The most batshit video game of 2023 is already here

polygon.com:

In late December, the creators of Wanted: Dead published a 90-second trailer on YouTube. It is, without hyperbole, a masterpiece of video game maximalism.

As if they were stuffing every Christmas gift into a single stocking, the developers made the most of the diminutive run time, splicing together anime cutscenes, a live-action cooking show, rhythm-based ramen slurping, a retro-inspired arcade shooter, karaoke, a crane game, and a flurry of cutaways to what looks like a John Wick-inspired third-person action game that blends sword fighting with “gun fu.”

Every trailer sells a pitch, and best I can tell, the pitch here is: What if you played every video game, all at once? Well, I’ve now played roughly half of Wanted: Dead, and I am happy and horrified to say, it’s exactly what the trailer promised.

Wanted: Dead is the debut game from developer Soleil and publisher 110 Industries, a pair that includes developers who cut their teeth on the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series. You play the role of Hannah Stone, a battle-ready killer with a knack for filleting humans with the grace and efficiency of a master sushi chef.

Stone’s penchant for de-limbing human beings is curious for one reason: Stone is a lieutenant for the Hong Kong police force’s “riot response.” So why is it that she and her crew — dubbed the Zombie Unit — exclusively carry extremely lethal weapons?

The story of Stone and her squad opens with a subdued (bordering on lethargic) Tarantino-style diner scene. (The game shares Tarantino’s obsession with pop culture history, particularly film history.) Like in Reservoir Dogs, the group chats. And chats. And chats. The longer the scene lingers, the more time I have to notice how off everything feels: Why do