The mobile Payday spin-off doesn’t quite live up to the franchise yet
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PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?
Skip it for now. Payday: Crime War is a diamond in the rough that needs a lot more time to evolve and become what it could be. This free-to-play mobile spin-off of the popular Payday franchise features heist missions and a PVP mode in its current early access phase. But it also suffers from technical issues and unbalanced gameplay. Nevertheless, Payday: Crime War carries so much potential that it would be unwise not to revisit the game once it releases and hopefully refines its faults.
TIME PLAYED
I played Payday: Crime War for three hours. I managed to get through over twenty-five or so missions, each lasting between five to ten minutes. I also unlocked every area in the game, as well as all the missions available in those levels.
WHAT’S AWESOME
• Core gameplay. There’s something addictive and almost sadistic about the fantasy of stealing from banks and shooting cops that the Payday franchise has always captured. Crime War perfectly brings that feeling to mobile phones. Even though the missions are too easy, it was exhilarating to go on heists and tactically steal paintings or sculptures.
• Weapons and customization. There are a lot of different weapons and items that I could bring on missions that spiced up Payday: Crime War’s gameplay. Whether I grabbed a shotgun, a bulletproof vest, or a concussion grenade, I had plenty of options for approaching each mission in a different way. I was also able to upgrade weapons and tools when I had enough materials, which lent the game a sense of progress.
WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
• Difficulty. It’s hard to enjoy Payday: Crime War when the missions are so easy. Even though shooting cops and stealing cash is fun, I quickly grew bored with the lack of challenge. Even kicking the mission difficulty up from easy to normal didn’t seem to make a significant difference.
• Lack of content. The game takes a while for it to open up. I spent the first hour playing and replaying the same two missions while I leveled up. I eventually leveled enough to start unlocking new areas and missions, but I still saw everything the game currently has to offer in just a few hours. The game’s map does include some locations that are locked behind a “coming soon” notice, though, so more levels should open up as development continues.
• Visuals. Even at the highest graphic settings on a strong Samsung Ultra S22 phone, Payday: Crime War’s visuals look unrefined and dull. The game doesn’t look terrible, but it’s unpolished and visually cluttered with objects and unrendered characters.
💬 Will you play Payday: Crime War or are you going to skip it? Let me know down below!
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