Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive

Release Date: April 27, 2001

Strategy, RTS, isometric view, tactics, western, 19th century, singleplayer

88%

Steam

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Developed by Spellbound Entertainment, the game is a tactical strategy western-style game based on the mechanics of the popular Commandos series. The action of Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive takes place in the Wild West and during the game we control a team led by gunslinger John Cooper and consisting of six cowboys with different skills.

Originals

October 31, 2018

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Videos and Screens

88%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (1,880)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Nostalgic Value: Many users expressed a strong sense of nostalgia, recalling fond memories of playing the game in their youth.
Engaging Gameplay: The game is praised for its enjoyable and challenging gameplay, combining strategy and tactics in a Western setting.
Atmospheric Design: Users appreciate the game's atmosphere, including its isometric view and stealth mechanics, which contribute to the overall immersive experience.
Quick Save Feature: The quick save option is highlighted as a positive feature, allowing players to save their progress conveniently.
Steam Deck Compatibility: Some users reported that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck without crashes or bugs.

The main cons of the game

Bugs and Performance Issues: Several users noted that the Steam version has bugs and performance problems, making it unplayable for some. There are mentions of lagging issues, especially on newer operating systems.
Clunky Controls: Some users found the controls to be clumsy and difficult to manage, particularly during fast-paced gameplay.
Repetitive Gameplay: A few reviews mentioned that the gameplay can feel repetitive, lacking variety in approach to missions.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Active Pause Option: Users expressed a desire for an active pause feature, which would allow for better planning during intense moments.
Improved Control Manual: There is a lack of a comprehensive control manual, leading to confusion in gameplay mechanics.
Resolution and Graphics Options: Some players noted the absence of options to change resolution and graphics settings, which could enhance the gaming experience on modern systems.
Intelligent AI: While the game is challenging, some users mentioned that enemy AI could be improved for a more dynamic experience.

Summary

Overall, "Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive" is viewed as a classic strategy game with a dedicated fanbase, though it faces some technical challenges in its modern iterations.

Summary generated on: November 25, 2024

8.5

GAMERS Score

Average score from 1406 votes.

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Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive Description

Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive is a real-time strategy game combining elements of adventure and tactics. In Desperados, which action takes place in the Wild West, the players control a party of six cowboys lead by a gunslinger called John Cooper. Each of the remaining characters has different kinds of skills: Sam Williams is an explosive expert, Doc McCoy is a barber who can treat light wounds, Kate O’Hara is a poker gambler, Inigo Sanchez is a simple thug with a gun, while Mia Yung is an experienced blackleg. There are 25 missions connected to the main story ahead of them in which they have to elude many traps and face over 20 different sorts of enemies.

The gameplay combines espionage, action and tactics in a unique way, so that the success depends on mostly on assigning tasks properly. First 6 missions make a tutorial which introduces the players to the secrets of the game mechanics and explains how they work. The action takes place in locations characteristic of Wild West, such as abandoned towns, military forts, gold mines, saloons, jails, and caverns. In combat, we use classic weapons, starting from bare fists and knives, through revolvers and shotguns, ending with dynamite.

Last updated on August 14, 2015

GAMES

in Desperados Game Series

Game Series

Desperados Series

A series of tactical real-time strategies, launched in 2001 by the game Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive. Behind the development of the first two installments of the series, as well as their informal continuation in the form of the game Helldorado, was the studio Spellbound Entertainment. The full-fledged third installment of the series, on the other hand, was developed by the Mimimi Games team, which previously became famous thanks to its warmly received, genre-related production titled Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. The latter was also the first installment of the series, which appeared not only on personal computers, but also on consoles.

4 video games

Desperados Game Series