Desperados 3 Walkthrough and Guide

Desperados 3 is a real-time tactics stealth game set in the 1870's Wild West. The story is the prequel to Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, the first game in the series, and explores the origin of the series' protagonist John Cooper as he journeys through Colorado, Louisiana and finally Mexico on his quest for redemption. The objective of the game is to assassinate enemies silently or disguise kills as accidental deaths. Missions can also be completed without killing anyone by knocking out and tying up enemies. Bodies of incapcaitated enemies need to be hidden to prevent enemies patrolling the area discovering them and triggering an alarm that calls for reinforcement. In addition to John Cooper, Desperados 3 also includes four other playable characters; runaway bride Kate O'Hara, shady Arthur 'Doc' McCoy, the giant trapper Hector and Isabelle Moreau, a mysterious lady from New Orleans. Check out our Desperados 3 Walkthrough and Guide to find out more about the game.

Study Enemy Patterns

All of the enemies in Desperados 3 have set patterns which will only alter if you arouse their suspicion. Once the enemy feels there is no imminent danger nearby they will go right back to exactly what they were doing before. It is therefore beneficial every time you enter a new area to sit and pay attention to the enemy patrols to make notes of their movements and begin to strategise how you will deal with situations.

Check Enemy Views

It is important that you check the view of every viewcone so you are able to see the view of all enemies and see if there are any blindspots you can take advantage of. Remember when you strategise that Ponchos never move from their position so you will have to formulate a plan that works around them. This will involve dispatching normal enemies and removing them from sight or using Kate's seductive abilities to have Ponchos look in another direction.

Pay Attention to Viewcones

Hovering around an enemy in Desperados 3 is their viewcone and it is important that you pay attention to its colour as this gives a hint as to how to deal with that particular enemy. Hatched areas of a viewcone mean you can sneak past undetected if you remain crouched, a full colour-viewcone indicates you will be seen no matter whether you are crouched or not. If the viewcone is green the awareness level of the enemy is low and they are not aware of your presence. If you are spotted the viewcone will change colour to yellow and the enemy will actively seek you out and when it turns red you have been spotted and nearby enemies have been alerted and are converging on your position. Avoid the viewcone turning red at all costs as this often means you will be unable to escape and will result in your characters death.

Don't Make Noise

Sounds in Desperados 3 can be a nuisance because if the enemy hears suspicious sounds, they will turn towards the source of the noise and then go there. When you need to get past a Poncho that will not leave his position you should approach slowly so you don't make a noise and if the viewcone permits, try and sneak past him. This will mean moving in a crouched position staying out of his view or alternatively use a sound of some sort to make the Poncho look one way while you go the other.

Avoid Guard Houses

Guard Houses are buildings scattered on the maps that are marked by a large red bell icon with an exclamation mark on them. You can see how many guards are inside by hovering over them. When devising a plan it is advised that you stick to a stealthy approach if there are any Guard Houses nearby and if possible avoid areas that have them altogether.

Use Different Characters

In Desperados 3 there are five different playable characters that become unlocked when you reach various stages of the game. Although their basic controls are more or less the same the way in which you can use them to your advantage can vary considerably. Knowing the differences between each character will enable you to choose the one best suited to overcome your current predicament. Check out our Character Guide to find out more about the different playable characters in Desperados III.

Desperados 3 Release Trailer