Painkiller: Hell Wars

I picked this up because I usually enjoy first person shooter games. I didn't think this would top my favorite games like, Half Life, Marathon, or Halo, but I figured it had potential 4 being time well spent. I was fairly right, but this version 4 the Xbox can be a little twitchy at times. I'll give a basic overview first then go over what glitches I came across.

First off, let me say that if you are a Doom/Doom II fan, then you will absolutely enjoy playing this game. That game's basic formula is followed almost 2 a T, but without it starting out on Mars. You play as Daniel Gardner, a man who died in a tragic accident, with wife Catherine. Anyway, she went 2 Heaven & he ended up going someplace else. It's not exactly Hell, but it's a terrifying place between the two realms, I'll say Purgatory 4 now. It's a plane of existence where both angels & demons can walk & basically Lucifer is planning on mounting a major army 2 storm Heaven. Naturally "God" doesn't want this 2 happen, so you meet with an emissary of "God" & he tells you that you can see your wife again if you take out the four generals that Hell has maneuvered into place 4 the assault. (Obvious boss battles coming up, I know). Anyway, this emissaries name is Sammael, something I found very interesting. When you read about demonology or angelology you will find that Sammael's name is not associated with the Angelic host... he's in fact a demon, a very high ranking one actually. I don't know if this is foreshadowing by the developers, or if they looked through a book that showed him as being in the heavenly host, either way I know 4 a fact Sammael's name has been heavily demonized since the onset of that monotheistic religion. Anyway, Daniel takes the offer 2 run through this Purgatory styled place & kill the four generals. Overall the storyline is a little weak & you end up running into Eve in your travels & she helps you navigate your way through the land. The cinematic sequences that tell you all this are kind of poor from my perspective. Honestly they should have used the game engine 2 deal with the cinematics, instead they used some sort of 3D animation that rendered the characters super smooth & fake looking. I'm not sure why they decided 2 go with this, ah well, it wasn't horrible at least.

So now that you have your orders it's up 2 you 2 stop them & fight through five levels of, what I would say is an absolute killing spree. If you like fighting lots of monsters this game is definitely 4 you. The game is split up into five levels with five chapters in each level. I have 2 admit that I loved the maps & level design. I thought they were by far the best part of the game. The levels are usually pretty huge, unfortunately there are some areas that I got lost, but that's 4 another reason. Anyway, if you like those games where you get 2 search around 4 stuff you'll like this game as well. In each level there are secret areas & holy artifacts 4 you 2 find. I didn't really sit down & try 2 find everything, but I stumbled upon a few here & there. If you're up 4 a serious challenge then you'll love searching 4 all these items. Most people will be more focused on killing all the monsters though. You do fight hordes of enemies & the monster designs were pretty cool. In one sequence you end up fighting against Templar knights & then in another you're in a World War I scenario. As you can see you meet all kinds of characters on your travels through Purgatory & Hell. I did like the weapons you get 2 use, but one thing I didn't like was that scrolling through the weapons was kind of annoying. I suppose they were trying 2 solve the problem of using it on the Xbox, so you just use the D-pad, but you can only queue up two weapons at a time, as well as the standard Painkiller weapon which is always equipped. Last time I checked there were four buttons 2 choose from & this only accounts 4 three. I would have much preferred 2 be able 2 choose through four different weapons than just three.

I guess this leads me 2 the section where I should complain about what I didn't like. One thing that was really frustrating was that in order 2 get on 2 the next section you basically have 2 kill all the enemies. Sounds like no problem right? Wrong, sometimes what will happen is an enemy is in some obscure location. Frequently this is on a roof very far from your current location. I know that sounds clever & makes the game more challenging, but after a while it really did get annoying, especially during level four when it kept being the way 2 move on 2 the next section. Not 2 mention, sometimes there are guys in windows & the windows aren't very big so it's really hard 2 see. Now I don't know how it is 4 the PC version, but the Xbox version lagged a little bit in places (though I suspect this would be more about what kind of PC specs you have). The worst part was when your direction arrow stops moving. At this point I have no idea where 2 go sometimes, because the maps are so huge. I'm very glad they included that compass like thing in the HUD 2 help you navigate where 2 go next, but when it doesn't work you just end up running around aimlessly after you've killed everyone.

