Bloody and intense combat, a wide range of diverse weaponry, and slashing through the hordes of demons. Sounds tempting?
This is what DOOM from 2016 and the upcoming reimagined version of Painkiller have in common. The essence of boomer shooters is coming to us in a refreshed envelope as a reimagined edition of the classic from 2004. The genre, once at the peak of its popularity, is now undergoing a revival, so let us reflect on this enduring power of fast-paced, skill-driven combat and lore.
What are Boomer Shooters?
The genre of so-called ‘boomer shooters’ was born in the 90s. The first Doom 1993 or Quake 1996 were released around that time, and the popularity of first-person shooters blew up. This feeling of intense and chaotic gameplay was something the players yearned for, and those games laid the foundation for the modern FPS games we know now.
Then came Painkiller 2004, a spiritual successor to that era of fast-paced combat. While many shooters of the early 2000s were shifting towards realism and military themes, Painkiller proudly stood apart as a demon shooter, allowing players to combat hellish monsters. The endless waves of demonic foes versus deadly weapons, and the player wielding them, were just a perfect match.
Evolution of FPS Scene
By 2016, the FPS scene had evolved into something far more cinematic. Players’ expectations changed, and the technology gave much more space for developers to release something even more entertaining. That is when id Software released DOOM 2016, which reignited this sparkle of hope for fans of the genre.
Once again, players were able to face hordes of monstrosities in a far more modern and visually appealing setting. Players felt like in heaven, fighting demons in hell – ironic, poetic and slightly hilarious when you realize how joyfully everyone embraced the carnage.
The backbone shared between Painkiller and DOOM is undeniable. Both rely on speed, destruction and violent combat. Both allow the player to wreak havoc and rip through ranks of hellish horrors and beasts, and both share the same idea of humans fighting demons for the sake of humanity.
The Remake of Classic
Now, two decades later, Painkiller 2025 emerges as the new contender entering the ring. A revamp of the original game developed under the watchful eye of Saber Interactive; it promises to bring the same demonic carnage into the modern era of gaming. The game was created on Unreal Engine 5, which has become a kind of a standard for modern games, providing an amazing visual show to feast your eyes on.
Painkiller 2025 will include a full co-op mode, letting you team up online with up to two friends for demon-slaying mayhem. Players can choose from four distinct characters, each with their own unique perks and playstyles to match different approaches to combat. If the vision of Saber Interactive meets – or even surpasses – players’ expectations, we could see a new major force in the modern boomer shooter revival within gaming of today.
But what does ‘modern’ brutality look like in 2025? The challenge lies in balancing nostalgia with innovation. Players no longer crave just pure chaos; they want flow. Games like DOOM Eternal showed how mastery of the combat system can elevate simple shooting into something almost resembling a dance. For Painkiller 2025 to thrive, it must capture that same heartbeat. It doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but take what was the best in the games in the genre so far, and add something extra to elevate this shooter legacy to another level.
Decade after DOOM Remake
If Painkiller 2025 succeeds, it could become to the new generation what DOOM 2016 was nearly a decade ago. A comeback to the roots in a refreshed visual version, with modern technologies, but with the same heart and spirit. And as long as players crave that rush of speed, that satisfying blast of a well-timed shotgun, and that feeling of dancing through hell with a grin on their face, this genre will never truly die. It will just keep respawning, meaner and louder than before.