5 Best Games Like Wanted: Dead

Nothing beats a sweet game that puts you right in the middle of a conspiracy. From the makers of Dead and Alive and Ninja Gaiden comes a slasher/shooter game that demands your attention. Wanted: Dead follows the unfolding events of a police squad and a special forces unit as they tackle condottieres, hard-boiled gang members, and military gun-for-hires. All this wrapped up under a cyberpunk theme, you take the role of Hannah Stone, a tough Hong Kong cop with a knack for getting to the bottom of things. 

Combat is the game's core. If you're fond of intense action with no remorse, you'll feel right at home with Wanted: Dead. But the title is yet to be released later this month. Before then, you can sharpen your combat skills with games that create a similar atmosphere. We've racked up the top games that'll have you aptly prepared once the game drops. Here are the five best games like Wanted: Dead. 

5. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

If you're an anime fan, you probably know how intense the action gets. Dragon Ball Z: Karakot is not a stranger in that category. Following the debut of the Dragon Ball Z TV series, there are now over 30 titles adapted into video game form. However, nothing comes close to the latest entrant, Dragon Ball Z: Karakot.

You step into Roku's shoes and explore the semi-open world with the Z-Fighters. The game's plot follows the anime series, which features hard-hitting events and light-hearted side missions. The game's highlight is its battles. The combat is spruced up to a cinematic level that's tremendously satisfying. You can dodge and block attacks-or, better yet, instantly teleport using Ki. You may as well launch an attack using your ranged tools or melee weapons. However, it's advisable to observe your enemy before launching an attack. This way, you're confident about whether to flee or fight. 

Moreover, the game features RPG elements where you explore the anime universe, live, and interact. Players will get to fish, eat, undergo training, collect Z orbs, and ride a hover car. The game unfolds through four storylines littered with intense action that resemble the TV series. 

4. Control

A bashing entry in the action-adventure genre, Remedy Entertainment delivers a riveting and suspenseful game that'll have you hooked for hours. Control follows its protagonist, Jesse Faden, as she attempts to uncover the mysteries behind a paranormal concept under the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). Like in Wanted: Dead, the protagonist is hardwired with an aptitude for getting answers to her bizarre past.

Jesse's knack for solving puzzles, in her past, puts her right in the middle of a paranormal fight. After an entity attempts to cross over into the real world, it creates an existential threat by absorbing the land's infrastructure and reconstructing it into a habitat. Events in the game unfold at FBC's headquarters, The Oldest House, which the entity has taken over. The building is a perfect depiction of old and scary. Abandoned desks and scanty lighting add to the foreboding atmosphere. Moreover, the more you explore the building, the deeper the mystery gets. 

Control uses the Metroidvania theme by allowing exploration at a non-linear pace. Successfully completing a mission lets you unlock new areas. You then get access to save points that quickly teleport you to different centers.

3. Gears 5

A top-seller in the gaming industry, Gears 5 is a fervent shooter game that stands as the 5th entry in the franchise. Its impeccable action gameplay follows the story of Kalt Diaz on a mission to uncover the antagonist, Locust Horde's inception. Every aspect of the game is impressive. From its presentation and storyline to campaign mode, there's a boatload of content that feels refreshing with every play.

The game's combat system has gradually transcended to an ultimate level that is unfathomable. With three weapon slots, you can easily swap from a lighter to a heavier weapon. Moreover, your loyal robot companion eases things by zapping or stunning enemies and even making you invisible for a perfect stealth escape. 

Furthermore, the horde mode will undeniably amp up your combat skills and prepare you for Wanted: Dead. In the mode, you face a swarm of 50 enemies charging toward you. It's easier to take them down with a team, but you also have to be wary of the bosses who emerge after every ten waves. 

2. Max Payne 3

A decade later, after the release of Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, Rockstar is back at it with another violent adventure into the estranged life of Max Payne. In the shooter game, you take control of Max, who now works at a private security firm. Max's life is seemingly littered with massive gun action because he soon gets entangled in a betrayal and death fuelled quest. Let's face it, since the game's debut, we're yet to see a version of Max that peacefully exists and not searching for his life’s meaning in a bottle.

Right off the bat, Max's new job comes with a high price. Although the babysitting job initially sounds simple, his uncontrollable drinking habit gets him into trouble. After a local gang attacks the family he is employed to protect, leaving a trail of bodies, his awry episodes of misfortune ensue. 

As a shooter game, the game uses a new feature known as the cover system, which helps you shield yourself from bullet-intensive action. Moreover, you can easily lock on to a target using the auto-aim, which is helpful in long-range attacks. You also get to explore melee attacks and the use of explosives to disarm your foes. The highlight feature is the last-stand technique, which lets you take down an enemy who has depleted your health without dropping dead. All you need is to have at least one recovery item.

1. Devil May Cry 5

Snatching the number one spot on our best games like Wanted: Dead list is Capcom's sublime action adventure Devil May Cry 5. With several awards and nominations to its name in 2022, the game is undeniably the best-selling in the entire Devil May Cry series. 

As the fifth installment, the game proceeds four years after the events of Devil May Cry 4. The game's antagonist, the Demon King, unleashes a threat that could wipe out humanity. It's up to you and a troop of warriors to stop him. The best part is that Nero and Dante make a heroic return to help seize the day. You can play as either of the two, including a newly introduced protagonist, V.

Moreover, the game's combat system is outstanding. Featuring fast-paced action, the combat provides plenty of freedom and depth—more than any other game in the genre. You can use a variety of attacks against your foes and also get a musical accompaniment while at it. Yes, you get your very own music quartet based on your performance. 

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there other games like Wanted: Dead you think are best? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!