Evil West

Evil West is one of the most surprising and enjoyable action games of the year, and Flying Wild Hog have an absolute banger on their hands.

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"Evil West" is a third-person action game set in an alternate history where the Wild West is overrun by supernatural forces. As a skilled agent of a secret organization, players will use an array of weapons and abilities to eradicate the monstrous hordes and uncover the conspiracy behind the supernatural threat. The game features a thrilling combat system, an engaging storyline, and a variety of stunning locations.

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Play Modes

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,060 reviews

story988 positive mentions

stability405 negative mentions

The combat system is fun and engaging, allowing for a variety of combos and abilities.
The game features a unique blend of Wild West and supernatural elements, creating an interesting setting.
The graphics and art style are visually appealing, with well-designed environments and character models.

The game is plagued by bugs and technical issues, particularly in co-op mode, leading to crashes and unresponsive controls.
The story is predictable and lacks depth, with shallow character development and clichéd dialogue.
The gameplay can become repetitive, with many encounters feeling similar and relying on artificial difficulty through enemy sponginess.

story
2,951 mentions
33 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The story of *Evil West* is generally described as predictable and clichéd, often serving merely as a backdrop for the game's action rather than a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate its campy charm and engaging world-building, many criticize the dialogue as bland and the character development as shallow, leading to a lack of emotional investment. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag—entertaining enough to keep players engaged but ultimately forgettable and lacking depth.
- “The story is interesting, I do enjoy the world building and characters, the level design is unique, and the fighting mechanics are a lot of fun.”
- “The story itself is great and the characters are extremely well made.”
- “The story is surprisingly engaging too.”
- “Putting aside the disjointed story, the bland and sometimes cringe dialogue and the insane difficulty spikes in the later chapters that forced me to lower the difficulty from hard to normal, the game is actually decent.”
- “The plot is predictable and feels like a mishmash of clichés from better games and movies.”
- “Overall, Evil West had potential, but the lackluster story, repetitive gameplay, and uninspired design make it hard to recommend.”
gameplay
1,547 mentions
39 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Evil West" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its engaging combat mechanics and fun weapon variety, reminiscent of classic action games like "God of War" and "Doom Eternal." However, criticisms arise regarding its repetitive gameplay loop, linear level design, and numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience. While the combat can be satisfying and visually appealing, the lack of depth in enemy variety and the presence of technical issues make it difficult for some players to fully enjoy the game.
- “The combat mechanics are incredibly engaging, allowing players to tackle some of the craziest-looking and acting vampires, werewolves, and other terrifying monsters.”
- “With its unique blend of genres and exhilarating gameplay, I give Evil West a solid 10/10.”
- “The gameplay is fun; the more we played, the more comfortable we both got with the variety of moves and combos you unlock, and I was excited to see how powerful your character would become.”
- “First off, the gameplay is extremely repetitive.”
- “Overall, Evil West had potential, but the lackluster story, repetitive gameplay, and uninspired design make it hard to recommend.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, the sound design is unremarkable, and the game suffers from poor enemy scaling and pacing issues that make it feel dragged out and tedious.”
graphics
969 mentions
50 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Evil West" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and impressive visual effects, particularly in environments and character designs. However, several players note that the graphics can feel dated, reminiscent of older console generations, and are marred by occasional glitches and performance issues. Overall, while the visuals are often described as stunning and atmospheric, they are also criticized for lacking polish and depth in certain areas.
- “The graphics are stunning, bringing the eerie landscapes and nightmarish enemies to life with impressive detail and atmosphere.”
- “It's easily one of the most captivating and creative AA games I've played in a long time, with some incredibly striking and awesome art direction and overall very pretty graphics.”
- “The visuals are spectacular, the variety of weapons and perks are excellent.”
- “The cutscenes (outside of speech) actually look worse than the in-game graphics, and serve only to break what little immersion this game provides.”
- “While I understand that not every game needs cutting-edge visuals to succeed, the graphics here are not just dated; they're distracting.”
- “The graphics are outdated, seems like they are at least 10 years old.”
stability
443 mentions
6 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay, especially in co-op mode. Many users experienced game-breaking issues, such as freezing during missions, lost progress, and frustrating visual glitches, leading to an overall impression of the game being a "buggy mess." While some players found enjoyment in the gameplay despite these issues, the consensus is that the game's stability remains a major concern that detracts from the overall experience.
- “Game runs great and looks pretty good!”
- “Not to mention it runs great at launch with no bugs to be seen.”
