John will come for you and you will do nothing, because you can’t do nothing.
-Viggo Tarasov, John Wick (2014)
When I first heard that there would be a John Wick video game published by Good Shepherd Entertainment as John Wick Hex, I imagined it would be just like the movies: fast-paced, action-packed, and involving lots of guns. Naturally, the game does involve a lot of guns, but it’s not the kind of game I expected it would be. The talented team at Mike Bithell Games instead crafted a grid-based action strategy game where you have to carefully plan your every move. I played the Playstation 4 port of the PC game that originally released in 2019.
The game is paused by default until you choose an action you want Wick to make. After he moves or does the action, the game pauses again and waits for your next input. The caveat is that enemies will also move at the same time you will. This means that you have to think about your every move and how long each action will take in relation to the nearby enemies. Need to bandage a wound to recover health? Better make sure there won’t be any enemies in sight for a few seconds. The timeline on the top of the screen will display exactly how long each action will take, as well as the thugs’ that are currently in your line of sight.
You are a single person going against what sometimes seems like an entire army. Since you start out with a single gun, and can only carry a gun at a time, bullets become a very precious resource. John Wick’s custom handgun can be reloaded if you have a magazine, but it’s usually the only one in the entire mission. Enemies’ guns can be picked up off the floor, which will only have a partial clip if they tried to use it against you, so you’ll be picking up plenty of guns off the floor throughout. There are additional hand-to-hand combat moves Wick could do if you’re adjacent to an enemy which helps to conserve bullets in tight situations.
While managing time and ammo is important, I’ve found that focus is perhaps the most important resource for survival. Special moves such as takedown and dodging cost focus and once you’re out you’ll be in serious trouble. Luckily it can be refilled for free using the refocus command, though it will take up two precious seconds that you may not have. This makes for some really interesting confrontations when there are enemies coming at you from multiple directions. Taking on enemies one-on-one is ideal since John Wick’s moves will always have the upper hand. I often navigated the levels in a way to make sure I dealt with an enemy at a time, but later levels make this task decidedly difficult. By the second half of the game, I was staggered at the number of enemies the game simultaneously throws at you, and yet if you’re tactful enough it is very much possible to get through the opposition.
Each mission location contains six or seven levels each, where the resources you have after one level carry on to the next. So if you’re low on health and short on bullets, that’s exactly how you’re going to have to start the next level. This may put you in a very tough position if you enter a tough level after having done not so great in the previous level. You do have the option to restart the level if you’d like but be warned that the enemy placements are randomized. To ease the difficulty, most missions give you the option to spend coins to place guns, extra ammo, or bandages throughout the levels (some missions don’t give you the option). You could also spend the coins on ‘tailoring’ which gives you specific boosts such as lowering the cost of dodging or improving accuracy on moving enemies.
At the end of each level, you have the option to view a real-time replay of the entire level. I was amazed that a level that takes me 30 minutes to complete could be replayed in just 2 minutes, but I guess I do sometimes like to take my time planning every move. Unfortunately, I experienced two game crashes during the replays of two separate levels which forced me to play through the entire level again. I decided it was best not to risk the game crashing again so I went through the rest of the game without viewing them. But the crashes found me again as it happened two more times during normal play, specifically as I received a killing shot from an enemy. I really hope that this gets patched as I found the game to be otherwise really enjoyable.
The 8-Bit Review
Gameplay: 7/10
The game does a great job of making you feel like you’re in John Wick’s shoes. The moment-to-moment action keeps you on your toes, especially in the later levels, and feels great to overcome seemingly impossible odds. Wick is perfectly equipped to handle any number of tasks in different ways. The types of enemies you come across are a big influence on your actions. For example, brawlers have no weapons so they will simply walk towards you to attack. These are the easiest to handle, even when there are multiple ones, because a takedown move can strategically position yourself in a way that avoids attacks from others.
When dealing with armed enemies you can walk behind an object for cover or duck behind a table or other low structure. You also have the option to throw your gun at an enemy if you’re out of bullets. Since this move also stuns enemies I found myself sometimes throwing guns even if it still had ammo so that I could deal with one closer to me. Changing stance allows Wick to duck which also opens up the ability to roll. Combining all the moves available at the appropriate times felt very satisfying.
