Desperados III (2020) (Computer game)

The Desperados series is a set of stealth strategy games where the player controls a small group of characters (each with their own unique abilities) from a top-down view. The aim is largely to pick-off enemies without being detected. In this third instalment the hero (John Cooper) goes up against a local mining baron (DeWitt) and his henchman (Frank) against whom Cooper has a (somewhat predictable) personal vendetta.

The plot is not phenomenally innovative but does the job – it has provides an authentic old-west feel that’s largely an excuse to hang the gameplay onto. The level design I generally really liked: there’s a decent variety of locations which all have a unique and interesting “western” atmosphere. The one semi-complaint about the plot/setting was the character Isabelle. I didn’t really like her supernatural voodoo abilities as they didn’t really fit with the straight western setting. On the other hand the abilities were generally pretty interesting from a gameplay point-of-view but just slightly jarring from a setting point-of-view.

The gameplay is the main point here – the stealth mechanic is enjoyable: at times it gets a bit repetitive (you’re mainly repeating the same tricks to distract/lure an enemy out of sight of other enemies so that they can be knocked off). However there’s a decent variety of other options for the more creative player (i.e. not me!). There’s some interesting combinations that open up with Isabelle’s “link” and “take over” abilities (much as I didn’t like the premise of the abilities). There’s also some amusing secondary challenges – one that I enjoyed was a level with a railway running down the middle, where enemies could be dispatched by tricking them into standing on the line and being run over.

It’s always a tricky balance with this kind of gameplay between having a “right” way to do it with interesting set-piece solutions and letting the player come up with their own solutions. Generally I think the game got this roughly right - using secondary optional objectives (“badges”) to hint at the set-piece solutions but with generally enough freedom not to be forced to follow them.

The is an excellent entry in the series and probably the one to start with (it’s been a while since I played the first game but my suspicion is that it’s probably a slightly “better” game, but a little dated at this stage). Definitely enjoyable and well worth playing.