PAYDAY 3 has been slowly correcting it's wrongs from launch over the year of 2024. Now with the Year 1 anniversary update the game is in a position it should've been at during September 2023 & I can comfortably recommend it to both newcomers and vets of PAYDAY. Just don't come into this game expecting PAYDAY 2 again if that is what you want, you can already go and play PAYDAY 2.

PAYDAY 3's gameplay and mechanics feel like a mix of what made PAYDAY: The Heist & PAYDAY 2 work, I'd expect Starbreeze are going to decide during Year 2 which direction they want PAYDAY 3 to take but for now it's a best of both worlds situation, you have a strong atmosphere at times just like the first game however, you'll be taken back by the obscurity of some skills such as the well known ammo funnel allowing for a double barrel shotgun to fire more than twice.

It's an interesting position where the community are split into different crowds who want different things, I would like to see more difficulties like Death Sentence while others would argue the game is difficult already.

I'll likely update this review as PAYDAY 3 continues but for now this is a solid game bring some friends and just enjoy the game for what it currently is.