Hard West

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,141 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Hard West Game Cover
Hard West is a turn-based strategy game that gives you an authentic western experience whilst pushing you to the limits of your ability.
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"Hard West" is a tactical turn-based strategy game set in a supernatural, Wild West universe. Lead a posse of outlaws, settlers, and survivors in a brutal, unforgiving frontier filled with danger and opportunity. Make difficult choices, manage resources, and engage in strategic gunfights to survive and prosper in this unforgiving land.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Gog Com
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,141 reviews
story552 positive mentions
stability92 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of Wild West and supernatural elements, creating an engaging atmosphere.
  • Interesting card-based ability system that adds depth to character customization.
  • Compelling storytelling with interconnected scenarios that keep players invested.
  • Frequent game-breaking bugs, including characters getting stuck in movement loops.
  • No manual save option, forcing players to restart entire missions if they fail.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and lacks variety in enemy types and strategies.
  • story1,702 mentions

    The story in "Hard West" is a dark and engaging narrative set in a supernatural version of the Wild West, featuring multiple interconnected scenarios that explore themes of revenge, morality, and the consequences of choices. While the storytelling is praised for its atmosphere and unique twists, many players find the episodic structure disjointed, as character progression resets between scenarios, which can detract from immersion. Overall, the game offers a compelling narrative experience, though it is often marred by bugs and a lack of mid-mission saving, leading to frustration during gameplay.

    • “After a lovely main campaign, I think I appreciated the story and macabre of the DLC even more.”
    • “The main story following Warren and his father was a very well-written story that made me empathize with all characters involved, and despite being a bit frustrating, the gameplay was always fun and unique.”
    • “The story is very well written and builds an amazing fiction for the game's backdrop.”
    • “The story makes no sense.”
    • “The story is extremely well made if you like darkness and the wild west.”
    • “The story is a mess.”
  • gameplay963 mentions

    The gameplay of "Hard West" is a blend of turn-based tactical combat and unique mechanics, such as a luck system that influences hit chances and a poker card mechanic for character abilities. While the combat is engaging and offers strategic depth, players have noted that the overworld exploration can feel tedious and lacks depth, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative mechanics and atmospheric storytelling, but it suffers from some execution flaws and a steep learning curve.

    • “The combat mechanics are fairly basic but offer some neat tricks, such as ricochets to hit a person out of direct sight.”
    • “This game starts so typical, and through world building and ever-changing mini mechanics, twists and player choice - becomes a symphony of fun.”
    • “The gameplay has a solid loop and always keeps you nervous and on your toes.”
    • “The gameplay becomes instantly repetitive and the mobs lack variety.”
    • “The gameplay is very basic and straightforward, nothing too confusing.”
    • “The gameplay segments involving the map are an absolute chore, and really drag the flow of the game back.”
  • graphics262 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style that evokes a gritty, cartoonish aesthetic fitting for its wild west theme. While some players find the visuals to be charming and atmospheric, others criticize them as outdated or lacking in detail, with occasional performance issues and graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics are generally considered decent but not groundbreaking, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “The art style is simply gorgeous - it looks like an old sepia-toned photograph come to life!”
    • “The graphics are pleasing, the tactical combat is a lot of fun, character customization is intriguing, and the weapons are a kick.”
    • “The atmosphere, voice acting, soundtrack, the artwork/graphics and the game mechanics are spot on.”
    • “Graphics: characters are dull-looking standard models and most character portraits seem recycled copies of one another.”
    • “The graphics are very last gen, the various stories in the form of vignettes have somewhat interesting concepts but are poorly written and don't really pull you into the world, and the acting is nothing to look at.”
    • “The game is not optimized and if you play the game too long it will overheat your graphics card.”
  • music176 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and thematic fit, particularly in enhancing the western and horror elements. However, several users noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive due to a limited number of tracks, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the music is generally well-received for its quality and mood-setting capabilities, some players feel it lacks variety and depth.

