1970s action heroes took no guff. They walked into a room and blasted criminals without hesitation. Fast forwarding to the present, Monster Bath Games and Limited Run Games have combined that gritty '70s atmosphere with the colorful shooting of the arcade classic, Sunset Riders, to create Deathwish Enforcers. Up to four local players can join the police force to save the city from an evil army of criminals and zombies in this stylish run-and-gun shooter.
In Deathwish Enforcers, players will choose from four characters based on 70s action icons like Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson, each with slightly different stats. The game takes place over 7 missions, each wildly different from the rest. The team will fight through drug-riddled city slums, across a series of interconnected boats in the bay, through a graveyard, a burning apartment, and much more. Each mission has a distinctive boss as well, including a corrupt porn star who shoots at the heroes from his second-story estate, a Terminator-like criminal who rides in an armored truck, and even more dangerous dudes.
While Deathwish Enforcers looks a bit like a beat 'em up (as did its spiritual predecessor, Sunset Riders), it plays a lot more like Contra than Final Fight. Players are restricted to a single plane of movement. There, they can run, jump, duck, and shoot at the relentless hordes of evildoers. Buxom hostages can be rescued for score bonuses, and power-ups can either provide upgraded weapons or enable each character's unique, screen-filling special attack. The game is actually pretty challenging, even on Easy difficulty, but beating it will unlock unlimited credits.
Deathwish Enforcers supports 4-player local co-op. Digital versions sell for $22.99 on PlayStation and Switch. Physical versions of Deathwish Enforcers are available to preorder through May 14 at Limited Run Games. The standard limited editions sell for $34.99, whereas the "Classic Editions" will go for $64.99. We'll have a full co-op review soon!