Payday 2 Crimewave Edition review: teamwork key in Overkill’s high-concept larceny simulator

Developer: Overkill SoftwarePrice: £34.99Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Bringing high-octane heists to next-gen, Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is the definitive console release of Overkill’s high-concept, online co-op larceny simulator. Case a location, sneak or gun your way to the goods and exit; Payday 2 is a single-minded first-person shooter that preserves the appeal of the vanilla edition’s four-player, class-based heist gameplay where teamwork is paramount to successfully walk away with bags of swag.

Despite promising full 1080p visuals and an improved framerate, Payday 2 on next-gen still suffers from muddy textures and shoddy AI, the latter especially in single-player where your crew is made up of inept, bumbling AI criminal compatriots. In short: ignore the offline mode completely.

While the groups of swarming enemy cops still fare little better in terms of overall common sense – often storming in head-on or getting stuck in rooms en masse – Payday 2: Crimewave Edition has enough additional content to justify the upgrade in other departments. In terms of sheer content the Crimewave Edition is an absolute steal. With the addition of four extra player characters, new skill trees and challenges and the inclusion of DLC from previous releases of Payday 2, the Crimewave Edition has a wealth of cosmetic unlockables, weapon upgrades and player customisation options.

Despite the disappointingly half-baked attempt at raising the game’s graphics, Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is still a thrill to play with a group of fellow crooks online which continues to improve as you adapt to its frantic brand of co-op thievery. Whether you’re a veteran crook or looking to take your first steps into the game’s bank vaults and jewelry stores, Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is definitely worth snatching up.