Meet the creeps of Painkiller’s purgatory in new trailer

The latest look at 3D Realms and Anshar Studios’ Painkiller reboot is here. It’s loaded with vile foes, horrors, and a surprising mode.

Maybe purgatory is the friend we met along the way

If you’re unfamiliar, Painkiller is back. Or, at the very least, the supernatural first-person shooter will be back very soon. That’s due to 3D Realms and developer Anshar Studios, who’ll be bringing a reboot of the series to consoles and PC.

This time, the game will eschew the original hero and somewhat darker tone for a team of purgatory-plungers. Yes, it’s set in that in-between realm of purgatory, where the new title will pit fans against a horde of invading demons, and a Nephilim threat. But although some things will be familiar, there are changes too. Namely, that it’ll shift focus from solo play to three–player co-op.

Now, don’t worry, you’ll still be able to play Painkiller solo. We are kind of wondering if you’ll be saddled with bots for teammates, but either way, there’s solo play available. In all, there’ll be four available characters to pick from, all of which will make use of a new arsenal. That’s not all though, as there are also tarot cards, and those can be used to upgrade abilities, expand the game’s arsenal, and more.

Sound good? If so, then you’ll be happy to know that all of the above is on display in a new trailer.

Painkiller returns

If you’re ready to visually wade through a cacophony of foes, and see what looks to be some fast and furious FPS gameplay, hit ‘play’ below.

Blast through hordes of demons in brutal, fast-paced combat with an array of infernal weapons in Painkiller! Battle across gruesome gothic environments to stop the fallen angel Azazel’s invasion of Earth and earn your salvation – solo with bots or in online co-op for up to three players.

3D Realms press release

Before we close this up, we’ve got one more thing to talk about. And it’s certainly different for a Painkiller game. At least, it is in functionality, as the series has never done something like this new mode before. We’re talking about Rogue Angel mode, and yes, it’s just what it sounds like.

A roguelike mode that serves as a side-adventure to the main campaign, Rogue Angel is effectively its own thing. In it, players will descend into “procedurally generated arenas”, where they’ll collect tarot cards, weapons, and items. They’ll also tackle boss fights and what sounds like a hearty collection of foes looking to stomp ’em out.

While it’s decidedly different, we’re actually interested in seeing more. Having a completely separate mode to play after the campaign, that’s effectively refreshed for every play-through, could be a gem of an addition.

Hopefully a deeper look will be incoming. We’re getting pretty close to Painkiller’s release though, which is coming on October 21st, 2025. Fans can expect to see it drop for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with both Standard and Deluxe Editions. Pre-orders are open now.