Hard West 2

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,268 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Hard West 2 Game Cover
Gin Carter and his posse chase down the devil himself using all the supernatural powers at their disposal to do so.
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"Hard West 2" is a tactical turn-based strategy game set in a supernatural wild west world. Lead a gang of outlaws on a quest for riches, while battling undead enemies and making moral choices that affect the story. Use gun skills, supernatural abilities, and environmental interactions to outsmart and outshoot your foes.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,268 reviews
story232 positive mentions
replayability7 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and engaging story with interesting characters.
  • Innovative Bravado mechanic encourages aggressive play and allows for chaining kills.
  • Fun turn-based combat with unique mechanics like ricochet shots and a card system for character progression.
  • Game can feel overly linear and repetitive, with limited options for character customization and strategy.
  • Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially with enemies that heal or spawn unexpectedly.
  • Some voice acting is inconsistent, and not all dialogue is fully voiced, which detracts from immersion.
  • story828 mentions

    The story in "Hard West 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging western themes and character interactions, while others find it lacking depth and coherence compared to its predecessor. The narrative follows a posse of outlaws on a supernatural quest, featuring interesting side quests and character backstories, but some players feel the plot is too linear and simplistic, with a rushed ending. Overall, while the story has its moments and is enhanced by solid voice acting and atmosphere, it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more intricate or darker narrative experience.

    • “The story is interesting, the mechanics are solid, and the voice acting is evocative.”
    • “It's the story of a posse of hardened desperados who rob the wrong train and end up on a quest to wrest their souls back from the devil.”
    • “Great story and a fun twist on a very old style of game.”
    • “The story is quite bland.”
    • “The plot unfortunately was much weaker than Hard West 1.”
    • “The story is not captivating as the main villain, Mammon, is a joke of a character and not funny.”
  • gameplay542 mentions

    The gameplay of "Hard West 2" is characterized by its innovative "bravado" mechanic, which allows players to regain action points after defeating enemies, encouraging aggressive play and strategic chaining of kills. While many players appreciate the fresh mechanics and engaging combat, some criticize the gameplay for becoming repetitive and overly reliant on this system, leading to a puzzle-like experience rather than traditional tactical depth. Overall, the game offers a mix of solid mechanics, unique features, and a compelling atmosphere, though opinions vary on its balance and complexity compared to other tactical RPGs.

    • “The bravado mechanic is one of my favorite additions to the genre I have ever played.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, well worth the money.”
    • “The bravado mechanic rewards playing aggressively and allows you to chain kills.”
    • “The story and setting seem fun, but after about three battles the mechanics become repetitive and feel shallow.”
    • “The gameplay loop simply falls apart near the end of the game as they start throwing enemies with 30+ health at you regularly who do extreme damage.”
    • “The bravado mechanic alone would make this game stand out from the pack of turn-based tactics games, but hard west 2 brings a lot more than that.”
  • graphics123 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received widespread praise for their improvement over the previous installment, showcasing a polished art style that enhances the overall atmosphere and theme. Many reviewers noted the stunning visuals, clean presentation, and effective use of color and design, contributing to an immersive experience, despite some minor graphical bugs. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a significant strength, complementing its engaging story and gameplay mechanics.

    • “The graphics are excellent and the overall mechanics are simple and easy to use.”
    • “The immersion is still great, good ambient sounds and music, the scenery and graphics are perfect for the theme.”
    • “The graphics are phenomenal and the gameplay is better than the first by a mile.”
    • “It's not a perfect game: it's fairly short, imbalanced, not much of a graphics feast (but artistically pleasing), uneven and a little repetitive, and there is only some depth to characters, but then... it is a western.”
    • “The story, gameplay, graphics --- everything is just so much worse than I expected.”
    • “Ugly graphics (nothing like the videos; I think they are fake or modified).”
  • music67 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its immersive quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others criticize it as a significant downgrade from the original game's powerful soundtrack. Many players find the music to be generic and forgettable, lacking the memorable themes that characterized the first installment, though some still appreciate the overall sound design and voice acting. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, it does not reach the heights of its predecessor.

