What are the best games similar in style of the John Wick movies?

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Apr 4, 2023

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Superhot vs Hotline Miami vs Dishonored

vs Payday 2 vs Shadow Warrior 2 vs Max Payne vs John Wick Hex vs Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number vs Mafia III vs Suit for Hire vs Ghostrunner

Specs

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

First-Person Shooter

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, Mac

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Steam

Game Engine

Game Maker 8.1

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre

Action, Adventure, Stealth

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Yes

Platforms

Windows, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360/One

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

FPS / Action / Heist

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

4 Player Online

Controller Support

Full

Platform

Win

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Mixed

Genre

Action

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Platforms

Game Engine

Available on Steam

Platforms

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platform

Pros + Cons

Pro
Lets you roleplay matrix-like battles

The coolest thing about this mechanic is it essentially lets you role play matrix-like battles with you dodging bullets, slicing bullets out of mid-air with a katana and an assortment of other badass things to do.

Comment

Pro
Awesome time-based mechanic

In Superhot time only goes forward when you move. This turns the gameplay into something closer to a puzzle game as you need to be very calculated with every move you make.

Comment

Pro
Minimalistic yet beneficial art style

The art style in the game is very cool and minimalistic while actually serving to make the game easier to understand and play. The gameplay in Superhot relies on you being able to react properly to your environment, and the art choices make it really easy to understand what is going on around you.

Comment

Con
Short story mode

Although there are plenty of other modes with a lot of variety, the story mode can typically be beaten in around 2 hours.

Comment

Pro
Excellent, ultraviolent close combat

The overhead view allows the player to see much of the level in order to plan how to attack each situation, in violent and gory aplomb.

Comment

Con
Buggy

Even after all the updates, AI in the game is still very buggy.

Comment

Pro
Unique, neon-soaked art style and surrealist, gritty story

Playing off of themes seen in movies like Scarface, Hotline Miami features a crazy violent story the exudes a very 80s feel.

Comment

Pro
Great, tense soundtrack

The soundtrack has a very 80s electro flare to it that helps flesh out the feel of the game and it's violent story.

Comment

Con
Light on story and can be difficult

There is really no reason given as to why the player is doing what they are doing and the game itself has a fluctuating difficulty level that can be frustrating.

Comment

Pro
Non-lethal options aren't always better

One weakness of most stealth games is that it's almost always better to play nonlethally. In Dishonored, choosing the nonlethal option on an assassination target is often a fate worse than death. For instance, one woman can be delivered to her secret stalker, the overseer of the anti-magic church can be branded as a heretic and punished by the church, and a pair of brothers can be sent to slave in the mines they once owned.

Comment

Pro
The world (and difficulty) changes based on your actions

Depending on player action, the world can change in drastic ways. A violent player will find that disease-carrying rats will multiply in number depending on the number of people killed, while a pacifist player who eliminates enemies with nonlethal options may will find the world easier to explore.

Comment

Con
It doesn't rely on sound or light as a means of stealth

Dishonored clearly borrows a lot of elements from Thief, but sadly, not its ancestor's most important traits. Where Thief cared about the materials you walked on, and had guards that would vocalize constantly to let players know where they were, Dishonored merely relies on whether or not a player is running (loud mode) or crouch-walking (quiet mode), and it feels less satisfying than Thief. Likewise, stealth is based primarily on line of sight in Dishonored, whereas Thief considered light and dark as well; a player cloaked in shadow could not be seen, even if he was standing directly in front of his target.

Comment

Con
Taking down targets can feel unsatisfying

While the build up to getting to a target is great, talking them down does not always feel satisfying. Thankfully, this option is rarely available. While it does not ruin the game, it would be nice if conversations felt more fulfilling than this.

Comment

Pro
Exhilarating gameplay that makes you and your friends feel like you are part of a Michael Mann movie

This game is like the bank heist scene from Heat.

Comment

Pro
New content is added regularly, making sure the game stays fresh and updated for everyone

New DLCs are released regularly, which give old players something new to do as well as keeps the game enticing in order to attract new players.

Comment

Pro
Cooperation based gameplay makes sure no single player is more important than any other

Your crew needs to bring specific equipment and weapons in order to stay out of sight or improve everyones chances in a gunfight. You also need to pay attention to your crew's health and ammo. This creates a situation where each team member heavily relies on the rest in order to succeed.