    • “The music, sound, and narration really sell the experience.”
    • “Fantastic writing, perfect music, and sweet weird west stories full of twists.”
    • “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are all really immersive, and you would be daft to miss this little gem :)”
    • “The music feels a bit repetitive, but definitely gives off an eerie and dark tone, especially the demonic organ tracks.”
    • “The music alone is worth the price of purchase.”
    • “The music, while done well, gets quite repetitive because there simply isn't enough of it.”
  • atmosphere173 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of western and supernatural elements, with many reviewers highlighting the strong writing, immersive sound design, and captivating visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some players noted that the atmosphere can occasionally feel thin or overshadowed by gameplay issues, the general consensus is that it effectively captures a gritty, dark wild west vibe that stands out in the genre. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects, making it a compelling choice for fans of the weird western theme.

    • “The atmosphere is phenomenal.”
    • “But seriously, on flavor and atmosphere alone this game is hardly matched by much else out there.”
    • “The atmosphere, music and graphics are all really immersive and you would be daft to miss this little gem :)”
    • “The atmosphere is strong, but...not necessarily attractive.”
    • “I did love the setting and atmosphere although I have no idea why demons and otherworldly stuff was added because it added absolutely nothing and stood in the way of a great western atmosphere.”
    • “What I first considered to be a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere didn't last long in light of a certain tedious repetition: check here, check there, check everywhere and follow the arrows.”
  • stability94 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe bugs, frequent freezes, and unresponsive AI, rendering it nearly unplayable for many users. Players have experienced game-breaking glitches, such as characters getting stuck in animations and constant crashes, particularly during missions. While some users noted minor issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by technical problems that significantly detract from the overall experience.

    • “Runs great on my iMac with Big Sur.”
    • “It really felt like a polished, bug-free game, although I did play it almost a year after release.”
    • “A buggy, janky, frustrating, unplayable mess.”
    • “Extremely buggy; almost every mission had to be restarted multiple times because of AI getting stuck in an infinite walking animation.”
    • “The game consistently freezes on loading screens, forcing me to force quit the game.”
  • replayability76 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally considered decent, primarily due to the impact of player choices on story outcomes and the variety of secondary objectives and scenarios that can be explored. While some players find the replay value limited due to a lack of significant story shifts and linearity, others appreciate the tactical depth and different difficulty settings that encourage multiple playthroughs. Overall, it offers enough variety and charm to keep players engaged beyond the initial run, especially for those interested in achievement hunting or exploring different strategies.

    • “You can make choices throughout the game that will affect the story's outcome, so there's replayability.”
    • “There is a ton of replayability for this title if you're one who likes to replay and see different outcomes.”
    • “The whole system ends up feeling a lot like those old choose your own adventure novels I used to read; I found it very charming and it adds a ton of replay value to each campaign.”
    • “Overall, the game is absolutely great to play through but it lacks any form of endgame or too much replayability value.”
    • “Replay value isn't huge but there are some things you can do differently on subsequent playthroughs, although it will get easier because you can buy the fate trade items earlier.”
    • “With no multiplayer and not much in the way of branching storylines or decisions that affect the story, there isn't much replay value (other than hard mode and trying to 100% the game), so hopefully the modding community will take up the challenge and give us a 'long war'-esque campaign.”
  • grinding48 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over the lengthy and monotonous tasks required for progression. The strategic map and combat mechanics contribute to a sense of boredom, as players often feel stuck in a cycle of uninteresting missions and drawn-out battles. While some elements, like mini-games and character upgrades, provide a slight reprieve, the general consensus is that the game suffers from excessive grind that detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The mini games are not too tedious, fortunately (much less than in Phantom Doctrine, another fine XCOM clone). The story, characters, and narration are great - as long as you like the wild/weird west archetypes (I do).”
    • “This game is just plain tedious and pointless, given that the campaign is scripted with minor choices being made now and then; it is a wonder why this is even in the game.”
    • “The thought of grinding through the same missions ultimately broke me and I moved on to XCOM 2.”
    • “The combat is slow and tedious.”
  • optimization47 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent glitches, stuttering, and crashes, particularly during menu navigation and prolonged play sessions. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on certain systems, the consensus is that it suffers from severe performance issues, including memory leaks and overheating problems, making it frustrating for many players. Despite its engaging gameplay and story, the lack of proper optimization detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Game runs smoothly, and while there is a bit of a learning curve and frustration as you learn exactly how some of the combat works, Hard West is a pretty well-polished experience for those looking for a unique story and tactical gameplay.”
    • “It's well coded, runs smoothly, looks great, sounds western, and has all-around solid gameplay.”
    • “Also, the game is very well optimized (runs very well on the 2015 MacBook Pro) .. kudos to the devs for releasing it on Mac :)”
    • “I was plagued with constant stuttering, freezes, and crashes before switching the actual settings.”
    • “The game also suffers from poor optimization and some pretty severe memory leak issues that don't seem to have ever been fully fixed even though the developers are aware of them.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized and will likely run very hot even well above recommended specs.”
  • character development26 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the modular system and customization options, such as equipment and poker cards that grant special abilities. However, many reviewers criticize the lack of meaningful progression between missions, as character development often resets, leading to a diminished sense of attachment and investment in the characters. Overall, while there are elements of character design and customization, the depth and continuity of character development are seen as lacking, impacting the overall gameplay experience.

