Previews for Wanted Dead are out now, and despite the PS2-esque graphics and RPG-style combat, the neon-drenched Hong Kong is riddled with bugs and not enough to keep gamers intrigued.
The story of Wanted: Dead is not unlike that of Square Enix’s Forspoken. Great graphics? Check. Nice frame? Check. Terrible reviews and lousy execution? Check it out, sorry.
Receiving a seemingly mediocre 60 on Metacritic (on PC, of course, we’re PCGamesN after all), critics complain that it’s a crap mess that arguably plays exactly like a PS2 game, rather than just emulates it. that nostalgia.
On Steam, things aren’t much better. At Amber with “mixed reviews”, some players described the game as “gloriously mediocre”, stating that there was “little to see” in it. Others, however, call it “a great title for connoisseurs and fans of old-school games” and that it “is the mix of shooter and slasher I’ve always dreamed of.”
In a Steam discussion forum, players have also commented that the game only consists of five missions, which seems very Very short considering the high price ($59.99 / £49.99).
This is all a bit disappointing. After playing a snippet of the game at Gamescom last year, I fell in love with its neon aesthetic, screaming zombies, and seemingly fluid, ever-changing combat. For me, Wanted: Dead was a hit in 2023, made even better by the contributions of Metal Gear Solid alum Stephanie Joosten.
While she told PCGamesN that she really wanted to move on from the silent, sultry sniper she’s so well known for, it seems like she should have stuck with what she knew. Critics called the dialogue “raunchy” and considering the game’s original cooking show, a part of me has to agree.
I haven’t played the game yet, and since it suits me aesthetically, I probably will again. However, the onslaught of bad reviews has greatly diminished the hype, so maybe I’ll go back to the FFXIV Valentine quest that got me excited.
If the reviews made you turn down Wanted Dead, we’ve got a list of some of the best games like Dark Souls if you’re looking for a different soul. We also have a list of the best cyberpunk games if you like that shiny futuristic aesthetic.
Source : PC Gamesn
