The hack-and-slash genre is a ton of fun. From Devil May Cry to No More Heroes, combating enemies with style never gets old. One early innovator of the genre, Ninja Gaiden, is getting a spiritual resurgence. The upcoming shooter/slasher hybrid, Wanted: Dead, is being made by former Ninja Gaiden developers, and it finally got a release date trailer today. It will launch on February 14, 2023 for on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and PC via Steam. A perfect companion to Valentine’s Day!
Here’s the Wanted: Dead release date trailer, courtesy of IGN:
That is some atrocious voice acting. Everyone sounds either bored or asleep. I like the mix of in-game graphics, reality, and anime cutscenes, though.
Story-wise, Wanted: Dead is pretty basic. The game follows a week in the life of the Zombie Unit, an elite Hong Kong police squad on a mission to uncover a major corporate conspiracy. You control Lt. Hannah Stone, a cop who annihilates mercenaries, gang members, and private military contractors in a cyberpunk aesthetic.
Gameplay-wise, the title looks fun. The action seems fast, frantic, and varied. There appear to be minigames, too, with karaoke, retro shooters, and crane games featured. Time will tell if this will unseat the excellent Yakuza series in that department.
