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Overview:
Helldorado is the sequel to Desparados 2, however given almost identical layout and gameplay, it's probably better to call it DLC. That being said, the modifications to this entry in the series make the game somewhat fun and I would (just about) recommend this to those who are into the stealth genre and looking for a decent play.
The Good:
+ The precision of the game play is quite a bit tighter than the previous titles. Although some take downs will require a lot of saving and loading, they are made easier by the responsiveness of your characters.
+ The combination moves add depth where the previous title was lacking: they bring more versatile ways to overcome difficult situations and allow you to play more efficiently.
+ The sound track is actually appropriate for the setting unlike the previous title where it was Kate and John's date music playing every mission. The tracks themselves are pretty nice.
+ As with every title in this series, the graphics are fantastic and really bring the environment to life.
+ The addition of mission awards is a nice idea. I definitely recommend playing this game on the hardest difficulty just to get all the gold medals.
+ You can often choose your own path / strategy to reach an objective if you're creative enough with your arsenal of weapons
The Bad:
- 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.
- Trial and error game play will definitely not be for everyone. I personally didn't have too much of a problem with it because it seems to be somewhat inevitable in stealth titles, but having encounters which require pinpoint accuracy is going to be frustrating.
- The AI is not incredibly smart. They're not completely brain dead but they're usually more of a hassle than a challenge.
- Path finding is sometimes a bit broken from top down view. Asking them to run somewhere specific, like through a door, means that you better load anyway because they're going to run into the street first for some reason and then do what you asked them to do.
- The voice acting is recycled from the previous game which means these stereotyped, bland and boring voices accompany your journey. Presumably to save money on the voice acting but then why not just use the voices from the first game which actually sounded authentic?
- Although they have improved upon the gadgets you have to take down enemies, there is still definitely room for improvement. Not knowing which guards will be leave their post, can be seduced, and so on, prior to attempting to make them just wastes time.
- I was rather disappointed no new characters were added. In fact, my favourite character just ends up fucking off into the woods before the game ends for a bullshit reason which could have waited, so I think the game could have had more effort put into this part.
- The game is rather too short for its price tag. Ideally it should have been twice as long so all the mechanics could have been explored in depth rather than having to rush using them all.
Conclusion:
Overall, is this game breaking any boundaries? Hell no. But it is definitely a good game to dig at, piece by piece, for a casual play. There are some disappointing areas, but overall I don't think they outweigh the solid game play Helldorado offers. Metacritic probably got it right here:
65/100