Video Game Review - Wanted: Dead

Rob reviews Wanted: Dead on Xbox Series X...

Wanted: Dead is a game that jumped straight into my must-play list as soon as I heard that "the makers of Ninja Gaiden" were involved in its development. The adventures of Ryu Hayabusa have been a challenging mix of exploration and combat, that's combined with Chinese mythology and sci-fi future. Ninja Gaiden wasn't strictly a difficult game - you had to think like a Ninja to succeed.

So, to say that I went into Wanted: Dead with high trepidation is a pretty accurate description. However, as they say, "it's the hope that kills you", and sadly when it comes to Wanted: Dead...well you'll see...

The story of Wanted: Dead takes place in Hong Kong. After the rampant rise of cybernetics, the world is vastly different from our own. Enter Hannah Stone, a badass cybernetic supersoldier who just so happens to be behind bars. Why? Well, we don't find out, but she's offered the chance of redemption by joining a rag-tag squad made up of fellow convicts. While it all sounds like the plot of Suicide Squad sadly it's not. 

Anyway, cut through some very wonky voice acting and Hannah soon finds herself sitting in a diner with her fellow squad members. The affectionately named Zombie Unit a made up of Hannah and a trio of geezers who've all fallen out of an 80s action movie. Doc got kicked out of medical school due to drug addiction, Hertzog is one of those creepy dudes who hang out alone in clubs, and Cortez is a badass who speaks through sign language. To make things bleaker, they're the least-liked unit in the police force, and the higher-ups are looking for any excuse to shut them down. So when a seemingly simple break-in at a tech corporate turns into a vast-reaching conspiracy, Hannah and Zombie Unit is on the case. 

The overall plot does lean heavily into cyberpunk cliché, but it's done in a style that'll see you questioning what exactly is going on. One minute you're battling tanks that are very reminiscent of Hideo Kojima's imagination, then you'll be hanging out singing karaoke, eating ramen like its Guitar Hero, and even chatting to Metal Gear V's Quiet (but she's a police officer now...). And that's before I mention the random shifts into anime territory. It's a surreal experience that's also not afraid to go to some dark places, but the comedic undertone soon pulls you back into Suda 51 land. 

As characters go, Hannah Stone is both interesting and a bit flat. This isn't in any way due to her voice actor Fee Marie Zimmermann - who does a great job in her first voice acting role. It's more down to her overall presentation as an action hero, which makes her a bit one-dimensional. The only time I felt something for Hannah's plight was during her time with Officer Vivian. Played by Metal Gear Solid V alumni Stephanie Jooston, Officer Vivian is the heart and soul of the Wanted: Dead universe. She's the human emotional link that the robotic Zombie Unit desperately craves, and her interactions with Hannah about equality make for some interesting social commentary. Jooston does take her role in Wanted: Dead further as she lends her vocal talents to the game's soundtrack, and was heavily involved in the game's pre-release. 

Away from this and Wanted: Dead is a pretty standard - if not janky - action title. Its combat system is pretty varied and does offer a great mixture of sword and gunplay. While it doesn't go to the swashbuckling lengths of Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry with combo-laden fun, it's about being effective in a grounded way. Across the game, Hannah can unlock various skills which do rapidly turn her into an ultimate fighting machine. With points invested in her defense tree, you'll be more agile and "tanky". While her utility tree upgrades bullet capacity and unlocks Zombie Units' ability to help out in combat. 

As mentioned, the main bulk of combat is a contrast between cover-based gunplay and close-quarters action. The contrasting mechanics certainly work well together and while it had the right idea, you'll often end up getting in close with Hannah's katana. Even with her swordplay being far more rewarding than hanging back with her signature assault rifle, Hannah isn't untouchable. Even so, you'll have to utilize her powerful handgun (think Ryu Hayabusa's shuriken) to kite enemy attacks as you get in close for the kill. It's not flashy in any sense, and if anything relies on being brutally efficient - like the trained killer Hannah Stone is. 

There are quite a few weapons to choose from and you're able to freely select between Hannah's signature rife, or one picked up. At certain points in a mission, you'll also encounter one of Vivian's drones which will allow you to customize how Hannah's rife - and pistol - handles. There's a near-endless way to customize these weapons with each attachment having its benefits over the rest. While it's great to mix and match, the levels don't accommodate the need for prolonged gunplay. Even with their cover mechanics, enemies will rush you head-on, or stay in cover until you're forced to rush them. 

Difficulty wise and Wanted: Dead sits firmly in the middle. It isn't as punishing as a 'Soulsborne', but it's not overly easy either. Once you've unlocked most of the skill tree it does become a fair bit easier. The real downside is that its pacing is very sluggish. Enemies come at you in waves, and you'll often be blocked by an invisible wall that'll keep you within the arena until everyone has been defeated. Boss fights serve to break up this monotony, and while they're pretty decent skeptical, they're few and far between. 

When not neck-deep in enemies, the rest of the game is spent diving into Hannah's downtime. In-between missions you're free to explore the Police Precinct and partake in many mini-games that aim to flesh out the game world while adding a human side to its characters. Even if these distractions don't particularly interest you, they do give you a reason to spend time with them. The two crane games offer plenty of collectibles to seize, and ramen eating to something akin to Guitar Hero needs to be experienced. The real winner here however is Space Runaway - an in-game shmup that's not only fully playable but also deserves a standalone release! 

When it comes to presentation, Wanted: Dead does show its limitations. I experienced the game on the Xbox Series X, and to be brutally honest, Wanted: Dead doesn't deserve its X|S enhancements. Graphical performance is set well within the Xbox 360/PS3 era, complete with outdated textures, frame rate stutters, and invisible walls. While combat is mostly flawless, there is the odd moment where enemies fail to spawn which results in restarting the checkpoint, and a few moments when it seems that Hannah has forgotten that you've pressed a button. 

There's nothing here that I'd consider game-breaking, but these are issues that shouldn't be seen on current-gen hardware. That being said, you can certainly commend Soleil on their vision for Wanted: Dead. The cyberpunk world is packed full of interesting ideas, but sadly it seems to have been lost in translation. 

Overall and Wanted: Dead is a decent debut game from Soleil and 110 Industries. Whether the lack of polish is intentional or not, the game isn't without its charm. The off-duty mini-games are packed full of that "just one more go" charm, and Space Runaway does need to be released as a standalone title - it's that good! Throw in some simple - yet - brutal combat, and even with its "issues" Wanted: Dead is a great foundation for the studio to build upon. 

Rating: 7/10 

A code was kindly provided for this review. 

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter, Hive, Facebook, & TikTok @GeekCultureRev