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Helldorado

Helldorado Game Cover
76%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
76% User Score Based on 98 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Helldorado Game Cover

About

Helldorado is a single player tactical real-time strategy game. It was developed by Spellbound and was released on April 30, 2009. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

1883, SANTA FE. Peace in this town has been shattered by a shocking kidnapping. Gather your men and ride on a series of challenging missions to stop treacherous, marauding outlaws in this story of vile blackmail and revenge. Capture a train load of loot, dodge through saloon fights, a jail-break, and shoot-outs! The stage is set for this Wild West Adventure. Will you live to tell the tale? …

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Helldorado screenshot
Helldorado screenshot
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Helldorado screenshot
Helldorado screenshot
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Helldorado screenshot
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+14
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76%
Audience ScoreBased on 98 reviews
story14 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Helldorado offers a unique blend of strategy and action, improving upon the mechanics of Desperados 2.
  • The game features interesting missions and a variety of character abilities, enhancing the tactical gameplay experience.
  • The graphics and sound design are praised for bringing the environment to life, making it visually appealing.
  • The game is criticized for being too short, with repetitive maps and a lack of depth in its mechanics.
  • There are numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and problems with AI pathfinding.
  • The story is considered generic and unengaging, failing to provide a compelling narrative.
  • story
    68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story has been criticized for being generic and poorly written, often compared unfavorably to more engaging western narratives. While some players appreciate the humor and character development, many feel that the missions lack creativity and that the overall plot fails to captivate, leading to a sense of boredom. Improvements in mission design and character abilities are noted, but they do not compensate for the overarching narrative shortcomings.

    • “This is how D2CR should have been: interesting story, stealth tactics, minimal bugs, and every character has its unique abilities used.”
    • “Comes with a pretty funny story, though.”
    • “Good characters, good storytelling; AI could be better, but this was published in 2009, so what do you expect?”
    • “The story is yet again so generic that you may as well watch 'Fistful of Dollars' in the background or some other more entertaining (literally any other) western story.”
    • “The story picks up right when 'Desperados 2' ended, but it's still cheesy as heck and absolutely terribly written, while gameplay still feels cheap and rough.”
    • “This sequel is an outrage, with poor story, terrible level design, abysmal AI, uninteresting gameplay, and shallow graphics.”
  • gameplay
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Helldorado, a sequel to Desperados 2, features improved visuals and some new mechanics, but largely retains the same core mechanics and layout, leading some to view it as more of a DLC than a standalone game. While it offers a fun strategy/stealth experience with the option for third-person mode, many players criticize its dated mechanics, poor AI, and rushed level design, suggesting that it could have benefited from more depth and length. Overall, it appeals primarily to fans of the genre, but may feel tedious for those unfamiliar with its style.

    • “Really nice sequel to Desperados 2, improving the game a bit and adding some new mechanics (few, but welcome).”
    • “It improves the visuals and fixes a lot of gameplay issues from the second game.”
    • “Mechanically it feels a little dated, but it's still a fun strategy/stealth game and you can even go into third person mode which is really cool.”
    • “However, this one suffers badly from basic core mechanics and the asking price doesn't help on this decision.”
    • “Helldorado is the sequel to Desperados 2; however, given almost identical layout and gameplay, it's probably better to call it DLC.”
    • “The story picks up right when Desperados 2 ended, but it's still cheesy as heck and absolutely terribly written, while gameplay still feels cheap and rough.”
  • graphics
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews; while some players praise the fantastic visuals that enhance the environment, others criticize them as average and lacking depth. Improvements have been noted from the previous title, but some users feel that the graphics do not significantly change or elevate the overall experience. Additionally, technical performance varies, with some players reporting smooth operation on lower-end systems despite the graphical shortcomings.

    • “+ As with every title in this series, the graphics are fantastic and really bring the environment to life.”
    • “It improves the visuals and fixes a lot of gameplay issues from the second game.”
    • “While the graphics are decidedly average, the addition of a first-person action view, in addition to the overhead zoomable tactical view, gives the player a variety of choices when planning the attack.”
    • “Its only change few things, also the graphics, is the same.”
    • “While the graphics are decidedly average and the Steam overlay does not work, the addition of a first-person action view, in addition to the overhead zoomable tactical view, gives the player a variety of choices when planning the attack.”
    • “The game runs fine on my first-gen i3 with Intel HD graphics and Windows 7.”
  • music
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for being appropriate to the setting, a significant improvement over the previous title's mismatched soundtrack. However, some players find the music repetitive and boring, with complaints about the cycling ambient noise and character voice-overs becoming annoying during missions.

    • “The soundtrack is actually appropriate for the setting, unlike the previous title where it was Kate and John's date music playing every mission.”
    • “The soundtrack is actually appropriate for the setting, unlike the previous title where it was Kate and John's date music playing every mission.”
    • “The soundtrack is actually appropriate for the setting, unlike the previous title where it was Kate and John's date music playing every mission.”
    • “The cycling ambient noise, voices, music, and character voice-overs can get annoying during the missions.”
    • “The cycling ambient noise, voices, music, and character voice-overs can get annoying during the missions.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing storyline, which resonates well with players. It draws on a nostalgic sub-genre that has seen a decline, yet manages to revive the comedic elements reminiscent of past titles like "Spellbound" and "Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun." Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the gameplay experience.

    • “Comes with a pretty funny story, though.”
    • “As funny as it sounds nowadays, the entire sub-genre pretty much died with Spellbound, until Mimimi picked it up and gave it a new life in their Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shōgun. Spellbound alone used to produce a new game of that kind every year, while there were also Pyro, who started the entire thing, and some other minor games.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users consistently report significant improvements in loading times and overall optimization, indicating a smoother gaming experience.

    • “Way better and shorter loading times due to optimization.”
    • “Significantly improved loading times thanks to optimization.”
    • “The optimization has led to much shorter loading times.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate that the grinding aspect in Desperados 3 has been improved compared to Desperados 2, with maps designed as engaging stealth puzzles rather than repetitive tasks of incapacitating enemies. This shift has made certain missions more satisfying and enjoyable on the first playthrough.

    • “Grinding in this game feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged; it often feels like I'm just going through the motions.”
    • “I find myself stuck in a loop of grinding, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has been reported to have stability issues, with users noting that it is somewhat buggy.

    • “It was also somewhat buggy, so... yeah.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is noted to be comparable to other titles, with some users suggesting that there are superior alternatives that deliver a more compelling experience.

    • “If not, there are other games with the same atmosphere that frankly are simply better.”
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100h Median play time
100h Average play time
100-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Helldorado is a tactical real-time strategy game.

Helldorado is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 100 hours playing Helldorado.

Helldorado was released on April 30, 2009.

Helldorado was developed by Spellbound.

Helldorado has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Helldorado is a single player game.

Similar games include Desperados 2: Cooper's Revenge, Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, Desperados 3, Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun and others.