Desperados III

Desperados III is a real-time tactics video game developed by Mimimi Games and published by THQ Nordic. The first installment in the Desperados series since the 2007 spin-off title Helldorado, it was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[1]

Desperados III
Developer(s)Mimimi Games
Publisher(s)THQ Nordic
Director(s)Dominik Abé
Artist(s)Bianca Dörr
Writer(s)Martin Hamberger
Composer(s)Filippo Beck Peccoz
SeriesDesperados
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Release16 June 2020
Genre(s)Real-time tactics
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Desperados III is a real-time tactics stealth video game. The game features five playable characters, with each having access to unique weapons and abilities. Players can play the game as a stealth game, in which they can assassinate enemies silently or disguise kills as accidental deaths. It is possible for players to complete missions without killing anyone by knocking out and tying up enemies. Bodies of incapacitated enemies need to be hidden or else other enemies patrolling the area will discover them and trigger an alarm that calls for reinforcement.[2] The cones of vision of all enemies are displayed, allowing players to navigate the map without alerting them.[3]

Players can also play the game as an action game and utilize the showdown mode to temporarily stop the game, allowing players to coordinate and chain up the actions of the player's squad. In showdown mode, players can issue commands to each of the character in the party. When the player exits showdown mode, the characters will execute the commands issued by the player simultaneously.[4]

Story

The story is a prequel to Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, the first game in the series, and explores the origin of the series' protagonist John Cooper. The game is set in the Wild West in the 1870s and features various locations including Colorado, Louisiana and Mexico. In addition to John Cooper, the game also includes Hector Mendoza, Doc McCoy, Isabelle Moreau, and Kate O'Hara as playable characters.

The story follows bounty hunter John Cooper as he pursues Frank, a notorious bandit leader responsible for the death of John's father, James Cooper. Along the way, Cooper meets Doctor McCoy, who was hired by DeVitt Company, a wealthy corporation, to defend the train Cooper was taking on his way to the town of Flagstone. Once at Flagstone, Cooper learns from his friend Hector Mendoza that Frank is at the mansion of the soon-to-be-married local mayor. In the meantime, the mayor's prospective bride, Kate O'Hara, finds out that her betrothed has sold her family's ranch to Devitt Company. In the escalating altercation, O'Hara shoots the mayor as John Cooper walks in, seeking Frank. The newly met pair promptly escape the mansion and head for the O'Hara ranch to defend it from the attacking DeVitt company men. The defence is successful, though Kate's uncle Ian perishes in the battle.

The group eventually get captured on their way to New Orleans, where Frank is located. They're rescued by a Voodoo practitioner called Isabelle Moreau, who joins them in order to find her partner, Marshall Wayne. Frank's gang imprisoned many people out in the Louisiana wetlands, to be shipped off to work in DeVitt's mines. Once they rescue Wayne, the group sets fire to the old riverboat that functions as a headquarters for Frank's people. This act puts Frank on alert, and he locks down the city. Having snuck past the roadblocks and guards, Cooper asserts that he wants to face Frank alone, to which Kate and Hector object. At Hector's mention of John's father, who is revealed to have been killed by Frank, John snaps and shoots Hector.

At the docked freight ship, Frank and Cooper duel, but Cooper is outdrawn and wounded. With the rest of his group also captured, they're all sent to DeVitt's gold mines as slaves. Eventually escaping, the group has a falling out due to John's selfishness that got them captured. McCoy cuts his losses and abandons them, whereas the rest eventually reconcile and undertake Wayne's commission to abduct DeVitt himself from a lavish party at this mansion. They manage to spirit DeVitt out, but at the last moment their captive outwits them and hold them at gunpoint, only to be shot down by the returning McCoy. With the group back together, they undertake one final job to hunt down Frank at the Devil's Canyon, where James Cooper and a young John pursued Frank years ago. Frank and John have another stand-off, watched over by Frank's lieutenants. The rest of the group overpowers Frank's posse, while John outdraws and finishes off Frank.

Development

The game was developed by German studio Mimimi Games, the developer of Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, whose gameplay mechanics were similar to this game. THQ Nordic, which acquired the rights to the franchise from Atari in 2013, served as the game's publisher.[5] Since the last game in the series was released more than a decade ago, the team made Desperados III a prequel story so that it can be accessible to new players who are new to the franchise or new to the genre. To achieve this, the team ensured that the game features an adequate tutorial system that teaches the player the gameplay foundation, and implemented gamepad controls for players who use a controller to play.[6][7] The game's showdown mode, which allows players to pause time completely, was created after receiving players' feedback about the limitations of Shadow Tactics's "shadow mode". Unlike Shadow Tactics, the game features a more playful tone, with characters bantering with each other more frequently.[8]

The game was officially announced by THQ Nordic in August 2018.[9] Initially set to be released in 2019, the game was released on 16 June 2020 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[10]

Reception
Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic(PC) 86/100[11]
(PS4) 81/100[12]
(XONE) 85/100[13]

Desperados III received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[11][12][13]

gollark: I'd just parent them well instead of badly.
gollark: Only if I was negligent toward them.
gollark: Insufficient sleep, probably!
gollark: They're quaternions.
gollark: Cats aren't actually real.

References
  1. Wales, Matt (19 February 2020). "Wild West tactical stealth sequel Desperados 3 now due this summer". Eurogamer. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. Moyse, Chris (22 May 2020). "Desperados III trailer tells greenhorns all they need to know". Destructoid. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  3. Walker, Alex (4 March 2020). "Desperados 3 Is More Stealth Tactics Done Well". Kotaku. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  4. Morton, Lauren (20 May 2020). "Desperados 3 gets a lengthy gameplay trailer before launch next month". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  5. Sarker, Samit (24 June 2013). "Nordic Games acquires rights to Atari's Desperados and Silver". Polygon. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. Bishop, Sam (30 August 2019). "Desperados 3 "the perfect entry point for new players"". Gamereactor. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  7. Takahashi, Dean (10 June 2019). "Desperados III: Why THQ Nordic is making a prequel for the stealth tactics series". VentureBeat. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  8. Cox, Matt (19 June 2019). "Desperados III is Shadow Tactics wearing a lovely cowboy coat that lets you pause". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  9. Horti, Samuel (21 August 2018). "Desperados 3 announced, led by Shadow Tactics developer Mimimi". PC Gamer. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  10. Wakeling, Richard (21 April 2020). "Desperados 3 Release Date Announced". GameSpot. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  11. "Desperados III for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  12. "Desperados III for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  13. "Desperados III for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
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