SteamWorld Heist

Imagine & Form proved themselves to be formidable developers with the release of SteamWorld Dig, but SteamWorld Heist just takes it to another level in so many ways. It’s simple yet ambitious with a presentation as charming as its execution.

89%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, monetization

94% User Score Based on 3,545 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 26 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $0.47

Buy NowGet on Steam€2.24

About

SteamWorld Heist is a turn-based strategy game with tactical space battles. As Captain Piper Faraday, you'll recruit a ragtag crew to explore and battle through procedurally generated ships. With a unique steampunk aesthetic and challenging gameplay, SteamWorld Heist offers a refreshing take on the strategy genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,571 reviews

story299 positive mentions

grinding121 negative mentions

Unique and engaging turn-based combat system that emphasizes manual aiming and ricocheting shots.
Charming art style and humorous writing, with a vibrant steampunk aesthetic and a catchy soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe.
Variety of characters and weapons, allowing for diverse strategies and playstyles throughout the game.

Repetitive mission structure with a lack of variety, leading to a feeling of monotony in gameplay.
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially with the alarm mechanic that spawns unlimited enemies after a set number of turns.
Limited inventory space and character progression can hinder experimentation with different team compositions.

story
1,424 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
75%
4%
The story of "SteamWorld Heist" is generally regarded as light and straightforward, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus. Players control a crew of steambots led by Captain Piper Faraday, engaging in humorous and quirky missions that involve heists and battles against various factions. While the narrative is not particularly deep or complex, it is complemented by charming character interactions and a whimsical aesthetic, making it enjoyable enough to keep players engaged throughout the game.
- “The story is really engaging, the actual mechanics were fun, but there was one problem.”
- “The story of Steamworld Heist follows Piper, a cowbot whose ‘job’ it is to visit planets making deliveries and gathering ‘moisture’ in a time where the royalists run everything.”
- “The story is simple, but effective.”
- “The story isn't much, just enough to give you an excuse to go from shoot-out to shoot-out, and the characters and world add a charm on top of the fun gameplay that completes the uniqueness of the experience.”
- “The story is quite simple like in the steamworld dig franchise so no problem with that, it explains what it needs to explain and nothing more.”
gameplay
1,115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The gameplay of *SteamWorld Heist* is characterized by its engaging turn-based mechanics that blend tactical strategy with skill-based shooting, allowing players to manually aim and execute ricochet shots. While the core mechanics are praised for their fun and satisfying nature, some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, particularly due to the similar mission structures and enemy behaviors. Overall, the game offers a charming aesthetic and a variety of characters and abilities, making it a solid choice for fans of tactical RPGs.
- “The gameplay is thrilling, projectiles connect with their targets and environment in a very satisfying manner, abilities and weapons are well balanced providing you with many different options on how to approach any given situation the way you like.”
- “Steamworld Heist offers a unique blend of strategy and action gameplay that keeps players engaged throughout.”
- “The ricochet mechanic means you can do insane shots that involve bouncing a bullet off two pieces of cover, taking some poor bot's hat off, and then hitting some other bot square in his face.”
- “Whenever there are multiple enemies swarming you, they usually won't utilize the game mechanics of bouncing bullets against walls or rarely flank you; they will just run up to your cover, hold their barrel into it, and shoot directly through it, into your face - which feels pretty lame and like not very well-coded enemy behavior.”
- “The gameplay loop feels really repetitive to me.”
- “Despite this game being totally different from Image & Form's first game, SteamWorld Dig, this one was a great entry into a series that seems to be using a variety of gameplay styles to tell stories in one connected universe.”
music
858 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The music in "SteamWorld Heist" has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its charming and immersive soundtrack created by the band Steam Powered Giraffe, which complements the game's whimsical steampunk aesthetic. Players appreciate the variety of original songs, especially those performed in-game by the band in various bars, enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, some reviews note that the combat music can become repetitive, detracting from the experience during extended gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The music is very charming and complements the 'chill vibe' of the game.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece... for quite some time I have been humming the main theme song that just creeps into my mind to brighten my day.”
- “The game shines with its atmosphere, charm, humor, and an unforgettable soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe.”
- “The battle theme song is always the same 1 cycle repeat song.”
- “The music can get a bit old quickly, and the character noises/grunts as well.”
- “The music is annoying and repetitive.”
graphics
541 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The graphics of "Steamworld Heist" are widely praised for their vibrant, charming art style that effectively captures the whimsical steampunk aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the game's colorful visuals, detailed character designs, and smooth animations, which contribute to an immersive and engaging experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, complementing the gameplay and enhancing the game's unique atmosphere.
