Almost exactly a decade after releasing its previous FPS heist hit, Starbreeze Studios is back with Payday 3 – which Dexerto was able to go hands-on with.
Payday 3 may not be the biggest or best-known game releasing in September 2023, but it is a title that’s been a long time coming.
Last month marked the tenth anniversary of Payday 2, a game that’s received plenty of love from fans and its developers. However, rather than continuing to give that game further content updates and DLC, Starbreeze Studios is releasing a successor that looks to be even bigger and better than its beloved predecessor.
I was able to go hands-on with Payday 3 at an extravagant event that included two hours of gameplay and lots of new details on the game.
Balancing approachability and challenge
Right off the bat, I will admit that I am not a Payday player. It’s one of those games that I’d heard of, but none of my friends played – which does make it difficult to get into series like this where co-op is the central focus.
Despite my inexperience, I had no issue jumping into Payday 3 alongside other attendees.
Our preview consisted of two missions, one of which was a quick bank heist and the other a larger job in and around a warehouse. Each offered a distinct gameplay experience that’s incredibly promising for the full game’s maps and future additions.
During my time playing the game, I found it incredibly fun to see how Payday 3 responded to my actions and those of my co-op partners. When starting a level, before putting your mask on or being acknowledged as a threat, every move and action feels risky in the best way. It feels vital to really think about what you’re doing and setting up your approach to the level — that is unless you’re gung ho about going in guns blazing.
Upon really getting into the levels, I never felt like I was that far behind the rest of my team, even those who were big Payday fans and had attended previous previews. Sure, some were able to give helpful insights about the map and smart tips for how to approach missions, but I still felt like I was contributing even as I was learning the basics.
While I was able to try each level several times over, I definitely feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. It’s absolutely possible to, for instance, complete a full stealth run where you never have to mask up.
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I’m not convinced I’ll ever get that good at the game, but from my perspective, Payday 3 appears to really balance that need to welcome newcomers with the kinds of challenges that keep returning players invested.
Payday your way
Like other similar games, Payday 3 has a lot of options for players to choose from including different guns and, of course, cosmetics.
To start, messing around with different loadouts to see what worked best for me was simple enough. You get to equip two guns, and swapping things out between missions is simple. I got lucky and found a shotgun I really liked from the start, but I used that other slot to experiment with some of the many other options available.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss the multitude of cosmetic options Payday 3 has to offer, particularly the series’ iconic masks.
I had an absolute blast buying and customizing masks to wear during missions. My personal favorites were a big goofy cat head – which I obviously dyed metallic pink – and “Dishonest Abe,” which resembles a caricature of Lincoln if he’d moonlighted as a clown.
The file I was playing on had practically infinite money, so I was able to purchase a bunch of masks, colors, and more. Still, I could see players being motivated to play more by the promise of earning enough to buy another silly mask that hilariously clashes with the business attire or tracksuit they’re wearing.
Given the long life of Payday 2 and the developers’ intentions to give Payday 3 a similar amount of support, this is definitely just the beginning. With an ongoing game like this, though, a strong foundation matters and, based on my time with the game, Starbreeze Studios appears to be laying the groundwork for the next decade of Payday.
If you enjoyed this, check out the rest of our Payday 3 coverage, which includes the latest news, guides and more.