Posted on: April 21, 2011
Isamael
Verified ownerGames: 162 Reviews: 2
A tough, rough jewel
New Mexico, 1881. A mysterious outlaw, known only as El Diablo, is terrorizing train-bound shipping in the area and you are there to stop him, because you’re just that nice, and there’s an enormous reward. It might not be the 1940’s, but the similarities to ‘Commandos’ are many and hard to overlook – If you did not like the series peculiar brand of stealth-based, nerve-wracking tactics and will-crushing difficulty, you can disregard the rest of this review: This game is not for you. But if you enjoyed Commandos, or if the description above intrigues you, keep reading – Desperados is an oft-forgotten gem of the late isometric era. You are John Cooper, a bounty hunter and gunman who, as the ending cinematics fade out, have accepted the task of tracking down an elusive train-robber for the shipping company Twinnings&Co. On this rather simple premise the game builds a story that might not be that special, but is surprisingly intricate. It winds and twists and takes you to all parts of New Mexico through a wide variety of locales and settings, and brings you along for the ride. To its credit, the level design is superb, varied and interesting, and much like in commandos, every level feels like it could have been plucked right out of a good movie and you will find yourself interrupting an ill-conceived lynching, busting out of jail, assaulting a mountain stronghold, rescuing femme fatales from paddle-steamers and all that other westerny stuff. Instead of the rather disconnected levels of Commandos, however, each of the levels in Desperados is tied closely to the narrative, introducing characters and their respective abilities, story points and quite a few plot twists in a way that feels both natural and logical. With gameplay that relies on the clever use of the various skills and abilities of the characters involved, it is good that the characters are one of the game’s strongpoints, with a cast that, like the levels they frequent, are distinct, varied and interesting. From the escaped, wise-cracking slave with a penchant for explosive destruction, via the grumbling Doc McCoy, a man of science, to a young chinese orphan – the characters all have their story, and as they add their peculiar traits and abilities to the team, the difficulty (and the amount of planning you have to do) increases dramatically, but amazingly, so does the fun. With an (for the time) advanced AI, open levels and a plethora of amusing, sneaky tricks at your disposal, It is no surprise that it might well be described as ‘Commandos in the wild west’ – but add to this a solid story, amazing level design and interesting, diverse characters with their own history, and you have a simply superb experience. There are a few cons here and there – the controls can be glitch and are not as responsive and easy as one would have liked in a game that is this hard, and the soundtrack, while fitting the theme very well, is rather sparse and repetitive after a while. In the end though, these points are far outweighed by the smart gameplay that, though you may die horribly a few times, shake your fist against the screen and curse violently – ultimately will make you feel clever, skilled and proud – which is the finest accolade I can give a game. Make no mistake, this game is very hard – but it is also very rewarding.
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