So much so, you’ll spend more time fitting and fixing drills than any other activity in Payday 2 – it’s a mechanic that felt far too prominent two years ago and, frustratingly, Overkill has done little to tone down an element that detracts from the key experience more than it benefits it. These drills usually take a few minutes to complete and will break down ad nauseum.
Most of the biggest rewards in the game are sealed behind various safes and vaults, so you’ll need drills to cut through them. This variety can also be a double-edged sword and one that reveals Payday 2’s over-reliance on the same, outdated features. Thankfully, the heists themselves – ranging from smashing up malls to robbing industrial trains stranded in mountain passes – are so varied, and the core gameplay so compelling in its simplicity, that you’ll barely notice the weaker gunplay. Frustratingly, the shooting mechanics of Payday 2 don’t quite pop with the same impact as other shooters such as CoD or Battlefield (hit detection could do with tightening up and bullets don’t quite have the weighty impact they should), but the lack of punch is offset by upgradeable skills and perks unlocked as you complete tougher jobs.
