Wick's implementation is absolutely horrible.
Here's a list of reasons why:
1. Advertisement.
2. Seeing as this was an advertisement, it was going to happen regardless, and most likely for free regardless. Claiming that this was the 1.5m secret all along is really kinda scummy. While it seems obvious most of the things on that list were bound to make it into the game at some point (with a big selling point being that they were going to be free if the goals were met), this just feels like yet another kick to the nards for dedicated fans.
3. It doesn't look like Keanu Reeves. I know Overkill has never exactly been good at modeling people, but c'mon. Remember, this is a giant advertisement. You could at least put some extra effort into it.
4. Building off point 3, it doesn't sound like Keanu Reeves. I could forgive the model if it at least sounded like him. This is more of an embarrassment on Lion's part. You couldn't even get Keanu to get in there and say a few lines? I really don't care how stupid he thinks it is, Lion paid some money for this, so I expect very high quality.
5. Trying to add him to the lore. No. Just no. This is a character built off of pure advertisement. It's just a slap to the face to try and make this cannon. Even then, his lore is extremely weak. At least it would make sense that after old Hox got arrested, Dallas' brother would want to step in and replace him. Bain has reason to consider him. Why would Bain allow some random ex-hitman to use the Payday gang? He doesn't even have his own mission (at least not yet), so it makes no sense.
6. How awful the lines are related to him. Seriously, have you heard the way the gang talks to him? Just play Chains and yell at him. You can tell they literally recorded him saying "Wick!" and then copy and pasted it into already existing lines. It sounds choppy as all hell. "Wick!follow me."
7. The fact that almost every heist is now forced to have him. All could be forgiven if I wouldn't have to hear his stupid voice throughout a heist. No, instead one of the cannon heisters is ditched for this starfish. If a person joins and doesn't get the character they selected, they're pretty much defaulted to Wick now. Even if you play solo Wick is one of the AI. It's honestly unbearable at times and makes me cringe whenever I hear those copy and pasted lines. Let me reiterate my first point again: Wick is an advertisement. Please stop forcing it on me. He should automatically not be a default heister, and never should be.
(As a side note, the sunglasses thing is bullstuff. You put them as an infamy perk for a reason. It was supposed to be your start to a "criminal career." Now it just seems out of place since we get 2 pairs for free. Can't wait for the DLCs that include gas masks and plague doctor masks. Let's make all of the infamy rewards useless while we're at it.)
Surprise, surprise. People don't like sloppily executed advertisements being forced upon them. I imagine John Wick would seem out of place even to someone new to the game. For instance, why is he the only one who doesn't use a mask? Or why does he not use blue gloves like everyone else? Or why does he sound so terrible and all the lines referring to him sound so choppy?
The akimbos are stuff too. They don't use any mastermind pistol skills (e.g. gunslinger, pistol messiah) and they take up a PRIMARY slot.
I appreciate free content. But Wick is just so sloppily put in that it sabotages my experience. Having to hear his stupid voice throughout the heist, or god forbid being forced to play as him, just makes me not want to play at all. Also, did I mention how immersion breaking it is to play with a blatant advertisement?
