PAYDAY finally got its first VR-native entry into the storied franchise. While it’s not the royal flush I was hoping for, it certainly wasn’t offsuit seven-deuces either.

Developer: Fast Travel Games
Publisher: Fast Travel Games
Available On: Quest, SteamVR (Frame version incl.)
Reviewed On: Quest 3
Release Date: November 5th, 2026
Price: $25

There’s a cohesive story in here somewhere. Somebody named Jupiter is bad. Something something gotta steal stuff from bad man. It’s been forever since I played Payday 2 (never 3), so I can’t say whether this is a continuation, or what’s actually going on.

That’s about as much as I think you should be expected to absorb though, which is just fine for a Payday game. The key isn’t the filler backstory, but really the uniqueness of each mission and its various environmental puzzles. And I’m happy to say that missions are indeed unique, and multilayered enough to make them worth coming back for more. In short, Payday: Aces High is basically what it says on the tin, and I wouldn’t blame you if you stopped reading here.

That said, drilling in a bit deeper, the game isn’t without its flaws, some that may even urk dyed-in-the-wool Payday fans, which I get into a little later below.

As it is, there are some standard puzzle bits you’ll see in each of the game’s six mission: four-digit door codes and combination lock codes, both of which require you to hunt around the level for random post-its in a back office or wall somewhere, but there’s also gear-based stuff like hacking laptops using your special watch, and calling in a drone-mounted drill that is something of a minigame to distract you as your buddies will need to defend you while your back is turned.

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