Hard West

1. Michalina

   Nov 19, 2015

   10

   Fantastic game, I encourage everyone to play in it.
   
   Well played characters, cool graphics style and beautiful music. Well showed historyFantastic game, I encourage everyone to play in it.
   
   Well played characters, cool graphics style and beautiful music.
   Well showed history and consequences of my decisions.… Expand

   • 18 of 21 users found this helpful
2. CowboyNuggets

   Feb 26, 2020

   10

   Get you some good hours of fun out of this one, never seen the west quite like this.

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. cpss86

   Apr 12, 2021

   9

   I played this game on XBOX (not sure why it's not here). It's quite good and only in its kind (western-like). If you like XCOM or MUTANTI played this game on XBOX (not sure why it's not here). It's quite good and only in its kind (western-like). If you like XCOM or MUTANT you'll like it.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
5. RMDsilva

   Mar 12, 2018

   7

   Interesting premise, interesting gameplay.
   However, both fall short of greatness. Still an enjoyable game.
   Minus points for still having aInteresting premise, interesting gameplay.
   However, both fall short of greatness. Still an enjoyable game.
   Minus points for still having a glitch that got my savegame on the prospector's mission to make it impossible to finish!… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. Skulb

   Dec 12, 2016

   7

   I was hoping for something a bit more like the old board game, Gunslinger. But instead of that meticulous tactical western game, Hard West isI was hoping for something a bit more like the old board game, Gunslinger. But instead of that meticulous tactical western game, Hard West is a less demanding collection of unconnected wild west scenarios, all of them appropriately Oregon Trail-y dark and dismal.
   You get to play settlers trying to protect their families from bandits and other staple western scenarios. But you also get to play a mad scientistst and other peculiar people. And the game play is pretty good I thought. As you would expect, the combat is cover-based and there is a large variety of abilities and weapons for you to use. But because it is not one large campaign, the RPG part of the game suffers a bit. There is no direct looting either, so the battles are just battles. There is no need for inventory management during them, and you will be focused on either killing enemies or using and looting items on the map. The world maps are loaded with locations of various kinds. Some are shops, some are battles and some are quest related locations. During your travels you gather cards, which you can combine in your inventory for bonuses. It's weird but alright I guess. What I do miss a bit is a leveling process. But then again, since you're playing isolated scenarios this isn't really needed I suppose.
   The writing is good though and the game looks and sounds appropriately Wild West. So although it is a bit oddly designed in places, Hard west is a game it is easy to recommend to anyone who likes wild west games. It isn't perfect, and indeed is missing some staple features of most tactical turn based games. So it might not be for everyone.
   
   Pros:
   - Action packed with lots of things to do.
   - A good amount of scenarios to keep one entertained.
   - Nice graphic and sound design.
   - Classic tactical game play.
   - Good writing and narration. Grim and dark though, so steer clear if you like things happy and cheerful.
   
   Cons:
   - No grand campaign, multiple smaller scenarios instead.
   - Poor performance, at least on my PC. Takes a lot of RAM to run and is occasionally slow to respond.
   - Weak RPG elements, lack of inventory and character control in places.
   - Lack of a zoom function.
   - Rather stupid and silly (also blind occasionally) enemies make things pretty easy.
   
   Pro and/or con, depending on one's tastes:
   - Rather....weird for a western game. In the second scenario I played a comet had made the entire community insane, and as a scientist it was my task to make them sane again with a sanity machine. Just weird all round. At one point during this mission, one of the Pinkerton agents who was assisting me turned into a demon. So that was weird too.… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
7. MR67

   Nov 9, 2018

   6

   Fairly enjoyable Wild/weird West tale with elements of the occult that follows the adventures of a family struggling to make a living on theFairly enjoyable Wild/weird West tale with elements of the occult that follows the adventures of a family struggling to make a living on the Oregon Trail. The main story consists of several interlinked campaigns which must be completed in sequence, and as you cannot save your progress, checkpoints are instead automatically taken during your progress through each campaign. Gameplay essentially consists of a travel section, where you move your party (represented by an ox skull) to various locations on an overland map, and a combat section, which uses similar mechanics to the XCom or Shadowrun games.
   
   While travelling overland, you explore new locations, find treasure or shop at various stores. Sometimes you are given a choice as to what you want to do (eg. shoot the bandits or let them flee), otherwise events that happen at certain locations are resolved automatically. There is also a rather poorly implemented food system, where you have to purchase food supplies and then have each member of your party consume a portion of food each day (you have to do this individually for each person via a menu) or else have them go hungry and suffer penalties later on. Strangely, this system is only used while travelling in one of the campaigns and not in any of the other ones. Combat takes place on a large 3d map like X-Com or Shadowrun and typically has your main character and up to 3 followers engaging in gunfights with enemies. The combat system is a bit more simplistic than either of those games, though - you simply equip 1 or 2 guns, 2 single use items like healing herbs or bombs, and a single equipped item that provides certain bonuses in combat like a pair of boots which increase your movement speed or a shirt which makes you more resistant to damage. Taking full or partial cover is mandatory as characters can be one shotted by enemy attacks if they are not careful, so combat can be quite challenging. You generally get 2 actions each turn, one or both of which can involve movement and the other which involves firing or reloading your chosen weapon. Using an item or a card ability is generally free. Enemy AI is not the greatest and occasionally enemies will finish their turns outside of cover when moving, making them easy targets. There is also a clever card system you can make use of where you earn playing cards for completing certain objectives in the campaign and can then make use of these cards to give your characters various active and passive bonuses which can be used in combat.
   
   The main game is quite short though (and very dark), consisting only of 4 linked campaigns which you play though in sequence. A full playthrough of this will probably take about 10 to 20 hours at most, though there are several other separate campaigns which seem indirectly related to the main story and can also be played through once you have completed the main game.
   
   The game is definitely worth getting (on sale, which it currently should be) if you enjoy tactical XCom type combat, but is let down a bit by its budget graphics, somewhat clunky interface and short game length. The game also has some performance issues, as it frequently lags when opening the inventory screen. The music is OK though (if a bit sparse) and the voice acting from the main narrator is pretty good, if a bit limited. It would have been better had they focused on fleshing out the main characters more and made the main game a bit longer.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. DARKOBLIVIONGOD

   May 6, 2020

   0

   Very similar to xcom yet only differences are in the ambiance worlds enemies and humans but the rest has been watered down a bit for its ownVery similar to xcom yet only differences are in the ambiance worlds enemies and humans but the rest has been watered down a bit for its own innovation that is lacking immitating xcom yet not using it as a guide on what to do better or new and maintain unique and fun or surprising only worth on sales for very cheap prices.… Expand

   • 0 of 1 users found this helpful

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