Hard West 2
Release Date: August 4, 2022
Strategy, fantasy, turn-based, tactics, western, RPG elements, Polish, singleplayer
Second part of tactical turn-based strategy series set in Wild West. In Hard West 2 we play as Gin Carter, who together with his gang goes in pursuit of the devil himself to regain his soul.
Hard West 2 is the second installment of the tactical turn-based strategy series, launched in 2015. Unlike the first part of the series, which was created by CreativeForge Games team, the described title was developed by Ice Code Games studio.
Plot
Hard West 2 takes us on a journey to the so called Weird West - a variation on the Wild West, enriched with fantasy elements. The main hero of the game is Gin Carter - a famous criminal, who gathers a group of similar thugs and attacks the Ghost Train, full of federal gold. As the name of the train doesn't come from nowhere, the gang's heist of a lifetime quickly turns into a fight for survival. To reclaim his soul, Carter must chase the devil himself.
Game mechanics
In Hard West 2 we watch the action from a top-down view. The adventure takes Carter and his team through a variety of lands. Among them we can find dry wastelands, towns of pioneers and snowy, mountainous regions. We lead a team of outlaws into battle. Apart from Carter, who is a typical Wild West outlaw, there's the witch Flynn, an Indian warrior called Laughing Deer and finally Old Man Bill, brought back to life, whose only goal is to go to eternal rest again. The game is driven by various missions, during which we have to attack trains, take part in horse chases or duel on the beaten ground. The story is shaped by our decisions. The choices we make also affect the loyalty of individual team members, which translates into their effectiveness in battle.
Battles are turn-based and you'll need to be tactical, deploying team members carefully and using their special abilities. Carter's bullets can penetrate certain surfaces, Flynn can teleport from place to place, Laughing Deer charges at enemies to inflict massive damage, and lead-laden Old Man Bill can fire bullets at his targets. In addition, a bravado system is implemented in the game that rewards you with renewed action points for completing a series of kills.
As we progress, we discover cards containing new skills for our gang. Apart from that, we equip our team members with increasingly better equipment, including more powerful weapons, explosives and various accessories that increase their combat potential.
Technical aspects
Graphics in Hard West 2 is in clear, comic style.
August 5, 2022
Hard West 2 Review: X-Com Goes West
Hard West 2 is out now and we have a lot of good things to say about it. But is the turn-based combat game ideal?
August 1, 2022
New Video Games Releasing in August 2022 - Upcoming Games for Summertime!
August is a month that usually goes below the charts. The dog days may be in full swing, but by some miracle, there's room for some really interesting releases. So, no one should complain about nothing to play during the summer break!
Videos and Screens
[0:53] Hard West 2 After Dark update trailer
[1:26] Hard West 2 launch trailer
Gamepressure Review
Hard West 2
Hard West 2 is out now and we have a lot of good things to say about it. But is the turn-based combat game ideal?
God is a Geek: 8.5 / 10 by Mick Fraser
From believable characters to the gritty, high-detail art style that seethes with atmosphere and the top-notch sound design, everything feels authentic in Hard West 2.
ACG: by Jeremy Penter
"Despite a couple issues Hard West 2 is an excellent Xcom style game but based in a world of devils, dysentery, and double-barreled shotguns. An absolute blast to play."
PC Invasion: 7 / 10 by Jason Rodriguez
Hard West 2 has some refreshing ideas to consider, such as perks based on your deck of cards, and consistently refreshing action points by way of kills. Unfortunately, its over-reliance on a puzzle-like, kill-all-in-one-round concept also leads to a repetitive and tedious romp as time wears on.
The main pros of the game
- Engaging Story and Setting: Many users praised the interesting narrative and the unique Wild West theme, noting that the story kept them engaged.
- Visuals and Artwork: The game features impressive graphics and animations, which contribute to its overall aesthetic appeal.
- Innovative Mechanics: Users highlighted several creative gameplay mechanics, such as the Bravado system that rewards offensive play, bullet bouncing, and a luck system that allows players to mitigate misses.
- Character and Voice Acting: The cast of characters and the quality of voice acting received positive feedback, with some notable actors involved.
- Improvement Over Predecessor: Reviewers mentioned that Hard West 2 is a significant upgrade in terms of quality and production value compared to the first game.
The main cons of the game
- Repetitive Mechanics: Some players felt that after a few battles, the gameplay mechanics became repetitive and shallow, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Limited Choices: Several users expressed disappointment over the lack of meaningful choices in the game, feeling that many decisions did not significantly impact the outcome.
- Puzzle-like Gameplay: A portion of the audience compared the game to a puzzle rather than a traditional tactical RPG, which may not appeal to everyone.
- Locked Screen During Actions: Players found it frustrating that they couldn't strategize while enemies were taking their turns, as the screen was locked into the action.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Depth in RPG Elements: Reviewers noted that the game should not be marketed as an RPG, as it lacks substantial character development and meaningful choices.
- Customization and Variety: Some players suggested that the game could benefit from more customization options, dark humor, and character depth to enhance the experience.
- Overwatch and Tactical Options: Users mentioned the absence of an overwatch system, which is commonly found in other tactical games, and suggested that it would add strategic depth.
- Improved Game Balance: There were calls for better balancing of mechanics, particularly regarding the luck system and the recoverable action points after kills, which could lead to overly simplistic or broken strategies.
Summary
- Overall, while Hard West 2 has garnered positive reviews for its engaging story, visuals, and innovative mechanics, it has also faced criticism for repetitive gameplay, lack of meaningful choices, and certain design choices that may not appeal to traditional tactical RPG fans.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 49 votes. 40 players anticipated the game.
Hard West 2 Summary
Game Series: Hard West
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Ice Code Games
Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment / Gambitious
Age restrictions: 16+
Hard West 2 System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-4690T 2.5 GHz / AMD Phenom X4 9850 2.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 750 / Radeon RX 550 or better, 35 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-2320 3.0 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 3200 3.0 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon RX 570 or better, 35 GB HDD, Widnows 10 64-bit
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This week, Steam will see the debut of such title as The Mortuary Assistant, Hard West 2 and American Truck Simulator: Montana.
video games
Adrian Werner
August 1, 2022
Hard West 2 Demo Available on Steam
A demo of the Polish turn-based game Hard West 2 has debuted on Steam, and the first part of the series has also been discounted by 90 percent.
video games
Adrian Werner
July 29, 2022
Hard West 2 Appears in SteamDB Database
It's possible that soon we'll learn more details about Hard West 2. The game appeared in SteamDB database.
video games
Damian Gacek
July 25, 2021