Painkiller E3 2005 Preshow Report

Yes, Painkiller is still coming out for the Xbox. Despite the fact that DreamCatcher and developer People Can Fly's critically acclaimed first-person shooter was released on the PC over a year ago, and the fact that little has been said about the announced Xbox version (usually a good sign that it isn't coming out), DreamCatcher has finally broken radio silence and announced that the Xbox version will, in fact, come out this fall, and will be at E3 2005.

Painkiller tells the story of Daniel Gardner, a recently deceased individual who ends up in purgatory--the neutral zone, of sorts, between heaven and hell. Dan is informed that the forces of hell are about to wage war on heaven, and it's up to him, single-handedly, to fight them off and kill the four generals of Lucifer. The game is a highly over-the-top, fast-paced first-person shooter filled to the brim with ugly, mean-spirited monsters and crazy, overpowered weapons. People Can Fly has utilized a proprietary graphics engine for higher-resolution textures and impressive lighting. The Havok 2.0 physics engine is also used to create incredibly interactive and deformable objects and environments.

Unsurprisingly, Painkiller will include full Xbox Live support, though no other Xbox-centric features have been announced thus far, nor has any mention been made as to whether any of the features found in the first expansion pack for the PC version, titled Battle Out of Hell, will find their way to the Xbox version. We'll endeavor to bring you more on Painkiller for the Xbox from the E3 2005 show floor.