It is a true fact that playing Painkiller was a highly recommended experience to get away from everything else. There was no other thing to worry about other than killing every living creature that harassed us, and if possible, to do it dramatically.
The plot in this expansion called Battle out of Hell puts us right at the point where the original delivery ended, with Lucifer destroyed and Alastor claiming his throne, the story - told again through CGIs - is still very little original and offers nothing new, but will remain in the background. The patterns are repeated point by point, seasoned by a healthy dose of new enemies, weapons and levels. If something works, why do they have to change it?
Graphics and sound
Painkiller expansion will add a total of ten levels, which will follow point by point the guidelines set in the original. The theme of each phase, will only have one thing in common, which is none other than a distinctly Gothic and dark places intoxicated by the evil atmosphere. From an orphanage, to a theme park in the purest style of Silent Hill 3, through caves of pirates, Roman coliseums, cities in the middle of World War II or post-apocalyptic state. In all of them we find a good festival of textures of various kinds and high-quality, and an extensive beast collection that has been strengthened enough regarding the first delivery.
In this expansion it becomes a delight to check the architectural complexity that designers have stressed with colossal buildings and structures, and above all an artistic design that exudes creativity, both on stage and in the enemies. Although the connection between levels is minimal and does not maintain a consistent story in itself, it is worth checking that each of the ten stages is visually quite different from the others.
As far as the sound concerns, tracks in the heavy metal style of the first part will alternate with melodies according each phase and keeping a good relationship with the theme of the level.
For example, the Russian songs are quite curious at the stage of Leningrad, while in darker phases as the damn orphanage, your hair will stand on end with screams, cries and other weird sounds from the afterlife..
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