There are several types of guns to pick up off of the defeated enemies, and depending on which one you pick up your strategy may change a bit. A machine pistol is quick but has very low accuracy, an assault rifle is powerful but the shooting phase is very slow, as well as shotguns. The handgun is the most balanced, offering good speed and accuracy, so I tended to prefer using those most of the time. Using other guns led to getting me shot too often. The carbine is the only other weapon I liked using but I did not see it too often.
The environments are all impressively varied and interesting to explore. Certain locations contain many columns useful for cover and other more open environments such as an office building are riskier. You will notice some doors throughout the levels have a pink light coming from underneath to let you know this is where enemies will come from. From what I could tell each level has a finite number of enemies, so even if the number of enemies may sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, rest assured there is an end to it.
There were a few segments when Wick is specifically on a second-floor walkway where the prompt to walk wouldn’t show and I had to rotate the camera around until I could see it again. It’s a minor glitch but it happened often enough for it to need addressing. The main thing that impacted the enjoyment of the game is the game crashes I experienced. It was especially frustrating when one of the levels I had to replay was particularly tough. Then, the fact that the enemy types and locations seem to be randomized means that beating a level doesn’t necessarily make the second time around any easier, but I’ll get more into that later. The next thing I want to address is the visuals.
Visuals: 6/10
John Wick Hex has a simplistic yet stylish graphical style. The characters and environments are cel-shaded and there are very few textures throughout. The locations have a mostly monochromatic color scheme and the areas that are not in your direct line of sight are completely darkened. It is not an impressive game visually but I did find myself admiring the look of some of the locations where there are neon lights or weather effects. Overall it is aesthetically pleasing for an independent title.
The timeline and other elements of the HUD may seem complex at first but everything is well managed and easy to read once you understand the information that is given. The white dots on the floor that indicate where you can move within the hexagonal grid were always clear and visible. Because of the nature of the hexagonal grids, certain angled hallways have you and enemies zigzagging through them which look silly. Overall I had no major complaints about the visuals… until I got to see the replays.
The replays show Wick going through the level in real time through close-up shots. Because it’s so close you get to see the rough nature of the characters and environments. The biggest issue is the animations. You don’t notice it during normal gameplay since it pauses so much but the movements look disjointed and sporadic. Some of the angles they show are blocked by structures so you don’t see everything. It would be nice if there were a type of ‘director’ feature so that the player could control the camera as the action is carried out. I also noticed additional glitches during replays, such as rain being frozen as if the game was paused for a particular level.
I understand that some players may not care about viewing replays. Personally, I thought it was a very cool feature to include and really liked seeing my hard work play out in real time as if watching a scene from the movies. It’s too bad the crashes prevented me from enjoying them despite the visual issues. I believe that the replay feature holds the greatest missed opportunity as there could have been some impressive replays to record and show off to friends.
Narrative: 7/10
The story is brand new for the video game and takes place long before the movies’ timeline before John Wick retired. We are introduced to a dangerous criminal mastermind called Hex who abducts Charon and Winston (both voice acted by the original actors from the movies) as a way to retaliate against the actions of John Wick and the High Table organization. Hex begins to explain how it all started and follows the actions of Wick which works to move the plot along as you make progress through the story.
These three characters are the only speaking characters in the game and the only ones in the cutscenes. It’s not a particularly complex story but the dialogue is interesting enough to keep you intrigued all the way to the end. Hex is also an interesting addition to the cast and the interaction between the warlord and his high profile captives make for entertaining dialogue, especially when they talk about Wick’s escapades. The cut scenes between missions are shown in static comic-style panels with voice overs. It’s not what I would call an ideal method of delivering the story but for this type of game, it is passable.
Audio: 8/10
I already commented on the excellent dialogue in John Wick Hex, but what about the rest of the audio? The music is varied and does well to compliment the strategy and action pacing of the game. Many tracks such as “Elysium Disco”, which plays in the club environment, feature a synth-heavy pulse-pounding techno beat. Other tracks are accompanied by an electric guitar fitting in with the action movie that inspires it. Not all tracks are upbeat but they do create a tense atmosphere that keeps you on your toes.
The sound effects are impactful when you shoot or strike someone. The enemies will often scream or grunt when hit which adds to the satisfaction. I already spoke briefly about the voice acting in which Ian McShane and Lance Reddick reprise their movie roles while Hex is played by Troy Baker. John Wick himself isn’t voiced nor does the game use Keanu Reeve’s likeness, but that doesn’t take away from the overall experience.