    • “The supernatural western theme is sold wonderfully with great music, art, and voice acting, including the late Kevin Conroy, a favorite from my childhood as the voice of the animated Batman.”
    • “The music is very well made and the sounds really suck you into the world.”
    • “Great fantasy western vibes, punchy gory (if a little puzzly) combat, nifty comic book art style, fantastic music (shadow dance theme broody as hell).”
    • “Lastly, the soundtrack is unfortunately a huge step down, substituting in generic, unobtrusive 'wild westy' motifs to replace Marcin Przybyłowicz's powerful Mad Max-meets-Ennio Morricone bombast from the first game.”
    • “The music, however, is a complete letdown.”
    • “The soundtrack is entirely forgettable.”
  • atmosphere59 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich, immersive qualities, often compared to the gritty style of titles like Max Payne, and is enhanced by strong art direction, music, and voice acting. However, some reviews note a disparity between the engaging atmosphere and the storytelling, with criticisms aimed at the writing and character development, particularly in comparison to its predecessor. Overall, while the atmosphere is a standout feature, opinions vary on how well it integrates with the game's narrative and mechanics.

    • “Great atmosphere and nice unique mechanics.”
    • “The art is positively metal, one-liners land perfectly, the music and ambience are just right, creating a rich, distinctive western atmosphere.”
    • “Incredibly atmospheric, fantastic voice acting, friendly devs that will personally help with any bug fixes, although I haven't seen any bugs myself, and most importantly, great gameplay.”
    • “First of all, it does not come near the first game’s grim atmosphere and story.”
    • “This game contains quite a few improvements in terms of gameplay mechanics in comparison with the first game, but in terms of storytelling, atmosphere and soundtrack, I consider it a downgrade.”
    • “And that is sad, because from a sequel of Hard West 1, I was expecting the same level of atmosphere which was the strongest point of the previous game.”
  • humor52 mentions

    The humor in "Hard West" is largely driven by the character Laughing Deer, whose over-the-top abilities and antics provide comedic moments, particularly during intense gameplay sequences. While some players find the humor engaging and reminiscent of Marvel influences, others criticize it for relying on negative stereotypes and cringe-worthy voice acting. Overall, the game balances dark themes with lighthearted humor, especially through its unique bravado system and character interactions, making for a mix of hilarity and tactical gameplay.

    • “While Hard West is still gritty, there are scenarios that I found really hilarious, though not all of that may register with everyone.”
    • “As you progress, you gain new party members, establish bonds with them (unlocking skills as well as dialogue options and side quest options), and complete some funny side quests… I actually have nothing to complain about.”
    • “Overall, it is very fun, and the bravado system can lead to some hilarious sequences with a shotgun where one character dances around and clears an entire room.”
    • “The story is not captivating, as the main villain, Mammon, is a joke of a character and not funny.”
  • replayability35 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally viewed as limited due to its linear design, handcrafted maps, and lack of procedural elements, resulting in repetitive experiences across playthroughs. While some players appreciate the challenge of completing missions under specific conditions, many feel that the absence of a New Game+ option and a forgettable story diminish the incentive to replay. Despite these criticisms, a few players find potential in tackling harder difficulties or achieving 100% completion, but the consensus leans towards a lack of significant replay value.

    • “Extremely replayable.”
    • “There's some replayability potential as I'm tempted to go play hard ('nightmare'), hunt for the missing achievements and use Cla'lish and Bill more than in my first playthrough.”
    • “It feels like the difficulties are there to give added replayability, and I wouldn't recommend starting your first playthrough on the hardest difficulty for these reasons.”
    • “The addition of trying to complete missions in as little as a single turn may add replayability for tactics fans, but it also sucks the fun out of just enjoying the game, especially when you realize you need to reload old saves just to swap things around because 3/4 of the characters are stuck on horses.”
    • “It doesn't have much replayability because nothing is procedural and every playthrough will be the same.”
    • “The story is relatively linear and I don't see much for replay value.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding in the game can become tedious and frustrating, particularly in the late game and on harder difficulties, where players often face overwhelming enemy numbers and slow-paced missions. While some appreciate the strategic elements and dynamic battles, many find the resource gathering and combat encounters to be repetitive and lacking in engagement, leading to a sense of boredom and a desire for more rewarding gameplay. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “A very solid turn-based strategy game with fun mechanics to keep pushing forward, making battles dynamic and not tedious like in some other turn-based games.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Late game became tedious and annoying on hard difficulty.”
    • “Overland resource gathering is tedious and unfun, with tons of missable necessities and forced choices without knowing all the options.”
    • “After a few hours of play, the game becomes so boring and more of a grinding game.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback. While many players report improved graphics and stable performance on higher-end systems, some users experience inconsistent performance, longer loading times, and occasional crashes, particularly on lower-end hardware. The game shows significant improvements over its predecessor, but certain areas still require further optimization.

