Top 5 Things I Love About Desperados III
A few weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of reviewing one of the best games to release this summer, Desperados III. Desperados III is a real-time tactical adventure taking place in the Wild West featuring a story that includes a quest for vengeance while putting an end to the nefarious DeVitt Company. Along the way, our main protagonist, John Cooper, will join forces with a handful of like-minded individuals who bring their own unique abilities to the journey. While I think I did a pretty good job singing the praises of Desperados III in my review, I figured the game deserved a little more attention. So, I present to you the top five things I love about Desperados III.
1) Replayability
Each level is meticulously designed to provide players with a number of different approaches to complete the objectives. You’ll be able to opt for a stealthy approach, a guns-blazing approach, or a combination of both – though I personally preferred the stealthy approach. Juggling between multiple protagonists could be a bit of a challenge, especially when playing a more aggressive style. Fortunately, there is a handy “Showdown” mode that will freeze time and let you pick each movement carefully. You’ll also be prompted to save often, so if you choose a move and it ends up being a fatal mistake, you can quickly reload and try a different approach. Beyond this, there are numerous bonus objectives in each level, multiple difficulty settings, and unique “Baron’s Challenges” that’ll add even more reasons to replay past levels. Desperados III is packed with replayability.
2) Kill the Devs
The game’s developer, Mimimi, have hidden 31 of their staff throughout the Desperados III levels, mixed in with the enemies. You can spot them by using your cursor and highlighting each enemy – the developers will be the ones with their actual names. Killing 15 of them and killing all 31 of them will net you a prized Achievement/Trophy, earning you well-deserved bragging rights. While it’s not uncommon for devs to include their likeness in games; offering gamers incentive to actually kill them is a fun albeit morbid objective. It’s worth noting that Mimimi had a similar challenge in their previous game, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.
3) Collector’s Edition
While technically not a reason to play Desperados III, if you have the means to purchase the Desperados III Collector’s Edition – I highly recommend it. While I wasn’t able to get my hands on a Collector’s Edition myself, I’m completed jealous of anyone who did. Included is a copy of the game, an artbook, postcards (that’ll likely never be mailed anywhere), a copy of the soundtrack and a music box. The music box features all five protagonists and exchangeable figurines – so you’ll be able to showcase your favourite at any one time. The soundtrack, as I mentioned in the review, was outstanding and definitely worth listening to.
4) The Characters
Desperados III features five playable characters. Okay, that’s a bit misleading, as there are levels where you’ll take control of additional characters – but those are very minor moments. The five playable characters each bring a unique set of skills and abilities to the fight – and you’ll need to master all five of them if you hope to beat the game. Kate O’Hara will use her flirtatiousness to distract guards. Doc McCoy uses his bag to lure enemies anywhere he wants. Isabelle Moreau can use voodoo to take control of enemies to do her bidding. Hector Mendoza can carry two guards at the same time – perfect for hiding enemies. And our main protagonist, John Cooper, can shoot two enemies simultaneously while in Showdown mode. And this is only a portion of what these heroes can actually do.
5) The Kills
Desperados III is jam-packed with brutal ways to kill the various enemies that stand in your way. The main protagonist, John Cooper, has a knife that he can fling from 15 paces away, ending his target with a satisfying squish sound. The beefy Hector Mendoza brings along his bear trap, lovingly named Bianca, which completely encapsulates the lower half of its victim’s body in gory fashion. You’ll also come across some cleverly placed items in the environment that can bring the end to your enemies. A large boulder teetering on the edge above some unsuspecting victims just takes a little nudge to turn people into pancakes. The best part about these environmental kills is that the remaining bad guys will think it was just an accident if you don’t get caught in the act.
Desperados III is a brilliant Wild West game that should be on everyone’s must-play list this summer. While it’s by no means easy and can get frustrating at times, you’ll get an immense sense of satisfaction as you complete level after level on your quest for vengeance. Desperados III features an engaging story, an enjoyable cast of characters, unique strategy elements, an outstanding soundtrack, and some very brutal kills – this is definitely one game you won’t want to sleep on.