Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive

About

"Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive" is a single-player real-time strategy game set in 1881 El Paso. As the leader of a team of six mercenaries, you must complete missions, such as infiltrating enemy fortresses and saving team members, using each character's unique skills. The game features an intriguing story, impressive visuals, and an outstanding soundtrack, immersing players in a western-style atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 830 reviews

story60 positive mentions

stability7 negative mentions

Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive is a classic real-time tactics game that offers engaging gameplay with a variety of characters, each possessing unique abilities.
The game features a rich Wild West atmosphere, with well-designed levels that encourage strategic thinking and creative problem-solving.
Despite its age, the graphics and art style have aged well, providing a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed it in their childhood.

The game suffers from significant compatibility issues on modern systems, particularly Windows 7 and above, leading to crashes and performance problems.
Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating at times, especially for new players unfamiliar with the mechanics.
Some players have reported that the AI can be unpredictable, leading to situations where enemies react in ways that disrupt planned strategies.

story
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
70%
3%
The story of "Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive" is generally well-received, featuring a classic western narrative that follows bounty hunter John Cooper and his diverse posse through a series of challenging missions. Players appreciate the engaging character arcs, immersive atmosphere, and the way missions are intricately tied to the overarching plot, despite some noting that the story can be somewhat cliché or simplistic. While the game offers a rich narrative experience, it is also marked by frustrating gameplay mechanics and bugs that can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Despite its aging graphics, the game's immersive storyline and unique gameplay make it a standout in the genre.”
- “The story is long with 25 missions and consistently great with some movie cutscenes.”
- “The story, the characters, and the gameplay are all top notch for this genre of game.”
- “The story is a standard western plot.”
- “The story is pretty much straightforward and is not the strongest part of this game, so I will not address it specifically.”
- “The initially simple plot evolves into something slightly more, but I think as an adult anyone would be able to see what is coming.”
gameplay
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
5%
The gameplay of Desperados is characterized by its strategic, stealth-based mechanics that require careful planning and execution, reminiscent of classic titles like Commandos. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of gameplay options, some criticize the aging mechanics and occasional bugs that can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a rich, immersive experience set in a well-crafted wild west environment, though it may feel slow and clunky by modern standards.
- “Almost every mission introduces either a new mechanic, a new character, or both.”
- “The game's wild west setting and unique gameplay mechanics left a lasting impression on me, and I still think about the game fondly to this day.”
- “Its engaging gameplay, memorable setting, and challenging missions make it a must-play for anyone who loves strategy games or the wild west.”
- “Well, after playing for a few more hours, I can say with certainty that most of the gameplay mechanics have aged very poorly.”
- “The problem is I know I would not have enjoyed it at all if I hadn't played Shadow Tactics first, as Shadow Tactics did a great job of preparing me for the tit-for-tat 30 minutes of quickloads to kill 1 guard style gameplay this game has.”
- “Horrible game, almost nothing works as it should (and everything happens slowly), the game mechanics are downright broken.”
graphics
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The graphics of the game, while undeniably dated by modern standards, still manage to hold a certain charm and nostalgia for players, with many appreciating the detailed 2D artwork and isometric view. Despite some technical limitations and occasional blurriness, the visuals are often described as beautiful and immersive, capturing the spirit of the wild west setting effectively. Overall, while the graphics may not impress everyone, they are generally considered acceptable for an older title, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and experience.
- “The graphics don't get old; the limitations at that time forced the developers to 'bake' the lighting into the textures, which makes the graphics look like paintings. It is pleasing to the eyes, unlike games nowadays that use dynamic lighting.”
- “Yes, it is quite an old game now, but the 2D isometric graphics were so wonderfully rendered that they still hold up quite well today, in a charming way.”
- “The game features absolutely gorgeous graphics even by today's standards, and the voice acting sounds more than professional.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The graphics are dated and resemble blurry pixels of what they are meant to represent.”
- “The worst part of this is that it just makes reactive gameplay non-functional, you can't just lure a group of enemies to a corner and throw some sleeping gas at them because it's just too slow and the trajectory is too random.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, fitting seamlessly with the Western theme and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the professional execution of the soundtrack, which complements the story, characters, and strategic elements, creating a unique and engaging ambiance. While some suggest that the soundtrack could be more epic, the general consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's appeal and immersion.
- “The soundtrack is great, and always represents the situation you're in quite well.”
- “The story is great and follows each character as they work together to achieve their goals, and the music accommodating the gameplay is nice and fits in well with the wild west theme.”
- “Soundtrack and whole ambience actually are masterfully done.”
- “By the late game, half of the guards will not respond to leftover playing cards, alcohol, musical lures, or even performing monkeys and sometimes dead bodies.”
