or alter gameplay. Using gold earned in raids, you can draw new cards from the Tarot Lottery in the hub. Each card can be activated before a mission and provides buffs that last through the entire raid.

Examples include:

Angel’s Torment – instantly kills airborne enemies.

Demon’s Payload – spawns explosive barrels when large demons die.

Crimson Cadence – regenerates health when maintaining high combo chains.

Some tarot cards even benefit teammates, encouraging cooperative builds. For instance, Harmonic Torment lets you share health with allies, while Revenant’s Veil makes enemies ignore you when reviving fallen teammates.

These systems combine to create deep replayability — with hundreds of possible loadouts, unique raid strategies, and evolving power combinations.

The new Painkiller promises to deliver the same raw, demon-slaying chaos that made the original famous, now rebuilt for modern hardware and players.

Painkiller is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. For more details, visit the official website or follow the game’s updates on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.