I honestly didn’t have high hopes for Payday: The Heist. I thought it looked like a mediocre budget shooter at best. I mean, the concept is cool but the trailers made it look generic.

But then I read a handful of the overwhelmingly positive reviews that it’s received since it was released and I decided that I should at least give it a chance. And boy, am I glad that I did.

Payday is a lot like SWAT 4 and Rainbow Six: Vegas except that instead of playing as the “good guys”, you play as one of four ruthless criminals working as a highly organized team to knock down banks and other high-value targets. It’s loaded with challenges, upgrades, and a surprising range of unlocks. I was shocked by how much content there is given the $20 price.

It’s not the prettiest game and it does have some quirks but the gameplay and the partner AI make Payday an absolutely awesome shooter. One of my favorite things about it is that even on low difficulty settings, it’s not an easy “walk in, walk out” situation. You actually have to think on your toes. The game pitches all kinds of obstacles and law enforcement at you.

If there’s one thing that’s bad about Payday, it’s that not enough people are going to play it. It isn’t a big name and it didn’t get a lot of press coverage. It’s a shame, really.