![]() As you approach the train on horseback, adversaries inside the train are in your line of sight. Occasionally, apparent shots can’t be made, which is evident from the game’s train heist tutorial. Since all characters share the same deck, you’ll face some tough decisions when deciding how to distribute the wealth.Īlthough the 25-30 hour trek is mostly polished, there are a few notable blemishes. Using this deck, you’ll create poker hands for each character, with better card combos providing improved upgrades. Instead of a traditional tech tree, the component uses a power deck, with players able to earn new cards by completing secondary objectives in combat. It’s also found in the system used to augment your team of gunslingers. I liked Borderlands but after years of variations, I’m fatigued by Borderlands formula.Ĭreativity isn’t just rooted in character abilities. Instead, the cast is largely stoic and the game’s tone leans toward serious, which is a welcome reprieve from the trend of persistent character patter. But Ice Code Games largely eschews the kind of cringy dialog that attempts to rattle off a procession of quips. From a brawny, Native American, a hooded woman who dabbles with the occult, and a bloodthirsty cowboy who rises from his grave, there’s a predictably eclectic mix of combatants. Sure, there are some tropes evident across the game’s six playables. The reason for the lack of permadeath is that Hard West 2’s cast isn’t comprised of dispensable tombstone fodder. Fortunately, fallen allies aren’t permanently removed from your team. There’s a wealth of ways that a trouncing can occur. Certain enemy characters will also attempt to ricochet, while other opponents can heal or generate additional foes. ![]() So, while your party can harness some awesome abilities, a minor miscalculation or two can put fast-track you toward defeat. Your team of four is habitually pitted against much larger groups, driven to work every advantage to triumph at intense fights than can take between 30-45 minutes to complete.Ĭharacters only have three action points per turn and commands such as firing a rifle will use all of them. Subsequently, you can call upon this resource to ensure that an essential shot hits its target.Ĭollectively, these innovations mean that Hard West 2’s battles can feel like puzzles that compel a rather specific solution. Miss a shot and you’ll contribute to a pool of luck. Ice Code Games also understands the frustration associated when an attack comes up empty. But here, shooting at metallic objects can produce ricochets that can pick off enemies behind cover. Most of Hard West 2’s peers require very deliberate positioning of units to secure a shot at opponents. Quite a few synergistic aptitudes can help make encounters remarkably engaging and much of the enjoyment comes from discovering all the different ploys.Īnother distinctive addition is the inclusion of the trick shot. When coupled with Laughing Deer’s talents, she can teleport to safety while trading places with an unsuspecting foe who’ll soon be bullet-riddled. But more importantly, she can Shadow Swap, instantly trading places with any enemy that she sees. ![]() Flynn can toggle between a long-range rifle and a shotgun that can blast through multiple, adjacent opponents. Gin can unleash a hellstorm of hot lead, his bullets searing through environmental cover. Although you might think using tools like axes, knives, and clubs during a gunfight might be reckless, Laughing Deer’s hit-and-move style becomes a recurring delight that will have you scrutinizing maps like a checkerboard.īut he’s hardly the only character with an ability that feels distinctive. Every time the character cleaves through a foe, he’ll race toward the next unsuspecting opponent, potentially slaughtering an entire team of opponents. This means that you might take Laughing Deer, your team’s resident melee fighter, on a murderous killing spree. But Hard West 2’s Bravado mechanic injects momentum into the recognizable formula while offering a reprieve from assigning ‘overwatch’.Įvery time one of your posse members kills an enemy, their action points are instantly replenished. Like those games, you’ll probably issue a string of expletives when the random number generator denies you a surefire hit. Sure, with gridded, turn-based combat that’s regulated by action points, the title is destined to be compared to XCOM, Gears Tactics, and Phoenix Point. Like Mammon, Ice Code Games’ Hard West 2 has a few tricks up its sleeve. Carter planned on an easygoing train heist for his posse, but things went south when the locomotive sprouted mechanical legs and a crew of monstrosities attempted to protect their leader. Gunslinger Gin Carter just lost his soul in a card game against a deceitful demon named Mammon. Price: $29.99 via digital delivery, $26.99 launch price
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