Wanted Dead was a game that I really thought I’d fall in love with. Sporting vibrant, over the top gore, hybrid shooter-slasher combat, and a unique, cyberpunk Hong Kong setting, it felt like everything I wanted in a game and then some. Unfortunately, it released to middling reviews, and, while I completed it, I definitely felt the jank.
But subsequent updates have revitalized 110 Industries’ neo-futuristic action-adventure game, bringing Wanted Dead more in line with what I imagined it would be. Patch 1.12 hopes to do the same and, after a year, it’s finally reworking the infamous Ninja boss battle in Dauer HQ – the one that, to this day, haunts my dreams.
If you’ve played Wanted Dead, you’ll know that the Dauer HQ ninja is an absolute nightmare. At the moment, it doesn’t have a health bar, meaning you can’t tell how much damage you’ve dealt to it. Additionally, it’s so damn tough, and you’ll have to perfectly parry all of its attacks successfully before striking back.
Given this is one of the first higher-level enemies you encounter, it’s enough to make you yeet your controller and call it a day. Thankfully, 110 Industries has taken note, and as a result the ninja encounter in Dauer HQ has been nerfed.
In the exclusive Wanted Dead patch 1.12 patch notes, shared only with PCGamesN, the team confirms that you’ll now be able to see the ninja’s health bar, and that its HP and damage “have been modified to provide a better combat experience.”
A new checkpoint will now let you respawn right before the encounter if you do die (there wasn’t one between the Japanese Hall objective and the ninja battle), and there are several new stim packs dotted around the arena, too.
Additionally, mini-bosses will now always drop stim packs, and a new manual cover option has been added that can be toggled on and off in the options menu.
Wanted Dead patch 12.2 is set to go live on Monday February 12 at 10am PST / 1pm EST / 6pm GMT / 7pm CEST.
If you’ve already completed Wanted Dead and are a glutton for ninja-esque punishment, we have a list of the best soulslike games to keep you occupied, as well as a list of the best free Steam games if you’re looking for something new, but don’t want to break the bank.
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