The Payday game series, created by Overkill Software, made its debut in 2011 as a cooperative first-person shooter in which players, taking on the roles of dangerous gang members, carried out various heists, including robberies of money or valuable items, as well as hostage rescues.

Just 2 years later, the second instalment of the game, Payday 2: Crimewave Edition, was released, quickly gaining popularity and receiving high praise from both players and critics, overshadowing the first part.

However, players had to wait a long 10 years for the release of Payday 3. Meanwhile, Overkill Studio was acquired by Starbreeze, which took responsibility for the production of the third instalment of the game. Development began in 2019 but was delayed until 2023 due to various global events.

The developers promised improved visuals, more interesting heist scenarios, and new mechanics that would stimulate players’ imaginations and expectations. On September 21, 2023 (with early access on September 18), the game was finally released.

How does the comparison look? Let’s find out!

Graphical Evolution: Payday 2 vs. Payday 3

Payday 2, released in 2013 on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, already had visually appealing graphics for its time. Character models were well-detailed, some environmental elements like windows were destructible, and the gunplay animations looked engaging.

The game was built on the Diesel Engine 2.0, which received positive feedback upon release for its graphical prowess. However, when it was later released on PS4 and Xbox One in 2015 and on the Nintendo Switch in 2018, it didn’t receive significant visual improvements, which was less impressive given the capabilities of these consoles.

In contrast, Payday 3, which premiered on PC, PS4, and Xbox Series X, was made with Unreal Engine 4 (with promises from the developers for an update to Unreal Engine 5), resulting in a significant visual upgrade. Not only does the environment look much more realistic and fluid, but animations such as mask donning, gun reloading, and even enemy deaths look vastly improved and closer to realism.

All objects and items (furniture, cars, fire extinguishers hanging on walls) become damaged when shot. Civilian NPCs flee and try to hide from the attackers, alarms activate in damaged cars. This truly makes an impression and adds realism and immersion to the game.

Gameplay Mechanics: Then vs. Now

In the base version of Payday 2, players had a choice of 12 heist scenarios, which expanded to 70 options with DLCs in the Overkill mode. Additionally, each heist could be spiced up with random elements, such as police patrols. It was this variety and the ability to play out many scenarios that attracted so many players to Payday 2.

As for the number of playable heists in Payday 3, it has been reduced to 8 (with promises of expansion), but both the locations and scenarios, as well as the ways each action can be played out, are much larger. Stealth mechanics and enemy NPC intelligence play a significant role.

As a result, missions, while similar, provide players with much more entertainment and require good heist planning, strategies and cautious play. Even the smallest mistake can turn a quiet and fast operation into mayhem.

In Payday 2, movement options were limited to walking, running, and jumping, which could sometimes lead to being stuck in places where climbing was necessary but mechanically impossible. In Payday 3, there are many more movement options. Additionally, falling from a height, unlike the previous game, results in bodily harm, which adds complexity and variety to the gameplay.

Weapon upgrading mechanics have also been improved, requiring players to use almost every type of weapon available in the game in a balanced and satisfying way, leveling up and upgrading them with various enhancements during gameplay. This prevents players from going on heists with under-leveled weapons. Weapons look better and have improved physics.

Recoil after firing, reloading time, and the damage inflicted by each gun have all been enhanced significantly. This presents a much more polished experience.

Character Developments and Roleplay

In Payday 2, players took on the role of one of the 4 members of the Payday gang: Dallas, Chains, Wolf, and Hoxton. All contracts and heists were assigned by a mysterious figure known as Brain, through an underground network called Crime.net.

The gang created chaos on the streets of Washington, D.C. and its surroundings, constantly carrying out heists, robberies, and attacks on police convoys. At some point, these activities ceased, as the gang moved its operations to the vicinity of New York, where 2 new members joined the group.

In Payday 3, the developers still adhere to the established mechanics of heist assignments and associated requirements (such as avoiding killing civilians). However, in this installment, the gang has been expanded by two additional playable female characters: Joy and Pearl.

Multiplayer Experience: Co-op and Crossplay

Payday 2 allowed players to engage in cooperative gameplay in a 4-person team, as well as single-player mode. While playing solo was possible, cooperation with real players added excitement, competition, and fun to the game, as AI-controlled gang members didn’t always do what players wanted.

In Payday 3, the possibilities of playing with friends have been greatly expanded, thanks to crossplay functionality and the creation of a unified title across multiple platforms. Currently, players on PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5 can successfully join forces during heists.

Content and Post-Launch Plans

Payday 2 was released in 2013 on PC, X360, and PS3, and after several years, it was launched on eighth-generation consoles. During this time, nearly 40 free and paid DLCs were released for the game, introducing new heist scenarios, missions, weapons, perks, cosmetic items, and even characters.

Payday 3, like many new games, has been introduced as a “game-as-a-service,” meaning that new content will be regularly introduced through multi-month Season Passes. This distribution method opens up countless possibilities for developers to continually refine, expand, and extend the game’s content with entirely new elements.

Summary

In summary, Payday 3, while based on similar concepts and continuing the stories of familiar characters, brings a range of changes and improvements compared to its predecessor. Outstanding graphics, realistic environmental physics, improved gameplay mechanics, and the ability to continuously develop the title makes it a game worth considering, even if you haven’t had the opportunity to play any of the previous installments.

However, if you are a fan of the series and appreciated how the developers improved Payday 2 compared to Payday: The Heist, then Payday 3 is sure to steal your heart!