I have to say, "Payday" is incredibly addictive. For Zack and the other two, it's been a long time since they played such a satisfying and fun game.
Especially the role of a criminal, which makes it impossible for them to stop clicking to start the next game.
The dazzling cash and the thrilling shootouts in each mission are what really get them hooked.
And the music in the game, with its intense electronic beats as background music, really gets their blood pumping.
The key thing is that each heist has different music.
And it's not all just intense, heart-pounding electronic music and rock that makes you dizzy. There are also pieces with soothing pianos, opera, and ballads.
While the story in the game isn't as amazing as in "Call of Duty."
Still, combined with the "grind" element in the game, you can say that the urge to rob in the game just doesn't stop.
The three of them formed the Payday gang, robbing from four stores to a jewelry store, and then from the jewelry store to Las Vegas.
As the heists progressed, the three friends became increasingly skilled, their fortunes grew, and they also learned various skills in the game.
After all, this is a grind game, and after completing missions, you get experience and money.
Experience can be converted into skill points, and choosing different talent trees can grant different special abilities.
For example, if your character is a thug and you choose the weapons talent tree, you can select a talent called "Mover" which allows you to carry two bags of loot at once and throw them further than others.
Similarly, if your character is a ghost, choosing the "Sixth Sense" talent in the stealth tree will not only automatically mark nearby enemies and civilians but also increase the value of loot obtained in casing mode.
In short, each profession has its own unique characteristics and gameplay combinations.
Combined with the heist missions, these skill combinations, along with different firearms, lead to a completely different gaming experience.
"What do you guys think? Should we try a stealth approach? We haven't succeeded once yet." After successfully completing another jewelry store heist, Zack made a suggestion.
Since the start of the game, their robbing pace hasn't stopped, and they've become more and more professional.
Ammo bags, medical bags, and teamwork.
At least on lower difficulties, like one skull, they've never failed.
As for areas with two skulls or more, those are still off-limits for them.
In the criminal underworld, the nicknames "Mazin' Zack," "Song Silang," and "Wang Dabiao" are enough to strike fear into anyone's heart.
Yet, even these three notorious international criminals had some regrets.
That was their very first heist. They had originally planned a perfect robbery, disappearing with the loot before the police could even react, achieving fame and anonymity.
But unfortunately, due to their inexperience and lack of preparedness on their first outing, they turned "Payday" into "Assassin's Creed." What was supposed to be a stealth operation turned into a chaotic free-for-all.
"No problem."
"Let's wash away this shame!"
Hearing Zack's words, Hannah and Ben nodded in agreement.
After all, they weren't the same people they used to be.
Why did they fail at the beginning?
Besides their mindset, the main reason was their lack of understanding of the game's mechanics. Now, things were completely different.
"Let's go with this mission!"
Zack logged into crime.net and selected a brand-new heist that had just appeared.
"Car Dealership Heist": Our target this time is the Taiya Car Dealership. We'll move in at dusk when there won't be too many civilians. These are supercars imported from Europe and Asia, marvels of modern engineering, a culmination of various high-end technologies, so they are very valuable. Bring them back without any scratches.
"Let's warm up. We'll choose the one-skull difficulty, and I'll also buy a couple of advantages to give us more trash bins and body bags." Zack chose to make a purchase.
This is one of the interesting aspects of Payday: in addition to the equipment players bring themselves, they can also pay a certain fee at the heist location to gain additional advantages.
"Let's go, let's go! This time we're going to be smart thieves, not brutes!" Ben said in a role-playing whisper.
"No problem!" "Of course!" Zack and Hannah, acting like a couple, quoted some lines from Doraemon.
As the heist loaded, the three of them quickly arrived at the entrance of the car dealership.
As usual, the three of them conducted reconnaissance before the heist.
The surroundings included a road under repair and an area cordoned off with red and white police tape, but these weren't the main focus. What caught Zack's eye were the four dazzling sports cars parked inside the transparent display window on the first floor of the dealership across the road.
Dark green, coffee, black and gold, and fire red—all top-tier luxury sports cars. Although the brands weren't clearly visible due to copyright issues, their cool designs alone made him restless.
Seeing these four cars, Zack knew one thing: he was going to get them today!
"Same as always, let's check the guard strength first. Don't forget to look for camera locations and alarm locations," Zack whispered as they approached the dealership.
"Don't worry, we've got this covered," Ben and Hannah replied.
After playing for several hours, the three had developed a habit common to Payday players: they always checked for cameras upon entering, followed by a quick scan for any immediate alarm buttons.
Indeed, for a dealership with four supercars, the cameras seemed to be everywhere, as if they were free.
And there were quite a few security guards, one every few steps.
The entire first floor was divided into a front lobby and a back area, both with plenty of guards and cameras.
The back area also had several luxury cars parked, and civilians listening to sales representatives explain them.
"There are five cameras. There's a blind spot in the corner near the farthest left door."
Hannah, playing the ghost and having chosen the Sixth Sense talent, quickly identified the security distribution.
"There are guards in both the front and back areas, but their patrol frequency isn't high. There's a lead guard stationed at the main staircase leading to the second floor," Ben also quickly identified the guard distribution.
"There's a door in the back leading to the second floor. It's closed, but it can be opened quietly. Also, on the second floor, the farthest right is the manager's office, followed by a conference room, a VIP room, and a resting area."
Exchanging the information they had gathered, the three of them felt they had thoroughly scouted the entire dealership.
They retreated from the dealership and huddled in the nearby green belt to discuss their strategy.
Inside the dealership, there were about eight or nine guards, on both the first and second floors, and two more in the outdoor parking lot.
In addition to the stationary guards, many patrolled.
Then there were the civilians, some stationary and some moving around.
With all the intel gathered, Zack finalized their plan of action.
"Let's sneak in quietly, no loud noises."
"No problem!"
"Operation Code: Wash Away Shame!"
Ben and Hannah nodded.
"Go, go, go!"
(End of Chapter)