Giant boss demons return in this expansion.

Unfortunately there are some downsides to the expansion as well. There are a few levels that stick out not because they are imaginative compared to other games, but because they are a definite cut below what we’re used to seeing from the game’s designers. For example, there are actually two caverns levels that could have come from any generic shooter. It’s as if the number of levels was decided on before they were designed, and the developers had to scramble to come up with a couple of filler levels to meet the target.

The game also includes two new weapons, but only one is really useful. The first is a machine gun with an alternate mode flamethrower that is delightfully deadly. The other is a sniper rifle that files stakes or bouncing bombs, but the times that you really need a sniper rifle are not that common and the bouncing bombs are too inaccurate to be effective.

The multiplayer mode includes two new game types, capture the flag and last man standing. This is a game that is a blast in single player mode, but is only so-so in multiplayer. You just can’t recreate the adrenaline rush of wiping out a horde of charging demons when playing with a couple of other players online.

OK, so now for the key question: should you buy the expansion pack? The answer is a definite yes for Painkiller fans as there are several levels which together are well worth the cost of the game. If you could take or leave the original game, then you’ll probably want to take the “leave” option with Battle Out of Hell.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 84%.  Battle Out of Hell delivers some of the most imaginative levels ever found in a first person shooter, and is a great reason for Painkiller fans to go back to purgatory.

System Requirements:  Pentium III 1.5 GHz; 384 MB RAM;  64 MB Video RAM; 2.6 GB Hard disk space.

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