PAYDAY: Aces High is exactly what the franchise needs

Everybody should remember 2020, when Half-Life: Alyx was announced. While there was some skepticism at the time about VR tech and how well the Half-Life series could be translated, the game turned out to be a hit. People touted it as a reawakening of the franchise and called it the fabled third entry.

Hence, when PAYDAY: Aces High was announced, I got very excited. The launch for PAYDAY 3 was… spotty. Players had performance issues, with many claiming it was a downgrade from the beloved PAYDAY 2. As such, this is why I believe PAYDAY: Aces High will be the phoenix that rises from the ashes of PAYDAY 3.

The people behind the masks

PAYDAY: Aces High is the 4th title in the PAYDAY series and the first VR title for the franchise. Being developed by Fast Travel Games and set to release in Q3 of 2026, the game is shaping up to be an interesting addition to the series for multiple reasons. The devs themselves are no strangers to VR titles, having co-developed the second Budget Cuts game and created Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice.

While Fast Travel Games has mostly focused on publishing before, and its actually developed games have received mixed opinions, I believe PAYDAY: Aces High has a winning formula that these devs should be able to leverage effectively. In the trailers, the gameplay looks fun, and guns are always entertaining to use in VR.

I sincerely hope that these devs do well with this franchise. As previously mentioned, the most recent title, PAYDAY 3, was not well received, so it would be nice to see this breathe new life into the series. Additionally, while not completely unfounded, this game is going to do something not many VR shooters attempt.

It’s a team effort

PAYDAY: Aces High supports up to 4-player co-op. This is not particularly astounding for a PAYDAY game, as every previous entry has followed this formula. However, in VR titles, co-op-based gameplay is not often used.

While multiplayer VR games have seen an increase in titles recently, I personally struggle to think of one where more than four players play together. Especially in a format like the PAYDAY series, where cooperation is essential to progression, being VR would not only offer some fun immersion but also undoubtedly wacky hijinks.

While I do foresee some optimization issues, having four separate individuals in VR will likely cause some interesting challenges. But if Among Us can work in VR, then it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that multiple players can operate on a level with several moving parts.

It is also highly likely that there will be a single-player mode, or a similar way to play without having three of your friends with VR headsets. If there isnt though, that will be a massive hit to the game’s general playability. Does anyone have three friends with VR headsets and enough room to actually use them? This issue could be solved with a simple in-game chat function, but it would still be nice to see a non-online feature.

Overall, I’m very excited to see what PAYDAY: Aces High does for the series; a part of me is also very concerned. This game is a lot of fun, especially with friends. All of you are working together to pull off a grand heist, each with a unique role and set of tasks. However, a few missing features, like a way to play without four people, could seriously drag this game down. All we can do is have faith in the devs and wait to see the final product.

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About The Author

Finley Collins

Finley Collins is a features writer for Kyusai who brings over experience from gaming sites such as Adventure Gamers. He’s particularly passionate about obscure indie games, and loves going in-depth about in-game mechanics.

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