I am a great lover of a great many things. Amongst my assorted bag of fancies are stealth games and spaghetti Westerns. As a matter of fact, I can think of no better way to pass an evening than embodying the brutally stoic persona of Hitman’s Agent 47 to dispatch my targets. Then settling down with a Clint Eastwood classic. The tantalising prospect of both pastimes mixing harmoniously in Desperados III is therefore more attractive to me than any Southern belle or saloon hostess.
The game itself is a narrative-driven real-time tactics (RTT) title from Mimimi Games that relies heavily on a brand of stealth that is not dissimilar to the one featured in most Hitman titles. However, with it being a prequel to Spellbound’s Western stealth series, there is an additional layer of intrigue for us to unpack today.
So, thank ye kindly for moseying on over to TechStomper. We implore you to stay with us as we unholster our opinion on Desperados III. Is it the tactical stealth-em-up/West-em-up of my dreams? And furthermore, is it the prequel the Desperados series deserves?
We Stand United!
Without any prior knowledge of the technology employed during the creation of Desperados III, the visuals may appear to be moderately impressive. However, when you factor in that the game runs on the Unity engine, it becomes increasingly difficult to NOT feel quite a bit more than moderately impressed.
In stark contrast to prior titles I have covered for TechStomper, the vibrant colours on display in Desperados III make for levels that are immeasurably pleasing to the eye. In fact, when dreary greys threaten to deny your eyes the pleasure they desire and deserve, pockets of colour pop out of the screen with a striking vibrancy. Compared to other mainstream Unity titles such as 2016’s Umbrella Corp., Desperados III displays a greater degree of artistic competency.
The very fact that this degree of quality is maintained across large, sprawling environments also prompted the reviewer behind these very words you read now to nod his head in approval. It may, indeed, be due to the methods implemented into the game to reduce the processing power. For instance, there is a sufficient quantity of detail included in each location for them to feel real, but not so much that the less powerful engine used to generate them is forced to work overtime.
Finally, the introduction of motion capture serves as the endlessly alluring icing on an already sumptuously delicious cake. Given that we are unable to gauge the facial expressions of the game’s major players, the nuanced details in their actions convey all the information we need to know without Resident Evil levels of over-expression.
The Sounds of the West
If you are in any way familiar with my previous work on this sensational site (opinions are my own), then you will be aware that I am most fond of a video game weapon that packs a sonic punch. After all, this contributes immensely to game feel and the satisfaction a player is granted when wielding the weapon in question.
I am pleased to report that Desperados III does disappoint in this regard. Sending a knife careening into the exposed throat of the nearest available foe allows the weapon to hit with a crunchy impact. Unloading ammunition from a firearm into the flesh of your enemies packs a considerable punch, with the correct proportion of echo to emulate those moments in our favourite Westerns where the final shot rings out through the village. Mimimi Games have taken it upon themselves to treat my ears as well as my eyes, and I am eternally grateful.
One factor that has defined the Western genre and given it a lasting appeal is its music. 2018’s Red Dead Redemption II featured a superb score that contained a sweet sufficiency of musical motifs linked to the Western genre. While Desperados III attempts this at times, it mostly employs a score that is more indicative of the stealth genre with Western undertones. Of course, I have little issue with this. However, I would have preferred that the musical motifs I am familiar with took centre stage.
A Tale of Revenge
As explicitly stated at the beginning of this review, Desperados III is a prequel to the original series, which was developed by Spellbound. Therefore, fans of the series are afforded the benefit of discovering how John Cooper, Kate O’Hara and Arthur ‘Doc’ McCoy initially met. The narrative focuses on Cooper’s search for the man he holds responsible for his father’s death: a man named Frank.
While this may satisfy established fans of the series, I was less impressed as a novice player. Do not misunderstand me, I thought the interactions between each of the characters were thoroughly enjoyable and the principle cast delivered believable performances, all in a perfect three-act structure. It was simply that the story itself left me wanting.
Though the conclusion is suitably satisfying, in spite of the protracted lead up to it, the narrative feels as though it is only included in the game to contextualise each level. Even then, I was left perplexed heading into certain stages as the writers often jump across different periods of time with no justification. It is often these stages that feel independent from the remainder of the narrative. Of course, excellent gameplay can excuse a poor narrative.
Desperados… ASSEMBLE!
In total, players have five characters at their disposal. Each one is distinct from the other in terms of their look, personality and gameplay. Much to my delight, it is necessary to embody every character in order to comfortably complete a stage. Experimenting with, and combining, each of their diverse abilities is necessary to ensure every one of them make it to the next stage alive.
Normally, I select my favourite character and use them exclusively to see me to the end of any given level. However, Desperados III actively dissuaded me from doing so by providing me with multiple favourite characters. Switching between them was a pleasure, not a pain.
Earlier, I spoke of how large the locations featured in the game were. While this was, indeed, a compliment concerning the visual aspects, I must now convert this to a criticism so far as the gameplay is concerned. Even though I believe larger locales to be unsuitable for a stealth title, it would bother me little if guards were sporadically positioned. Unfortunately, guards are plentiful and never cease to keep a watchful eye on each other.
This can often make each stage of the game overwhelming and, with only 16 stages put in place to fill a 25-hour game, I cannot shake the feeling that this decision was reached in order to pad the run time. However, the more open nature of these stages encourages you to pursue a multiplicity of disparate avenues to reach your destination undetected or take out all opponents that stand in your way, similar to the assassination of targets in Hitman.
Tipping it in Your Favour
Now, I know full well that failing, and restarting is all part of the package of RTTs. That being said, my experience with each level felt unnecessarily drawn out, which lead to a great deal of frustration on my part. A word to the wise, take full advantage of the quick save feature the game provides to avoid repeating large portions of a level.
Fortunately, there are certain measures put in place to mitigate frustration. For example, the noises made by certain actions and your characters’ visibility to the enemy are made clearly visible during the planning phase. These are highly useful in lining up successive actions. It’s worth noting that the cues also allow those who are hard of hearing or sight to enjoy the game.
Furthermore, players can move the camera independently of all characters and scout out the area ahead. Finally, ‘Showdown Mode’ allows you to pause the game and plan a co-ordinated string of actions to tackle. This can be useful in tackling a larger opponent in a timely, efficient fashion.
Riding Off into the Sunset (with Grace Kelly)
Desperados III is a stealth experience that is simultaneously rewarding and frustrating. As a prequel, it may answer those burning questions long-time fans have been posing for nearly two decades, yet novice players will very much be left wanting.
Regardless, I believe there to be something for everyone in Desperados III. Experienced RTT players, with their endless quantities of patience, will enjoy the core gameplay loops. Those who enjoyed the tales told of the man with no name will discover themselves immersed in their own Western.
If either of these prospects intrigue you, pick up this title when it releases on June 16th 2020.
