Wanted Dead reviews are out now, and despite its PS2-like graphics and hack-and-slash RPG-style combat, Sunshine’s neon-drenched Hong Kong is riddled with bugs and just isn’t long enough to keep players intrigued.
The story of Wanted: Dead is not unlike that of Square Enix’s Forspoken. Gorgeous graphics? Check. A beautiful setting? Check. Horrible reviews and horrible performances? Check, unfortunately.
Arriving with an extremely poor 60 on Metacritic (on PC, of course, we’re PCGamesN after all), critics complain that it’s a mess that perhaps plays exactly like a PS2 game instead of just emulating that nostalgia.
On Steam, the situation does not look much better. Amber with “mixed reviews”, some players described the game as “superbly mediocre” while stating that there was “very little to look at”. Others, however, call it “a good title for connoisseurs and lovers of old-school games” and that “it’s a shooter and slasher combo I’ve always dreamed of.”
On the Steam discussion board, players have also said that the game only has five quests, which seems very, very short considering the high price tag ($59.99 / £49.99).
All of this is a bit disappointing. After playing a snippet of the game at Gamescom last year, I fell in love with its neon aesthetic, screaming zombies, and seemingly fluid, ever-changing combat. For me, Wanted: Dead was the sleeper hit of 2023, enhanced by the involvement of Metal Gear Solid alum Stefanie Joosten.
Although she told PCGamesN that she really wanted to get away from the silent and sultry sniper persona she’s so known for, it seems like she should have stuck with what she knew. . Reviewers called the dialogue “awful” and considering the game’s weird cooking show, part of me has to agree.
I haven’t played the game yet, and since it aesthetically suits me, I probably will again. The torrents of bad reviews have more than dampened the hype though, so maybe I’ll return to the FFXIV Valentine quest that I loved.
If the reviews encouraged you to give Wanted Dead a pass, we’ve got a list of some of the best games like Dark Souls if you’re looking for another soul. We’ve also got a list of the best cyberpunk games, if that shiny futuristic aesthetic is your thing.