Desperados 3 tips: Ultimate guide to the tactical western

In our tips guide to Desperados 3 you will learn:

  • Why you always have to save in Desperados 3
  • Which individual abilities your characters have
  • What the best tips and tricks for the tactical game are

Desperados3 from developer Mimimi Productions was released on June 16, 2020 for PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One. The latest spin-off of the tactical stealth game has been given some gameplay innovations that will help you get started in the genre. Nevertheless, the missions are extremely difficult, which is why we'll tell you the best tips and tricks for Desperados 3 in our guide.

You want to get the Platinum Trophy, 1000 Gamerscore or all Steam achievements? Then check out our Desperados 3 Trophies & Achievement Guide.

Trial & Error: Save the game as often as you can

In Desperados 3, dying is part of the gameplay. The trial & error principle is firmly anchored in the gameplay of the tactical game. You'll often have to experience a few failures first in order to understand the behavior of your opponents and master difficult situations. Be sure to make use of the quicksave function and save Desperados 3 after each enemy or obstacle you kill.

You can load the last three quicksaves at any time, in case you saved just before a character's death or in another unfavorable place. In addition, you should create manual saves at regular intervals. This way, you won't have to repeat the entire level if your original plan doesn't work out and the last three saves were made only a short time ago.

Even more important than saving regularly is loading the savegames. After the guards have spotted you and the alarm has been triggered, the mission is almost impossible to complete. Before you face the battle with rushing enemies, load your last save and try a different approach. This is because triggered alarms have a negative effect on your statistics at the end of the mission and attract new units.

Unlike in stealth games like Hitman (), it is almost impossible to shoot your way through the missions in Desperados 3. In general, we advise you to use firearms only in case of emergency. Your opponents will hear them from a great distance and most of the time there is a better tactic to take out the guards. On the other hand, if you save the scarce ammunition, you will have as many options as possible at the end of a mission.

New feature: Use the showdown mode

One of the biggest gameplay innovations in Desperados 3 is the Showdown mode. This is a feature that lets you pause time in the real-time tactics game and work on your plan in peace. You can coordinate the movements and actions of different characters in advance. Then you leave the showdown mode and execute the plan at the right moment with just one click (Enter key in the PC version).

Of course, you can also perform all planned actions in real time. However, switching between characters and their skills will cost you crucial time. Furthermore, you have no room for input errors and one wrong action will ruin your elaborate plan in a split second. Consequently, we recommend that you use the showdown mode as often as possible and always plan your actions calmly.

Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings, as the developers have placed small tips and hints for you in almost all missions. On the one hand, you can eliminate enemies unnoticed with environmental killsyou'll be able to open them by dropping large boulders, crate towers and the like on them. On the other hand, in each mission you'll find supply chests that can only be opened by a certain character. Take them as a hint as to which desperado should choose which route.

Bonus tip: Use the new highlighting feature for interactive objects (H key on the PC version) and view the entire map when you start a new mission. This will ensure that you don't miss any important quest items, enemies, environmental kills, or the like. Pay special attention to climbing opportunities and ladders - on rooftops you are hardly visible to guards below.

What is the best Desperados 3 character?

There is no such thing as the best Desperados 3 character. Each Desperado has its own individual strengths and weaknesses. Your task is to match them up and use them correctly. To help you do that, we'll introduce you to all the characters and their individual abilities below.

Desperados protagonist and bounty hunterJohnCooper takes out his opponents with either his pistol or a knife. The latter can also be thrown to silently take down enemies from a distance. In addition, he lures guards away from their position with a well-aimed coin toss.

Kate O'hara scores with her feminine charms. She can flirt with (male) enemies and then lure them into a secluded corner. She can also temporarily blind enemies with her perfume. When the going gets tough, she relies on her deadly pocket pistol, which is quieter than other weapons in Desperados 3.

Doc McCoy 's pistol, on the other hand, is considerably louder. Because of its scope, it's great for killing enemies from a long distance. If you don't want or aren't allowed to make any noise, McCoy silently takes out his opponents with the poison syringe. Alternatively, he stuns individual guards with chloroform as well as groups of enemies with gas or throws out his bag to distract enemies.

Hector Mendoza is the man for the rough stuff. He defeats his enemies with either his axe or shotgun, which takes down several guards at once. His bear trap nicknamed "Bianca" can be placed in the paths of unsuspecting guards. In addition, he is the only Desperados 3 character who can defeat elite enemies single-handedly.

Isabelle Moreau uses a voodoo spell to take control of individual enemies. In addition, she can link the souls of two guards. Afterwards, you just have to kill one of them, after which the linked soul will suffer the same fate. She also has a sickle for close combat and sends her cat to distract enemies.

The 9 best quick tips for the tactical game

  • Familiarize yourself with the walking paths of all the guards when you enter a new area. If this is too slow for you, simply make the time run faster (X key on the PC version).
  • Get used to tying up stunned enemies and hiding them in the next bush as soon as possible. Otherwise they will wake up after a short time and sound the alarm.
  • Remember that civilians also sound the alarm when they notice something unusual. Therefore, take them into account in your planning and check their fields of vision.
  • Hector Mendoza is the strongest Desperados 3 character and the only one who can transport two corpses at the same time.

  • An overview map with all remaining enemies will appear when you pause the game. Alternatively, you can zoom in on the mini-map (M key on the PC version).
  • Cooper only has a single knife, which you have to collect again after each throw. The same applies to McCoy's suitcase and Hector's bear trap.
  • Use the camera rotation (Alt Mouse on the PC version) to discover objects behind large buildings or stones.
  • You can select all characters at once (/ key on PC version) to quickly send the entire squad to another location on the map.
  • Especially rely on the unlimited abilities of your desperadoes and save the limited skills and ammo for especially tricky spots.

Do you know any other tips and tricks for Desperados 3? Then tell us about them in the comments.

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