- “I did get some hard crashes when playing the game, but when I turned the music off, I only got a few soft crashes.”
- “... as much as I love the game itself, its story, graphics, sounds, music, dialogues, everything... I just can't recommend the Steam version to anyone who has Windows 7 or newer.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
32%
16%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its authentic depiction of the wild west, enhanced by stunning visuals, engaging music, and strong voice acting. Reviewers highlight the nostalgic and immersive qualities of the environment, with many noting the effective blend of strategy gameplay and cinematic storytelling that creates a rich, movie-like experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal as a tactical strategy title.
- “An absolute gem, with stunning backgrounds, a diverse cast of characters, and an atmosphere so thick and juicy, you can eat it with a spoon.”
- “Desperados is a fantastic tactical game that manages to build up the atmosphere of the wild west as well as games like Red Dead Redemption.”
- “Desperados III is good, but still can't match the gameplay, atmosphere, and storyline of this original.”
- “The atmosphere is such a high level of what a tactical game should be like.”
- “Desperados is a fantastic tactical game that manages to build up the atmosphere of the Wild West as well as games like Red Dead Redemption.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its hilarious characters, witty dialogues, and amusing situations, such as AI bugs that add to the comedic experience. The game's blend of sassy banter and funny cliches, particularly in its wild west setting, contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere that keeps players engaged. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant strength, enhancing the enjoyment of both the story and gameplay.
- “Yes, the graphics are old, and some of the themes are a bit...problematic, but the dialogs are funny and sassy, the story is interesting and the group tactics are both challenging but don't require the best dexterity, but more thinking and finding the right timing.”
- “There are also some AI-related bugs but those aren't game-breaking, and I find them funny to be honest (like how the bandits and the US cavalry call each other to check out who sneak-shoots them even though they should be shooting each other).”
- “If you haven't played Desperados before, it is essentially Commandos 2 but set in the Wild West with hilarious clichés to the max! Very fun, lots of character, beautiful artwork (although it has obviously aged quite a bit), excellent story, and lots of tactical variety.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
15%
23%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance on Windows 10, others experience significant issues, particularly with modern display resolutions and overall sluggishness. Despite a recent update improving stability, many users feel the game lacks necessary optimizations for contemporary hardware, leading to frustration for those unfamiliar with technical fixes. Overall, while it can run well for some, the inconsistent performance and outdated graphics hinder the experience for many players.
- “Runs smoothly, no crashes or bugs encountered yet.”
- “Review update: the update they launched today, 05/jul/18, made the game run smoothly and fine on Windows 10!”
- “Well, now the performance and UI are all perfectly smooth.”
- “The heroes' skills are mostly useless, gunfights are random, as is the enemy AI, graphics are low-resolution, and even the performance is sluggish, in a 20-year-old game!”
- “However, the Steam version of this game is no better performance-wise than the retail version from 2001 (it's probably identical) and will run poorly on this generation's computers for some unlucky people out there.”
- “For this to be sold again without any optimizations at all is not what I expected...”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report occasional glitches and crashes, particularly on newer operating systems, others find it generally playable with minor issues. Overall, it shows signs of age with some erratic NPC behavior and freezes, but many still enjoy it despite these problems.
- “Not buggy, unlike other complaints.”
- “It seems like a faithful reproduction that runs great in 2018.”
- “Having played the game more and more, I've found it to be rather buggy at times.”
- “Please try to fix the game, because for whatever reason in its current state it is a buggy mess.”
- “It has big problems with the newer OS. Even though I downloaded stuff, worked my way through different message boards and did everything I could do (because I love this game!), it will have graphical glitches and crash every 20 minutes or so.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game offers high replayability due to its focus on non-lethal takedowns and diverse environmental interactions, allowing players to explore various creative solutions in each level. While some users suggest alternatives like Commandos or Shadow Tactics for a more polished experience, many still regard this game as a favorite with significant replay value.
- “The game's emphasis on non-lethal takedowns and environmental interactions allows for a variety of creative solutions to each level, encouraging replayability.”
- “Good replay value!”
- “For me, this game has a really high replay value and is and always will be one of my favorite games.”
- “Instead, get the re-pop of commandos which is more playable, or just go for Shadow Tactics if you want to play a masterpiece in the genre.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be time-consuming and somewhat tedious, particularly due to limitations like camera rotation and gun reload mechanics. However, the expansive and detailed levels, along with varied enemy AI, provide a rewarding experience that balances the grind.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's a bit tedious because you can't rotate the camera.”
- “The reload of the guns is a little bit tedious, but otherwise it would be too easy, I guess.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by users expressing frustration over poorly balanced characters, which evokes strong feelings of disappointment and sadness.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on abandoned titles for profit.
- “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
- “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it ruins the overall enjoyment.”