Painkiller, Desktop Computer

Eastern Europe seems to play home to quite an impressive amount of FPS developers - this latest frag-fest originates from Poland, from the brilliantly-titled start-up devco People Can Fly. Unfortunately not in any way related to Rob Halford's glass-shatteringly high warblings on the Judas Priest track of the same name, Painkiller for the PC offers all the usual fast and frantic Quake-style shoot-em-up action amidst a dark and sinister survival horror setting. The concept of the game sees you explore an assortment of grim environments, shooting anything and everything that moves, before consuming the souls of the dead in order to increase your health. Once you've blasted seven bells out of them, certain objects leave gold coins behind, which enable you to purchase new weapons and things like upgraded speed, as well as maps and numerous other power-ups between levels. There are a total of 19 levels to be undertaken in the single-player game, packed with 20 different enemy monsters, each in possession of its own unique behavioural patterns and attacks. Have no fear though, as the game sports a specially-designed weapon system that provides the ideal number of weapons, each boasting both primary and secondary modes that, for the more advanced Painkiller player, can be used in rather spectacular 'combo' attacks. Obviously no game such as this would be complete without a range of LAN/online-based multiplayer modes - the fact that the game's developers are Quake world champions ensures Painkiller doesn't disappoint. As such, up to 32 players can battle it out across a total of five different modes, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, People Can Fly, Voosh, and The Light Bearer. On the visual front, Painkiller is pretty darn impressive, boasting a proprietary 3D engine that claims to deliver 100 times the polygon count of the most recent FPS titles, while simultaneously adding high-quality textures and advanced lighting and shadowing techniques. Coupled with the renowned Havok 2.0 physics engine, which allows for realistic simulation of breakable objects, collisions and explosions, and it all makes for quite a beautifully-realised game world. We're all still waiting for Half-life 2 and Doom III but, for FPS fans, Painkiller is definitely another reason to reach for that wallet.

Buy Painkiller for 7.99 GBP

Final Fantasy XI Online (European Version)
The recently merged Square Enix is a development company that, in Japan at least, is considered to be the saving grace of the role-playing genre. It's a bold statement, but to some of the genre's hardcore, a world of video games without Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy would be far less entertaining. Since 1987, Final Fantasy has sold some 45 million units thanks to some much-loved storytelling and ...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl
On the afternoon of April 12 in 2006, a massive explosion shattered the Chernobyl area. The Zone, as the area got to be known, was characterized by anomalous energy disturbances, rendering even the most advanced form of protective suits worthless to would be rescue teams. Months passed and nothing could be done. The military quarantined the area to prevent unauthorized entry and perhaps even reass...
Superbike 2000
Superbike 2000 for the PC is the closest you can get to real life racing action. The Superbike World Championship is full of spills, thrills and danger. Choose from modern legends like Carl Fogarty and take to the track to prove once and for all, you've got what it takes to make it to top. The presentation of this game is top notch. There are several options that allow you to tailor the game to yo...
Battlefield 1942
Following in the footsteps of the mighty Medal of Honor was never going to be an easy task. The game, now synonymous with WWII-based first-person shooters, has created a benchmark for the genre, leaving subsequent imitators with a hard act to follow. Digital Illusions seem to have taken this into account and, rather than simply creating another WWII pastiche, have expanded on one of Medal of Honor...
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk returns to the PC in fine style with Pro Skater 2. Tony Hawk is a skateboarding god and the first person to ever successfully pull off a 900. In Tony Hawk 2 you can choose from 13 professional skateboarders. Aside from Tony, there is Rodney Mullen, Geoff Rowley, Steve Caballero and many others. Each skater can have up to five special moves and by building up your special meter you can ex...
TOCA Touring Car Championship
Live the exciting world of the TOCA Touring Car Championship on your very own PC. Forget about arcade playability, TOCA is a racing simulation and even though it takes time to master, it's very rewarding when you learn it. TOCA aims for realism. All of the high performance cars of the season are represented and the handling characteristic of each vehicle is accurately modelled. You can pick from P...