There are also several audio cues to keep you informed of what’s happening in your surroundings. A certain beep will notify you that you have been spotted by a new enemy. Additionally, if you hear a door open you can look around the stage to find which one has been opened and get an idea of which direction the enemy will come from. Overall, all the music and sounds are satisfying and work well to compliment the game and push the action forward.
Challenge: 8/10
It goes without saying that this is a tough game, though one that I think is fair. The game starts you off easy enough in the first few levels. It teaches you the game as you play it, which is the best kind of tutorial in my opinion. Most enemies in the beginning only have 3 health points so they can be taken down easily. It’s not until later in the game that you come across 5- and 7-point enemies that give you more trouble. It also gradually ramps up the number of enemies you come across simultaneously so that you get used to tackling harder challenges.
Around the middle of the game, I had trouble with a few of the levels and died quite a few times. Every death there was a lesson to be learned and I improved my decision-making skills. This is thanks to great pacing as you naturally learn the skills needed to take on the harder missions. By the last mission, I was surprised that I actually only experienced a few deaths. I was able to manage a huge number of enemies making smart use of the environment and abilities on hand. It’s a sign of good game design when your growth as a player is reflected in how well you do in the face of growing adversity.
Replayability: 8/10
John Wick Hex is a reasonable length, not terribly short but doesn’t overstay its welcome either. At the end of every mission, you will see your statistics listing clear time, accuracy, and the number of guns and bandages used. Each one of these has a par that you can try to beat which will earn you titles. Earning all titles in a mission will reward you the Baba Yaga title, which fans of the movies will recognize. Your motivation to try to acquire these will depend on how you feel about achievements/trophies, as this is the only reward you get from what I could tell.
Another option you have is playing through the game in expedited mode in which you are only given seven seconds to choose each move. I only briefly tried this mode as I didn’t think I was experienced enough to play it this way. Now that I have finished the game I actually am excited to go back and try it that way. The randomization of enemy types and placements will make sure to keep you on your toes and ensure that no two playthroughs are exactly the same. The eight missions with about six or seven levels each provide a satisfying length that will either be shortened or extended by how fast you learn to adapt to the complex situations it throws you in.
Uniqueness: 10/10
There is no game quite like John Wick Hex, which is surprising because it works so well. The mixture between strategy and semi-real-time action is well crafted and the few abilities you have can be combined to make you feel almost unstoppable. It’s a great feeling and one that I enjoyed all the way up until the final confrontation. The graphical style also adds to separate itself from the pack, as the case usually is with Mike Bithell’s games.
The closest games I can think of that come close are the Square-Enix mobile games such as Lara Croft GO and Deus Ex GO where the enemies move at the same time you do. However, these games are more puzzle-oriented and require a different type of problem-solving. You’d have a hard time finding a game that plays similar to John Wick Hex.
Personal: 7/10
I’m not the biggest fan of John Wick (I’ve only seen the first movie) but I do enjoy the action scenes and Wick’s unrelenting nature to accomplish his mission. This element of the character is implemented very well into the gameplay so I quite enjoyed the entire experience.
One thing that kept going through my mind is that I wish Wick had the ability to perform more actions. To be clear, I think the game already gives you a good number of actions. I just pondered what a potential sequel could bring to the plate. If I had the ability to jump over short obstacles, grab random objects to throw at enemies on the fly, or sprint for short distances it could make for even more dynamic gameplay. This is why I hope that the game does well so that we may someday see a sequel with these ideas fleshed out.
But those thoughts aside, I did get what I expected to get out of this game: an action strategy game that is challenging, exciting, and fun. The various crashes were frustrating for sure, which is what ultimately brings this score down. After experiencing the second crash during the replays I was scared to the point of avoiding replays for the rest of the game. I fully expect a future patch to fix these issues, and once that happens I will fully endorse and recommend this game.
We’d like to thank Good Shepherd Entertainment and Mike Bithell Games for offering us a copy of their game for this John Wick Hex review!
Aggregated Score: 7.6
Kalas, aspiring content creator (but failing horribly at it) has found a wonderful community of friends to share his love of games through Twitch, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
