If a few months or years ago you told me I’d one day be playing a game that’s essentially a mix of John Wick, Metal Gear Rising, Yakuza and Deadly Premonition, I would’ve probably looked at you all funny, but here we are. What’s even more incredible is that the above combination, despite how outrageous it may sound, actually works perfectly. Indeed, if you’ve read the title of this review, you know I’m talking about Wanted: Dead, an absolute wild ride of a third-person shooter/hack & slash hybrid that proudly wears its goofiness on its sleeve and is not ashamed to be itself, nor does it take itself too seriously. And I kind of love it for that.

Meet the Zombie Unit
Giving players a brief glimpse into the tumultuous, action-packed life of an elite Hong Kong police squad nicknamed the Zombie Unit, Wanted: Dead wastes absolutely no time and immediately hits you across the face with its wacky world-building and zany cast of main characters. From a Swiss policewoman with a funky accent to a cat-obsessed gunsmith, the game introduces you to a lineup of unique squad members that each come with their own quirks and engage in interactions that often reminded me of titles like God Hand or the aforementioned Deadly Premonition. If your idea of unwinding after a mission that had you blowing up three dozen killer androids involves singing karaoke to the tunes of 99 Luftballons or trying your luck at the local crane game to get your hands on various action figures based on the main cast… well, then you’ve come to the right place. Or you could just go play the side-scrolling sci-fi shooter minigame that feels like something out of a SNES’ heyday – because yes, that’s a thing, too.


She’s a maniac
Its general quirkiness and lovable jank aside, Wanted: Dead brings plenty to the table in terms of its gameplay as well. Designed to offer a hardcore challenge in the vein of Ninja Gaiden and similar titles, this is a game that does not pull any punches with its difficulty – enemies are deadly and relentless, with even a single poorly-timed parry being able to spell your doom and force you back to the last checkpoint. Thankfully, you do have access to a limited number of healing items that are automatically replenished at every checkpoint, and one of your squadmates has the ability to revive you once, but that’s about it. The rest is up to you – and boy will your reflexes be tested.


Modern nostalgia
In case the general tone of this review hasn’t already made it abundantly clear, I absolutely adore Wanted: Dead – it oozes light-hearted fun from its every pore, and the passion that no doubt went into its creation is more than palpable. Yes, it’s rough around the edges. Yes, it’s got some jank. The controls may put people off and the main character’s voice acting might not be everyone’s cup of tea. For some, the game might be a bit too unhinged or its difficulty too unforgiving. But if you embrace its high-octane combat, its general silliness and the fact that it plays and feels like a long-lost classic from the PlayStation 2’s library, you’re going to have an amazingly good time with it.
Wanted: Dead is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.