Why? Because Lucifer is trying to overthrow Purgatory, and you’re the errand boy for an angel named Samael. It’s paper-thin. It’s cheesy. The voice acting sounds like it was recorded in a tin can in 1998.

It turns the game into a high-score chase. You aren't just trying to survive; you're trying to kill efficiently to trigger your cards. Here is the shocking part: Painkiller: Black Edition looks good in 2024. No, seriously.

Have you played the Black Edition? Did you beat the final boss (yes, that one)? Let me know in the comments below.

But here is the genius mechanic:

And frankly, that is all we ever really needed.

And it’s perfect.

Remember when first-person shooters were afraid of their own shadow? When every military grunt with a buzz cut and a heart of gold was fighting “terrorists” in grey corridors?