- “Aside from a few rough cutscene transitions, the game is overall very polished and I came across no glitches in my playthrough.”
- “The game is also fairly buggy; I had several sections or progress lost due to crashes or freezing.”
- “Game breaking bug (don't access the menu while in the mission) in the 11th mission if you are doing co-op where your game freezes and you won't be able to play the game with your friend.”
- “The game is unplayable in co-op, crashes constantly, and there are a lot of bugs and glitches.”
optimization
231 mentions
30 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes, even on high-end systems. While some users experienced smooth gameplay and solid performance after adjusting settings, others highlighted persistent bugs, crashes, and inconsistent frame rates as major drawbacks. Overall, the optimization appears to be a significant concern, detracting from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
- “What a fantastic game, marred by reviewers who don't know what they are talking about, extremely well optimized, not a single crash.”
- “Performance was rock-solid, locked it to 60fps, everything at epic minus some texture tweaks, and for an UE4 game I didn't really see much in terms of stuttering or usual visual weirdness.”
- “I did enjoy everything other than that though, it did not crash on me, optimization was great, no lags, no nothing.”
- “A lot of players have issues with stuttering even on high-end machines.”
- “The game suffers from technical issues, including poor optimization, occasional frame rate drops, and inconsistent performance, which detract from the overall gaming experience.”
- “Don't recommend on PC due to poor shader compilation resulting in horrible stutters anytime new effects or assets were loaded, resulting in borderline unplayable performance your first time through a section.”
music
151 mentions
39 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it unremarkable or forgettable, often describing it as generic and lacking depth. While some appreciate the atmospheric qualities and fitting nature of the soundtrack, others express disappointment, wishing for a more memorable or engaging score. Overall, the music serves its purpose but does not stand out significantly compared to other titles in the genre.
- “Great music, fun combat, interesting setting....”
- “Combined with the haunting soundtrack, every moment spent in the game feels intense and immersive.”
- “The combat is excellent, the world design and music really sets the mood.”
- “The background music and sound effects are serviceable but lack the depth and immersion found in other titles in the genre.”
- “It's a droning and looping soundtrack in way too many encounters, to the point that it sinks in your brain becoming a white noise living in the back of your head.”
- “I'm really sorry for the composer, but this is not even debatable, the OST is so very forgettable (except for a couple of soothing acoustic pieces).”
humor
138 mentions
99 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing, with some players finding it genuinely funny and engaging, particularly in character interactions and cutscenes, while others criticize it as forced or cringe-worthy. Many reviews highlight moments of unintentional humor stemming from glitches and absurd design choices, contributing to a chaotic but entertaining experience. Overall, the game's comedic elements seem to resonate well with those who appreciate its over-the-top style, despite a significant number of players feeling that the humor often falls flat.
- “It's lots of fun to play, the story and characters are engaging and know they're being outrageous and a bit over the top - it's laugh-out-loud funny in places.”
- “Rich character development and I found the humor very fun and enjoyable.”
- “It has so much humor, violence, it's so crass; it's really not trying to be a serious game, but just a fun romp of an experience.”
- “Also, 20% more humor would be nice.”
atmosphere
118 mentions
69 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Evil West" is a mixed bag, with some players praising its visually stunning environments and immersive settings that effectively capture a dark, steampunk-infused version of the Wild West. However, others criticize the inconsistency in graphical quality and the lack of atmospheric detail in certain levels, leading to a feeling of dullness in some areas. Overall, while the game excels in creating engaging and varied atmospheres, it also suffers from technical shortcomings that detract from the experience.
- “Great story, fun combat, and immersive atmosphere.”
- “From dusty towns to desolate landscapes, the atmosphere is rich and authentic, completely immersing players in this dark and twisted version of the west.”
- “The color palette and design elements used to create a dark and gothic atmosphere quickly draw the player into the world.”
- “While some videos of the game look really good, many levels look a lot poorer, since the devs got around creating an atmosphere by adding a flat and rather annoying hue to most levels.”
- “Character models lack detail, environments feel uninspired and lifeless, and the overall aesthetic fails to capture the eerie atmosphere the game desperately tries to convey.”
- “Graphic is ridiculous, mountains and trees look like 2D stickers on the screen, water is worse than in cartoons, and the entire atmosphere feels like I am playing a bad 2000s game at best.”
grinding
97 mentions
4 % positive mentions
10 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game starts off enjoyable, it quickly devolves into a tedious grind characterized by repetitive combat and poorly scaled enemies. Players express frustration with drawn-out encounters, particularly against minibosses and bullet sponge enemies, leading to a sense of monotony and a lack of engaging challenge. Overall, the gameplay becomes a slog, detracting from the initial fun and making progression feel burdensome.
- “A game that's centered around having fun and not grinding away for hours for some stats.”
