Have you ever wanted to play a game as John Wick, the somber and surprisingly sensitive gun-fu assassin? If your answer is yes, then go play SUPERHOT.
I’m not kidding, either. But if you want something new and exciting, and which actually lets you play as John Wick the character, then you’re in luck. Publisher Good Shepherd recently announced its latest title, John Wick Hex. It might not be what you’re expecting, though.
The SUPERHOT segue was there for a reason. In terms of what I can honestly describe what I’m thinking of when you say ‘John Wick, but in a videogame,’ SUPERHOT comes the closest. You pull off all these sick moves, and time only moves when you move – allowing you to be creative with your kills, be it with guns, melee weapons, everyday items and your fists. John Wick Hex is a bit different. Check the trailer below and find out for yourself what I’m talking about.
It’s a strategy game. A very interesting one, to say the least. While I’ve always pictured John Wick to be all about you totting your way through hundreds of rival assassins in third-person and showing off all those flashy gun-fu moves (think God Hand with guns) a strategy isometric top-down game is the least of what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised though, to see how impressive it can be on a small scale, and it reminded me of Hitman GO and Tomb Raider Go, two mobile games which are kind of similar mechanically. Being a strategy game, you, as John Wick, have to figure out how to best approach a series of levels, finding routes that work and killing baddies along the way. The neo-noir art style also reminds me of graphic novels, and it works really well here.
John Wick Hex is being helmed by Mike Bithell, the indie darling known for his earlier efforts Thomas Was Alone and Volume. The game features signature weapons and Wick’s stylish suits from the movies, and of course, well-known voice actors. It’s confirmed that Lance Reddick and Ian McShane will be voicing their characters from the films, while Keanu Reeves is yet to be announced if he is returning for the role or not.
John Wick Hex has no specified release date, but it will launch for consoles as well as Mac and PC, through an exclusive deal with the Epic Games Store.
