What To Expect From John Wick Hex?
For any fan wishing to emulate the unabated and striking style of John Wick in taking down enemies, the much-loved protagonist of the critically acclaimed John Wick franchise, a prequel action strategy-based game of the same could be a dream come true. John Wick Hex was released on 8 October 2019 by developer Bithell Games and publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment and is currently available for Windows and macOS.
While John Wick Hex might put a considerable amount of pressure on the player to live up to the character, it should not take away the fun and appreciable beauty of the game. You, for one, could be among the pack willing to take a chance at the game and enjoy the party, as you go around executing the enemies or dodging bullets coming your way.
The basic game plot involves the antagonist, Hex, who defies the High Table by holding Winston and Charon as hostages. You will set out as John Wick with a contract from the High Table to rescue the two hostages and, in the process, fight your way across the complex web of Hex’s rebellion, taking down anyone who comes your way and finally defeating Hex.
The gameplay
John Wick Hex takes a dig at the hex-grid style, where you can move along hexagonal grids, clearing a single or bunch of targets as you make your way through to the main target. You will have limited yet decent flexibility as to how you can defeat your enemies, such as firing at them, striking, or taking down enemies, throwing the gun at the target to gain that extra split second to get closer and manhandle the target.
The game is timeline based, where the enemies also stay active, though not as accurate, as you maneuver your way across the room full of targets. While you are taking down a target, the other enemies could still crouch up behind you, and the next thing you know, you could be dead. Since you will be working on a crucial timeline, every move or second counts, and you need to take each calculated step to defeat every single visible enemy as neatly as possible. You miss a second, and you could be taking more hits than your enemies.
While you are equipped with limited ammo, you could also find yourself a new weapon taken off from any of your enemies after tackling them, which becomes much easier than reloading and losing all those precious time that can get you an extra step ahead of the enemy. Every single action is a calculated risk as you could lose precious seconds, so each action should be properly thought through.
You could easily get by the first few levels because your targets won’t come in at you from every angle, as would be the case in later levels. The difficulty ramps up pretty quickly with the increasing levels, and you will soon find yourself easily rounded or cornered by enemies.
Game features
The game features tactical combat complemented with various weapons, which are rather simulated to real-life limitations and require timely reloading. New weapons or ammo can also be acquired as you progress through the levels. You can also keep track of how much time it will take for you to tackle each enemy, which could give you a heads-up on when to attack or dodge your enemies. Timelines that show on your screen will help you exactly how to track your time.
Another great feature in John Wick Hex is the cinematic replay of the combat actions that will be shown after the completion of each level. The game plot advances through cut-scenes depicting each level and filling up the overall story after the completion of all the levels.
Overall, the game has done a pretty good job at capturing the cinematic appeal of the original franchise and also bringing some character to the game, allowing the players to experience an actual feel of the dangerously slick and elegant John Wick in action. Check out the game trailer to have a glimpse of the classic blend of noir comic and aesthetic neon palette.
Immerse yourself into the bold and elegant illustrated world of John Wick Hex with pops of neon scattered sparingly across.
