Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition Review
Overall - 85%
85%
Official Score
Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is a true love letter to 70s movies, 90s arcade run-and-guns, and countless pop culture legends. While players will have to take on the syndicate locally, Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is a modern-day throwback classic.
Vigilantes were all the rage back in the 70s – just ask Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson. In a true love letter to days gone by, Monster Bath Games is bringing this rockin’ sockin’ action to gaming with Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition. Taking cues from all-time greats, do these pixelated warriors make your day?
Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition Review
Larry, Chuck, Diana, Cleo, and Maxwell – this fab five make up the Deathwish Enforcers, packing heat and old-school school. Grabbing your weapon of choice (including the one and only Golden Gun), players will start blasting anything and everything that comes their way – including the big bad Big Boss X.
What follows in Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is an intense battle against the syndicate arcade fans will love. Konami’s Sunset Riders laid the foundation with its run-and-gun action, but the lovely ladies you rescue, barfing zombies, and thrilling motorcycle chases take elements from other arcade classics like Metal Slug and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. As a result, Deathwish Enforcers is a mighty fine tribute to arcade classics while still being its own thing.
Of course, that also means that Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition poses a hefty challenge. One hit and you’re out – there’s absolutely no mercy when the screen is filled with dynamite, syndicate members, rabid dogs, rivers of blood, and porn stars (yes, really!). We’ll fess up that we ended up biting it countless times starting out, but we loved the challenge and slowly refined our craft when playing on normal.
If anything, Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition keeps fresh by keeping players constantly on their toes. Whether it’s dishing out melee to a boss impervious to bullets or riding an escalator to the top, Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition always finds new elements to throw players.
In order to survive, players must absolutely master the slide; providing a set amount of i-frames, players will need to make this functionality one’s best friend throughout its seven levels. While one can hold down and slide, we much preferred using the designated mapped button.
Running at approximately one hour, this title is just the right length for an arcade game. Players will need to rely on reflex skills (or additional credits and continues set via the menu) in order to get ahead, and part of the fun is overcoming challenges and getting that high score. Besides, for the truly daring, a “Dirty” mode can also be unlocked.
Just note that Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is a local affair; online co-op is sadly MIA. Bringing a friend or three along for some four-player co-op truly enhances the experience, so this omission is a sore spot.
Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is a true love letter to 70s movies, 90s arcade run-and-guns, and countless pop culture legends. While players will have to take on the syndicate locally, Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition is a modern-day throwback classic.
