Payday 3 marks the triumphant return of the beloved heisting franchise, offering more ways for players to customize their criminal than ever before. The game comes from Starbreeze Studios, the developer behind Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and the Chronicles of Riddick series, and publisher Deep Silver, which has previously released titles like Dead Island 2 and Chorus. Screen Rant participated in a special hands-on session with Payday 3 that showcased its co-op gameplay and extensive personalization features.
It’s clear Payday 3‘s early development troubles haven’t negatively impacted the final result – the game maintains the same silly, over-the-top energy of its predecessors while adding new layers of depth to its gameplay. The shooter will offer six characters at launch: Dallas, Chains, Wolf, Hoxton, and even Joy – who came to Payday 2 as promotion for the Nintendo Switch release – will return to the title, alongside new heister Pearl. She was described as a woman once part of high-society who turned to a life of crime, though unfortunately Pearl wasn’t playable during the hands-on demo.
It’s easy to spend a large amount of time prepping for a heist on the loadout screen, which presents a myriad of options for player appearance, weapons, gadgets, and skills. The incorporation of a huge skill tree system is one of the most standout features of Payday 3, with over 100 to explore that fit different play styles. These range from things like getting more health or ammo from drops to better hacking or civilian intimidation, many of which further tie in to improving three key stats: Edge, which grants more damage dealt, Grit, which lessens damage taken, and Rush, which allows for faster movement.
Players will have a first and second weapon – typically one automatic piece and one pistol – but there are several other pieces to be determined before a heist. There’s a Throwable, like frag grenades or a throwing knife, and a spot for an extremely overpowered weapon in the Overkill slot. Deployables and Gadgets are also important – the former is for things like medic or ammo bags to help out teammates, while the latter contains options like a microcam to spy on enemies and an ECM jammer that hinders security cameras. On top of these options, players can also customize things like their mask, gun color, and outfit.
The Payday 3 hands-on demo featured two different heists: No Rest For The Wicked and 99 Boxes. The first was a fairly typical bank heist, but with the added twist of collecting and burning thermite to open a vault. Alongside two companions, the heist began calmly, with the three of us surveying the area to find ways around security; however, in typical Payday fashion, things quickly devolved into chaos as guards became suspicious. As soon as our masks were on, the run completely changed tone in an incredibly fun way as we fought off waves of guards and explored the bank gathering explosives, eventually making it to the getaway van.
While this run was a success, the same can’t be said for 99 Boxes. This heist took place in a waterside warehouse filled to the brim with shipping containers, and it was our task to determine which of them contained the loot we were after. This outing was a great example of how Payday 3 is increasing the complexity of its heists, incorporating minor puzzle elements into a unique setting. The correct methodology of this mission was honestly somewhat unclear to all three of us, and incessant waves of cops made it so we weren’t able to decipher the clues and complete the heist before time was up.
Something important to note about the way Payday 3 is designed is that it’s fun even when you’re failing. Gunplay is smooth and intuitive, making for fast-paced play that perfectly suits the title, and the chaotic cooperative nature of the game is incredibly enjoyable. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, making stakes never feel too high even if things are quickly going south during a heist. Players will be able to don masks themselves and see everything Payday 3 has to offer when it releases later this month.
Payday 3 will release September 21 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Screen Rant attended a special hands-on event for the purpose of this preview.