- “No microtransactions, no bloated open world, no tedious grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The combat, while initially fun, becomes a tedious button-mashing affair as the same enemies are thrown at you over and over again.”
- “Additionally, the game suffers from poor enemy scaling, with monsters simply increasing in HP as you progress, resulting in encounters that feel dragged out and tedious rather than challenging and engaging.”
- “However, the game quickly loses its luster after the first half, devolving into a repetitive and tedious slog that fails to justify its price tag.”
replayability
70 mentions
14 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting a lack of meaningful choices and linear gameplay that limits long-term engagement. While some features like New Game+ and mission selection offer opportunities for replay, the repetitive mechanics and absence of significant content updates leave many feeling that the game has low replay value. Ratings for replayability generally hover around 3-4 out of 10, indicating that while there are some redeeming aspects, they are not enough to sustain interest for most players.
- “They are all replayable though; you can select missions through the lore menu and it has New Game+ as well if you want to unlock everything.”
- “I had played the game about a year ago and decided I wanted to get the game on Steam. I wanted to see if I enjoyed it as much as I remembered, and it turns out I'm probably enjoying it even more. There's also a ton of replayability in the form of different costumes, skills, and weapon upgrades you can obtain throughout the levels.”
- “This system increases the replayability of the game, allowing for different play styles.”
- “The absence of meaningful choices and branching paths further limits the game's replayability, resulting in a disappointing and forgettable experience that fails to offer new and engaging content for returning players.”
- “Certainly not perfect, and probably not very replayable unless you like doing the same stuff but harder for another 10-12 hours.”
- “The game has no replay value on its own.”
character development
51 mentions
41 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal, with many reviewers noting that while the character designs and environments are visually striking and imaginative, they lack depth and narrative richness. Players appreciate the flashy and unique character aesthetics but express a desire for more substantial character growth and customization options. Overall, the game is seen as fun and engaging in terms of combat and visuals, but it falls short for those seeking a story-driven experience with meaningful character development.
- “Rich character development, and I found the humor very fun and enjoyable.”
- “The story is full of action-packed moments and deepened with character development.”
- “What it has is a great combat system with tons of options and upgrades, challenging enemy encounters that put your skills to the test, and one of the most badass premises and aesthetics I have seen in a game thus far in terms of character design and world setup.”
- “No character development to speak of, despite facing all sorts of craziness.”
- “You're here to shoot and punch monsters, not win an Oscar, but some more character development could have elevated the experience.”
- “I'd have appreciated more customization options for character development as I was really looking forward to a more traditional vampire hunter loadout, and while most or all of the weapons one could want for that do exist in this game, your actual talent tree is limited to either electromancer or anime boxer.”
emotional
37 mentions
59 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
41 % negative mentions
Overall, the emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with many players noting a lack of character depth and minimal emotional investment in the story. Key moments intended to evoke feelings fall flat, leading to a general sense of boredom and disengagement. However, some players found isolated moments, such as a heartfelt ending or a memorable boss fight, to provide a slight emotional uplift amidst the otherwise uninspiring narrative.
- “Both gory and gruesome yet heartfelt.”
- “And it's really good, god even their credits song which is sung by the main villain will send you on an emotional roller coaster.”
- “I did really like a couple of the vampires and I thought Felicity had a great deal of potential, but... without going into spoilers, I can say that it seems like they are building towards something interesting or at least emotional with the main antagonist.”
- “Boring story with unlikable characters.”
- “Boring story with cliche writing, repetitive gameplay, and steep price tag.”
- “[boring story, frequent bugs, co-op feels like an afterthought]”
monetization
30 mentions
13 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by a complete absence of microtransactions, battle passes, and live service elements, which many players appreciate as a return to traditional gaming. However, some reviews criticize the game as a cash grab, feeling that despite its lack of monetization schemes, it fails to deliver a compelling experience, leading to disappointment among players. Overall, while the lack of monetization is praised, it does not compensate for perceived shortcomings in gameplay and design.
- “There aren't any microtransactions or battle passes; it's just a regular video game through and through.”
- “This type of game is what we needed in the current gaming era - just pure fun, no season passes, microtransactions, live services, or whatever nonsense that's plaguing the industry.”
- “An honest-to-goodness classic mid-budget game, no battle pass, no microtransactions, no daily grind nonsense.”
- “Despite its AAA aspirations, 'Evil West' feels like a cheap and uninspired cash grab, offering little to entice players to invest their time and money in this forgettable and disappointing title.”
- “Game seems like a cash grab.”
- “Fooled by advertisements, wasted my money and time, hurt my eyes with horrible lighting and graphics even on ultra settings in a nonexistent atmosphere with the dumbest map design and copy-pasted assets all around.”