    • “Graphics are improved and the stability/performance is perfect.”
    • “It runs smoothly for me, solid 144fps at max settings, no hiccups.”
    • “The performance issues I had with the previous game are gone.”
    • “Not optimized (should be 60 fps in 1080p on Ryzen 5700G and is +/- 25 fps...)”
    • “Warning: the game is made with the Unity engine, it is not optimized and it keeps crashing at important story moments.”
    • “There are some performance issues from time to time and I've hit a crash or two during my playthrough (thankfully autosaves are frequent so I never lost progress).”
  • stability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many users reporting minimal bugs and glitches. However, some players have experienced occasional freezes and clunky combat mechanics, which detracts from the overall experience. While most find it polished and playable, a few have noted issues that could affect gameplay, particularly in specific scenarios or setups.

    • “It's polished, bug-free, plays without any glitches, and has great sounds and music.”
    • “On the bright side, the game isn't that buggy, and the look and feel is pretty good.”
    • “The game doesn't seem to be buggy, but combat is just overall clunky and camera control is atrocious for a battlefield that can span a large area.”
    • “Not worth $30 - $20 at most - but probably a $15 game - short, buggy, and it's basically a save game manager - you are going to be reloading game saves more than playing the game.”
    • “Bug-wise, I had one audio bug and three freezes in about 20 hours; your mileage may vary.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the heartfelt presentation and atmosphere, while others criticized the main story for being dull and uninspiring. Many felt a lack of emotional connection due to shallow characters and a rigid gameplay structure that diminished the sense of freedom and creativity. Overall, the game struggles to balance its emotional rewards with a compelling narrative and engaging tactical choices.

    • “I'm hoping for more in the future, and I hope other games can learn from this sort of 'emotional reward' system for their tactical games, which for me was a constant joyful ride.”
    • “And what I don't understand the most is how such heartfelt presentation, atmosphere, lit voice-overs, and cool, gritty side-stories come with such cheesy and uninspiring telling of the main story.”
    • “Some players enjoy that their strategy matters more than good dice; others find the game feels too puzzly because actions having deterministic results makes it feel like there's a single right answer (there isn't, there are videos of people playing the same level different ways, but emotionally it feels like there is).”
    • “Dull and annoying characters, shallow puzzle-like mechanics, boring storyline, and poor voiceover.”
    • “This game is full of poor tactical combat, unbalanced gameplay, partial voice acting, glitchy controls, horrible mapping that makes it difficult to see where you're going unless you spin your camera around 50,000 times, cheesy dialogue, and a pretty boring story that did nothing original.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as limited and simplistic, with some players noting that it lacks the depth found in AAA titles. While the writing and character arcs may not be particularly nuanced, the engaging design and voice acting help create memorable characters, especially among companions. The card system adds a layer of strategy, but many feel it detracts from a more traditional character development experience.

    • “Between the set dressing, the voice acting, the story, and the character design; I think Hard West 2 did a really good job of giving you characters to fall in love with, and cheering them on as they get their revenge.”
    • “The characters are entertaining, and even though it certainly does not reach the depths of AAA titles in character development, it's still great value for the money.”
    • “Got some interesting character development, but mainly from your companions.”
    • “Unbalanced, very limited character development; only a handful of side quests, most of which are terrifically easy and just a waste of time. There's little reason to play through more than once.”
    • “The first game had interesting characters but lacked effective character development due to us being told everything in a third-person perspective via the narrator.”
    • “Character development is pretty simplistic, but the card system allows for some hard choices, which also leans into the premeditated puzzle nature of the game.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as it avoids common pitfalls like microtransactions and exclusivity deals, which are prevalent in many modern AAA titles. However, some players feel that the game may be a cash grab, lacking the depth and features promised in its advertisements, particularly regarding its tactical gameplay. Overall, while the game is engaging, it may not meet the expectations set by its marketing.

    • “At least it did not go Epic exclusive and has no microtransactions!”
    • “The monetization model is fair and does not hinder gameplay.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items without forcing players to spend money.”
    • “Very disappointed in this game after playing the first sequel and loving the story and free open world movement with tactical gameplay. It looked like just a cash grab riding on the first game's coattails.”
    • “It is not because the game is outright nonfunctional, bugged into oblivion, or has some scummy monetization - like plenty of modern AAA titles do (that's why I don't buy them...).”
    • “All this combines into the game being a very good and engaging puzzle shooter, but if you're being drawn in by its advertisements as a new age turn-based tactics game, look elsewhere, because it can't be played as such.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

17hMedian play time
18hAverage play time
13-28hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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