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Saber Interactive and 3D Realms have released the first major post-launch patch for Painkiller. Metal as Hell includes new combat tools, more Rogue Angel Mode content, and some quality of life improvements on PC and consoles.
The update is free, and the game’s first DLC has also been made available for purchase to players who want some extra flavor. Metal as Hell mostly expands upon Painkiller’s core combat loop.
The game already excels at fast movement, chaotic combat, and replayable arenas. If you’ve spent a lot of time in Rogue Angel Mode, or have wanted a bit more variety in its moment-to-moment fighting, Metal as Hell has enough new content to make a return trip feel worth it.
What’s new in the Metal as Hell update
The headline additions are 2 new throwable combat items that have the potential to completely alter the dynamics of any fight:
- Demon Blood – a leeching throwable that encourages aggressive play
- Holy Orb Turret – a deployable turret to give you some additional firepower in the heat of battle
In addition to that, Rogue Angel Mode has been expanded with 10 new arenas and a brand new boss fight to make the roguelike mode more rewarding and replayable. The new arenas are all handcrafted to challenge your movement, positioning and loadout decision making, especially in co-op runs.
Quality-of-life improvements and balance changes
Metal as Hell also brings a handful of quality-of-life changes to smooth things over:
- A revive progress bar, making co-op revives clearer in chaotic fights
- Push-to-talk support for voice chat
- Improvements to weapon progression in Rogue Angel Mode
- Balance tweaks to the Painkiller weapon itself
- Additional gameplay and settings options
These aren’t big flashy features, but they help a lot with extended play sessions and co-op.
Metal as Hell DLC details
The first DLC for Painkiller has also launched alongside the free update. It comes as part of the Season Pass, or for standalone purchase at £3.99 / €4.99.
The DLC is entirely cosmetic, and consists of:
- Four character skins
- Six weapon skins
It's a very simple add-on that won't impact the game's balance in any way.
Painkiller is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (Steam).
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