You have to love it when an indie developer pays loving tribute to a classic of old, especially if it’s a classic that’s not as highly regarded as it used to be. In this case, Monster Bath Studios’ ode to all things Sunset Riders, but with a taste of 70s action films. The result is Deathwish Enforcers, and it’s really something.
The game has you taking on all sorts of evil forces with four token characters, including a Dirty Harry type, an inspired hero based on Paul Kersey from Death Wish, a Pam Grier type with guns and an Emma Peel-designed heroine. Together, they’ll team up to take on criminals, zombies and anyone else doing evil deeds to humanity.
The plot is silly and the game’s UI isn’t quite all together. However, Deathwish Enforcers still delivers the goods, especially if you’ve been looking for a new Sunset Riders style adventure to play with friends. It has been a while, after all.
Lock and Load
The game has you choose your character and then sends you on your way, picking up power-ups along the way and jumping along platforms. At the end of each stage, a boss awaits, be it a porn boss that can take a lot of damage or a frickin’ demon that has a problem with its digestive tract. No matter, you’re ready to open fire.
The gameplay is very good, and you can tell that Monster Bath was heavily inspired by Sunset Riders based on aspects of its design. It feels like a lot of fun, and it’s a blast shooting your way through the game with several buddies in tow, similar to what Sunset offered.
The only catch is that the UI is problematic in some places, particularly when it comes to jumping on certain platforms. Sometimes the cue is off, resulting in an unintended death. And sometimes there are ledges that can only be accessed from certain spots, instead of being able to simply jump up. I’m sure these are just minor mistakes, and won’t get in the way of your enjoyment. But a patch to alleviate these problems wouldn’t be the worst thing.
A Classic Looking Adventure
Along with fun gameplay, Deathwish Enforcers also utilizes a fun presentation inspired by all things Sunset. The character design is novel and the action moves along smoothly enough, with barely a hint of slowdown. Some of the enemies are rather clever, too, along with some of the sweet level designs.
As for the music, it’s terrific as well, with a lot of tunes that play alongside the action. I would’ve liked a little more cornball acting (the game doesn’t have nearly enough of it considering the theme), but what’s here is more than suitable. You’ll have a good time with it.
A Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Time
Even though you can get the original Sunset Riders on Switch and PS4 for a much lesser price ($8 compared to Deathwish’s $23), Deathwish Enforcers is still a must-have title for anyone that loved that game. For the most part, it plays wonderfully and offers fun for players of all skill sets, and also comes with a bevy of cool unlockables (like a music box and a “Dirty” mode for a higher challenge). It also looks and sounds great for an indie endeavor. And it’s got lots of inspiration from the 70s cop films. Heck, I expected Mitchell to show up at one point.
Even though it’s far from a perfect affair, Deathwish should easily make its way onto your wishlist.
GAMERHUB RATING: 4/5