    • “I enjoyed the character development through the use of playing cards that you collected and arranged into hands.”
    • “Gritty atmosphere, new but elegant and refreshing mechanics, layers of character design choices, from weapons to gear, to abilities, and bonuses.”
    • “Customisation of characters kept players hooked and attached to specific soldiers in a game that otherwise had no real individual character development.”
    • “The special abilities and character development seem to have little relevance to gameplay.”
    • “There is no armor, clothes, skill points, or really any character development.”
    • “Next to no character development and the constant reset of items and abilities between scenarios leaves the campaign feeling a little too pointless and broken up.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its darkly comedic narrative, quirky character interactions, and amusing gameplay mechanics, such as the poker hand system and a unique "ricochet" feature. Players appreciate the blend of genres, which adds to the overall comedic experience, while funny bugs and the developers' sense of humor contribute to the game's charm. Overall, the humor is a standout aspect that enhances the enjoyment of the turn-based strategy gameplay.

    • “Out of all these main characters, I really enjoyed playing as Cassandra as her clairvoyant powers lead to some very funny dialogue and her tactical combat sections reminded me of Desperados, a game I used to play a lot back in the day.”
    • “When I picked it up at a later point in time again, what finally sold the game to me actually wasn’t its XCOM-like combat system but rather its weird mix of genres (wild west + supernatural/demons) and the story told through an in-game, dark-humored and sarcastic narrator with just the most wild west voice out there.”
    • “Good gameplay, smart but simple story and a great supernatural atmosphere, those three elements are the core of the game, mix that up with a funny and brilliant card system and innovative luck-based combat and you have a solid game.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate its serious and tragic themes that evoke a high emotional impact, others feel it relies on clichés, such as the use of sad music during pivotal moments. Additionally, the game's repetitive nature detracts from the overall emotional experience for some users, leading to dissatisfaction.

    • “I thought that it would be something like an absurd, gory, humorous western about demons and zombies, but instead it appeared as a serious tragedy with high emotional impact.”
    • “I question whether that was intentional, however, because this game is no stranger to the old 'sad song playing over an emotionally important fight' cliché.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is well-received, as it avoids microtransactions and cash shops, offering a DLC that enhances gameplay with a new campaign for a reasonable price. However, some players express frustration with misleading advertisements and suggest that animated cut scenes should be more integrated into the gameplay rather than serving solely as promotional content.

    • “The game features no microtransactions or cash shop, and its DLC is a perfect add-on, providing a whole new and challenging independent campaign/storyline, along with about 20% more playtime for a single, small fee.”
    • “I don't mind playing pure strategy games, but I don't like to be hooked by the fake ads.”
    • “Hard West tells its story and has fun animated cutscenes, but they should be more a part of the action and not just for ads or intros.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

18hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
3-33hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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