Wanted: Dead is a typical action game although it does do a few things differently. It’s not satisfied with being a hack-and-slash game. It also tries to be a tactical shooter. The main character, Hannah Stone, will have an assortment of guns at her disposal to aid her katana work.
Defeating enemies with bullets or blades will reward Hannah with SP. This can then be spent in the skill tree, at any time, to give her new moves, increase item capacities, or beef up her stats. There are plenty to choose from, but the best upgrades in Wanted: Dead can make a huge difference.
1 Grenade
As its name might suggest, the Grenade ability will unlock the ability to use grenades. The game is filled with enemies and it can be easy to get dominated by their numbers. However, a well-placed grenade can even the odds even if the blast doesn’t actually kill anyone.
Players can simply throw a grenade, let it explode, and then run in to eliminate the weakened enemy forces. They needn't bother unlocking any more of the grenade sub-avenues in the skills though, because the starter is more than good enough for an action game.
2 Dash Attack
The Dash Attack allows players to knock opponents down. All they have to do is run toward an enemy and then hit the action button on the controller, which is the X button on the Xbox Series X controller, for example. This will send them tumbling to the ground, giving players a big advantage.
In situations with a crowd, it’s okay to leave this enemy struggling while players deal with other enemies around. There are other skills that can boost the effectiveness of this ability, but Dash Attack is fine enough for the first few levels.
3 Armor Reinforced
Wanted: Dead is far from a simple game because there is no Easy or Casual mode on the title screen, nor are there any assist features. That’s why boosting defenses is important early on in the skill tree. Armor Reinforced will boost the overall defense rate of Hannah’s armor.
There is an adjacent skill called Increased Melee Defense, which, as the name suggests, primarily focuses on increasing melee defense. Both of these skills should help players survive longer in battle. Again, they are obvious skills to buy in an action game, but it is still worth mentioning.
4 Stimpack +1
Besides boosting armor, healing is another important factor in any good action game. The Stimpack +1 perk increases the number that players can carry by one. Four is the maximum amount players can have in their inventory at one time.
Enemies will drop stim packs and resources will be replenished at checkpoints. The skill right below this one, Stimpack Recovery Up, should be purchased as well. It increases the effectiveness of stim packs by 60%, which should almost refill Hannah’s health bar to maximum capacity.
5 Severed Arm Finishing Strike
The Severed Arm Finishing Strike might be one of the best skills in Wanted: Dead. As players hack and slash away at enemies, their arms will eventually fly off. This will signal that they are almost dead as enemies don’t typically have health bars.
Normally, players have to fight them a bit more until they turn gray, which then allows them to kill enemies off with a finishing move. The Severed Arm Finishing Strike allows finishers to happen after one arm is cut off. There is one for the legs as well, but players can skip that one for now.
6 Melee Damage Up
Melee Damage Up will increase the power of Hannah’s katana. There is nothing more to be said about this skill as it is simple but effective. While this game features guns as well as katanas, it is primarily a melee-focused action game.
That’s how the game seems to be designed at least. This was made by developers who worked on Ninja Gaiden and other melee-focused action games which might explain why the shooting segments feel off in Wanted: Dead.
7 Melee Adrenaline Rate Up
There are actually two types of finishing moves in Wanted: Dead. Enemies can be eliminated when they turn gray, as mentioned above. Using melee attacks will also increase Hannah’s Adrenaline meter. Once full, players can activate Bullet Time which will slow down time and have Hannah unleash a barrage of bullets.
If enemies are hit enough during this time, players can eliminate them and even create a chain of finishers. It’s a bit hard to master and takes a while to build up the meter. Unless players unlock Melee Adrenaline Up, that is, with this skill increasing how fast the meter builds from damage.
8 Doc: Revive Overdrive
Wanted: Dead is basically a squad-based shooter as Hannah is normally accompanied on missions by her three comrades: Cortez, Kolchak, and Doc. Each of her teammates has one ability to unlock in the skill tree. Doc’s skill is the final one in the chain and it’s called Doc: Revive Overdrive.
Players get to “die” once per checkpoint typically, and Doc is the one to revive them. If this skill is purchased, it will boost the effectiveness of his revival by charging up the Adrenaline meter fully and giving players an extra stim pack. It is the best team-based skill in the game and makes Doc the best teammate by far.
Wanted: Dead was released on February 14, 2023, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.