Comment

Pro
Random item placement keeps the games levels fresh

Important items are placed in different locations on each playthrough, adding a slight bit of randomness to how each game plays out. This way you never become too familiar with the layout of each level.

Comment

Pro
Play as you like, since the missions can be finished in many wildly different ways

You can win levels through stealth, or through a massacre, meaning that you can use nonviolent methods as well as super violent methods, the choice is yours.

Comment

Pro
Tons of customization options lets every player individualize their look

You can customize your weapons, masks, and skills using the loot you earn from your heists. This lends itself well to the fact that the game is online multiplayer, being that most players enjoy that they can look different from other players.

Comment

Con
Microtransations that boost important stats

With Crimefest 2015, the developer (Overkill) decided to add stat-boosting gun skins that can only be acquired using real money. This makes for a pay-to-win scenario where people who purchase these items have a distinct leg up over non-paying players.

Comment

Con
Some DLC requires owning other games

Some of the cosmetic items are tied into other games available on Steam, which means you can’t access them unless you purchase the other games as well.

Comment

Con
Limited to 4 players only

This game has not been built for huge LAN parties (unless you split your players to multiple heists).

Comment

Con
New DLC can be a bit expensive

Getting the new DLC the day it arrives can set you back a fair bit. Your best bet is to wait for a sale.

Comment

Pro
Fun and well designed melee combat

Melee combat has been done in the past in FPS games, but SW2 pulls off this combat exceedingly well. Not only is if fun to run and gun in the game but it is even more fun to run around with a sword (or many of the other crazy melee weapons) hacking up demons. The melee combat feels intuitive and smooth, not as a secondary attack but one that is part and parcel of the gameplay.

Comment

Pro
Unique experience for each player of the game

Every level is procedurally generated with random spawning enemies, this allows for each level of the game to play out differently for every person playing. While the assets will be mostly the same as well as the enemies, the placement of them will be different, which makes for a lot of good replayability due to these changes as well as makes for unique experiences for all.

Comment

Pro
Told a grim neo-noir story well

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Comment

Pro
Introduced bullet-time

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Comment

Pro
Story and soundtrack is pretty similar in a good way

The soundtrack is pretty similar and not only that it has some similarities in the story with the movie. Both of them look for revenge, you fight evil russian people and the characters are a high threat to their city's mobs.

Comment

Pro
Has the same action and consequences as the movie itself

Not only you can feel like a badass finishing people off with whatever you have in your arsenal, you have to be as precise and efficient as John Wick himself, which makes you feel like him.

Comment

Pro
Excellent soundtrack

The soundtrack perfectly fits the grimy and psychedelic atmosphere of Hotline Miami 2. Most of the songs fall within the electronic, synthwave, and outrun genres. Sometimes there are high-tempo songs matching the on-screen action, other times there are eerie songs in a really bizarre story scene. Whichever it may be, it's always exhilarating to listen to.

Comment

Con
Very unforgiving

One accintent can ruin your progress. If you die you will have to restart the level from the last checkpoint, which doesn't sound that bad until you mention that any hit is an insta death. A gunshot, a baseball bat's swing and everything else that can kill you will do it in one blow.

Comment

Pro
Exciting fast-paced action

Hotline Miami 2 is about brutally murdering mobsters in their safe-houses. You can plan out your path before entering a safe-house but once the action starts, it never slows down. You'll run down hallways and through rooms, killing mobsters with any weapon within reach, including baseball bats, knives, katanas, shotguns, rifles, and many more. Before you know it, there will only be a sea of corpses left to keep you company.

Comment

Con
Can be really frustrating

When you die in Hotline Miami 2, you have to restart the level/section. Because most enemies can take you out in one hit, a momentary lapse in attention can be fatal. This can be especially frustrating in long levels since dying near the end means you'll lose about 30 minutes of progress.

Comment

Pro
Absolute Encapsulation of Baba Yaga experience

This game strived out with one thing in mind: to create the absolute thrilling experience of a Wick-like Assassin, all alive within the grasp of your PC. And with explosive gun-fighting, bombastic executions and a living aesthetic, it more or less achieved its goal.

Comment

Con
Repetition

Due to its Early Access portfolio, many systems, while engaging, often fall short on repeatability after a while. Expect that when you dive into this game.

Comment