Overview – developed and published by Team Axeta, Wanted: Dead or Alive is a hidden object puzzle where the player must catch the bandit hiding in the crowd. As the bounty hunter, can you spot the outlaw trying to hide among the other cowboys, just make sure you don’t shoot the wrong guy. This title is available on the steam platform, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank the rep for Team Axeta that provided the copy of Wanted: Dead or Alive used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts an opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is no story for this release, so I will be going straight into discussing the gameplay.
Gameplay – Wanted: Dead or Alive is a fast paced puzzle title, mixing hidden object and spot the difference mechanics. The objective for the game is simple, spot the bandit on the wanted poster among the crowd. There are four different possible choices, with the difference between each of them being the color of their bandana and hat band. When starting a game, the screen is static, but as each target is captured the difficulty escalates.
The better the player does at spotting their target, the more challenging the puzzles become. After the static images, the targets will start to move, varying in pattern and speed. This will be combined with the timer, which will tick down, adding more pressure to the player. With every successful capture, a time bonus will be provided with the max capping out at 40 seconds. This timer adds further pressure to the gameplay.
Players must be careful not to let the timer run out, as the game will immediately end when the timer expires. Then there is the life system. When starting the game, the player will have three lives which will lost if the wrong target is selected. This gives the game an extra level of complexity, as the player can’t just mass click the screen. At the end of an attempt, the player will be prompted to enter their name and best score to the leaderboard.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this game, starting with the controls.
Controls – as a spot the difference/hidden object game, there is only one style of control that is implemented. This is Mouse/touchpad and it makes the game very accessible, allowing all players to enjoy the game. There is the possibility that touch screen support may be available, but I am unable to test this out. In general the play experience is enjoyable and can be a fun time for all.
Difficulty – this is not the toughest of games, but it can be made a little more complicated by chance. There is a lot of random chance to this game, which can make some attempts end very quickly. But then the reverse can be true, with the chance to have a game be pretty easy, with the target findable very quickly. This does make a rather simple game a little more exciting.
Presentation – Wanted: Dead or Alive is a visually “basic” game, with little in terms of flair, but the simplistic pixel art works in favour of this game. The use of simple and bold colors makes the outlaw stand out, contrasted with the background. All of these details make it feel a little nostalgic, like a game you would find on a pc in school. The sound for this game has that western twang to it, with a gunshot effect that is simple yet effective.
Final Thoughts – this is a simple and enjoyable puzzle game, which I took the chance to cover because it reminded me of classic pc games. I had a real hit of nostalgia, as this type of game was part of the Mario 64 DS port, which I played a lot as a teen. I spent a few hours playing this game, improving my score each time, to the point that I reached the top of the leaderboard. I had a lot of fun playing this and it was very satisfying.
As a puzzle game, there is plenty of play value and can be a good challenge to share with friends, especially at such a low price point. The game is accessible by all, with the simple control scheme and easy to understand gameplay. I am more than happy to say, pick this game up, it is a good deal and plenty of fun for everyone. It is a really simple game, but is worth every second of play time that you put in.
In the end, I give Wanted: Dead or Alive a final score of 5/5. I am unable to find fault with this game, it is a fun game with plenty of challenge to the gameplay loop, all wrapped in a presentation that has a good kick of nostalgia to it. if you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.
Link to Steam version (HERE)
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