Overall I thought this game was quite fun. It would've been way better with a much more solid story line, but in the end I didn't feel like I was wasting my time or anything playing this game. Some of the boss battles can get kind of confusing at first, but most people should be able 2 figure them out (hint: most bosses don't die just by shooting them). One thing people should note is that this game IS different from the PC version. Not in a huge way, but Chapter five has distinctly different chapters. Such as there's an Orphanage chapter & that's not in the PC. I found this out when I was horribly lost someplace & looked 4 FAQ's online. (I did physically beat the game eventually though.) This just means I'm going 2 probably go out & get the PC version 2 see what's different & what I like more. Being the avid PC gamer I am, I suspect I'll like the PC version more. The game ends on a sort of cliffhanger note where you just know there will be a follow-up game. This closing cinematic was by far the best in the whole game. The level designs are wonderful & fun, but overall I don't see this particular gaming franchise being huge in the future, it certainly can't compete with the already classic Doom or what Half Life 2 is doing at the moment. So if you're bored & itching 2 play a decent, but different, first person shooter I would say give this one a whirl 4 a while.

this game is great 4 when you dont feel like thinking, it's a straightforward shooter, sure there are some unlockables but the best part is is that its just nonstop action.

Just OK. At best. I expected more, but I guess it makes sense they were in no hurry 2 get this popular title onto Xbox. Because it has little 2 offer. Graphics are no big deal. Fun factor is moderate 2 low. Not much originality or inspiration here either in the design, gameplay or story. But, I want 2 collect Xbox games, since there will be no new stuff 4 the old system. I'll probably never bother 2 finish this game.

I bought this game awhile back & wanted a second one 4 linking two Xbox's together 4 multiplayer.I wanted the fastest moving one i could think of,having played almost all of them on xbox & xbox 360.It's faster online than any on the 360.The controls are spot on.The game itself is like Quake meets Serious sam.Single player game is good as well but i don't want 2 spoil it 4 first time players.It's a shame that the game is not backward playable on the 360.However if you have an older xbox & you like a fast moving fps,i recommend this game highly.

I PLAY THIS GAME I THE PC AND IT'S LOOKS A BIT DIFFERENT IN THE XBOX, IS THE FEELING THAT THE SPACE AND WORLD GET SMALLER, AND WHAT THE HELL IS THAT WHIRLWIND THING EVERY END OF LEVEL, IS A BIT ANNOYING.

THE GAME IS COOL BUT THE XBOX HAD THE ENOUGH POWER TO PORT THIS GAME FROM THE PC WITHOUT THE LOSS OF AMBIENT.

Graphically, Painkiller is unmatched. The proprietary PAIN Engine puts out an unbelievably high polygon count, while adding increased texture quality & the latest lighting & shadowing techniques, including soft shadows, DOT3 bump mapping, water reflections, glass simulation, volumetric light & fog, & more. Plug in the Havok 2.0 physics engine, & you get a realistic environment in a totally fantastical setting.
You play Daniel Gardner, seemingly a regular guy. Things aren't quite what they seem, though. Gardner was killed in a horrible car accident. You're stranded in a place between Heaven & Hell Your time of judgment is at hand. The Underworld is on the verge of unholy war, & you are but a pawn in the infernal battle. As you fight 4 your purification, the truths behind the deceptions are revealed. Do you go 2 heaven? Do you go 2 hell? Do you remain between? It isn't really up 2 you. Or is it? Physics Engine - Painkiller employs the Havok 2.0 physics engine, allowing 4 inverse kinematics (rag-doll physics) & deformable, interactive environment Has ESRB Rating of M - Mature (Age 18 & over)