Review: Better Than Dead

Hong Kong Has Never Felt So Suffocating

Better Than Dead is one of those games that knows exactly the kind of feeling it wants to create in the player. From the very first minutes, it becomes clear that the goal here is not to deliver a comfortable, clean, or traditional experience. The game heavily relies on visual filters, distortions, and especially an exaggerated FOV to create an extremely aggressive sense of immersion. At several moments, it feels less like playing an FPS and more like watching recovered bodycam footage during a chaotic police operation.

What is interesting is how the game avoids certain technical limitations. Instead of trying to deliver ultra-realistic faces and ending up in that uncanny “almost real” territory, Better Than Dead prefers to censor, blur, or hide almost everything involving detailed facial expressions. This ultimately works in favor of its aesthetic direction. Discomfort becomes part of the visual design.

The campaign follows a survivor of human trafficking seeking revenge against a criminal organization in Hong Kong. The narrative exists more as fuel for violence than as the central focus, but the context significantly enhances the game’s brutal atmosphere. The city’s hidden corners, decaying buildings, and narrow hallways constantly reinforce the idea that we are exploring a rotten and forgotten side of that world.

GAMEPLAY

Better Than Dead maintains an intense pace almost from beginning to end. The game rarely slows down, which greatly helps build a constant sense of adrenaline throughout the campaign. The stages are relatively short, but they manage to sustain strong momentum without offering much room to breathe.

Combat is clearly inspired by more aggressive cinematic shooters. There is a heavy focus on fast movement, violent room entries, and extremely direct confrontations. The bullet time mechanic strengthens this stylized and exaggerated identity, especially when combined with the shaky camera and extremely wide FOV.

At the same time, this visual style can easily divide opinions. The degree to which the FOV is used here is not merely exaggerated, it becomes a core part of the experience. In some moments, it genuinely increases immersion and urgency, but in others, it may cause considerable discomfort. Players who are more sensitive to intense camera movement will likely struggle, and even those accustomed to fast-paced FPS games may experience visual fatigue after longer sessions.

The lack of a fixed crosshair and the focus on a bodycam-style perspective rather than a traditional first-person camera can feel unusual, especially during the initial movement. Even so, the game manages to carve out its own identity precisely by fully embracing these excesses without hesitation.

VISUALS AND SOUND

Visually, Better Than Dead fully commits to the bodycam aesthetic. The heavy use of motion blur, lens distortion, image noise, and exaggerated lighting creates moments where the game almost resembles real footage. There is a clear attempt to make the camera part of the narrative, rather than merely a gameplay tool.

The environments are one of the strongest aspects of the experience. Hong Kong is portrayed here as suffocating and brutal, with cramped apartments, dark corridors, rundown nightclubs, and hidden buildings constantly conveying a sense of danger. The game frequently tries to shock the player, mainly through its atmosphere and explicit violence.

The sound design also contributes heavily to the tension. Gunshots feel impactful, environments carry muffled echoes, and the entire audio mix helps sell the claustrophobic sensation the game relentlessly pursues. The ambient music also fits perfectly with everything shown on screen.

ACHIEVEMENTS

At the time of this review, Better Than Dead still does not have officially listed Steam achievements. Considering its arcade-style gameplay and relatively short mission structure, there is plenty of potential for challenges tied to speed, precision, and specific ways of completing missions if they are added in the future.

TRAILER OFFICIAL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtq6cJvrbQ

FINAL THOUGHTS

Better Than Dead is an FPS that clearly understands its niche. It does not try to appeal to everyone, nor does it make any effort to soften its visual choices or violence. Excess is part of the game’s identity, for better and for worse.

The experience stands out precisely because it transforms discomfort into a design element. The exaggerated filters, extreme FOV, cramped environments, and relentless brutality create a very distinct atmosphere within the bodycam shooter genre. I believe the trailers portrayed a very different game from the one I actually played — it looks far better when watched than when experienced firsthand, often giving the impression of being a simpler game than it initially appears.

At the same time, this approach comes at a cost. In some moments, the visual impact seems to overshadow gameplay readability, and more sensitive players will likely struggle with the intense camera movement.

Even with these limitations, Better Than Dead delivers something difficult to ignore. It may not be a comfortable or traditional FPS, but it certainly succeeds in building a unique personality among so many similar shooters on the market.

Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

SCORE: 74/100