- “The graphics in Heist are consistent with the other games in the SteamWorld series, while the gameplay is unique.”
- “The art style is gorgeous, giving the game, the characters, the guns, and the level a ton of personality.”
- “The game's graphics are polished and well-executed, adding to the overall immersion of the gameplay.”
- “From a technical perspective, the game lacks 3D graphics while holding a AAA price point.”
- “The graphics are not state of the art, but clearly enough for this type of game.”
- “I am so angry at this for tricking me into buying it by having an art style, theme, and - on paper - mechanics that all are right up my alley.”
humor
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, featuring quirky dialogue, funny character interactions, and a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the light-hearted tone, clever puns, and amusing scenarios, particularly in the context of its steampunk setting and robot characters. While some reviews note that the humor can be hit or miss, the general consensus is that it adds significant enjoyment to the gameplay, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The humorous writing and quirky dialogue add another layer of charm, making your robotic crew feel like a band of misfits you can't help but root for.”
- “It's a game about space-faring pirate robots with guns blasting off each other's hats, with tongue-in-cheek sense of humor included.”
- “The game shines with its atmosphere, charm, humor, and an unforgettable soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe.”
- “It has those meme references that are supposed to be funny, but they really aren't my kind of humor.”
- “The jokes feel forced and often fall flat, lacking any real wit or charm.”
- “I found the humor to be overly juvenile, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
grinding
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when leveling up characters or farming for resources and achievements. While some appreciate the opportunity to replay levels for better gear and experience, others feel that the necessity of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the game. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant but polarizing element, with some players enjoying it while others find it frustrating and overly time-consuming.
- “Haven't had so much fun in a long time! Not boring, no grinding, fast leveling, and a bunch of skills.”
- “A secondary issue is that there are many characters with unique skillsets, but grinding them up to make them useful felt like a slog.”
- “The game is really more about grinding levels you've already completed to farm resources/equipment to beat that level you're stuck on.”
- “I'm not going to be grinding forever to level up the characters; that would take playing over and over again the same levels just to get some bland, barely helpful skill and one more HP point.”
replayability
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
5%
The game boasts high replayability due to its unique characters, procedurally generated levels, and various difficulty options, which encourage players to experiment with different strategies and team compositions. While many players find the randomness and character diversity engaging, some note that the gameplay can feel repetitive after multiple playthroughs, limiting long-term replay value. Overall, it offers a solid replay experience, particularly for fans of turn-based strategy games.
- “There's a random element to most levels which keeps replayability up.”
- “Steamworld Heist offers significant replay value with its procedurally generated levels and multiple difficulty options.”
- “The different characters and the procedurally generated missions equal nice replayability.”
- “Even though the spaceships (levels) are pretty much the same thing over and over again, somewhat procedurally generated, they have enough randomness to provide replayability.”
- “My only critique is that replayability is somewhat low, given that the procedurally generated levels still manage to start feeling a bit samey by the end of the campaign.”
- “However, after the second playthrough, replayability is about over... but I rarely play an entire game through twice, so just that the second playthrough was as addicting as the first makes this game well worth it!”
atmosphere
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
26%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming steampunk aesthetic, captivating soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe, and immersive design that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of engaging visuals, humor, and well-crafted sound design, which together create a unique and memorable environment that draws players in. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its enjoyment and appeal.
- “The atmosphere, music, and overall design choices are strong, and the underlying gameplay is solid.”
- “The game shines with its atmosphere, charm, humor, and an unforgettable soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe.”
- “The benchmark set here is quite high indeed, and its colorful and distinctive aesthetic style alone will dazzle you instantly, whereas the ingratiating and memorable old-western style soundtrack for the game (expertly done by Steam Powered Giraffe) is one which coalesces wonderfully with the light-hearted and zany atmosphere of SteamWorld Heist.”
- “Not the story itself but how it's told and the atmosphere is really outta space literally.”
- “The game’s soundtrack features some very catchy tunes which only add to the game’s sci-fi atmosphere.”
- “The benchmark set here is quite high indeed, and its colorful and distinctive aesthetic style alone will dazzle you instantly, whereas the ingratiating and memorable old-western style soundtrack for the game (expertly done by steam powered giraffe) is one which coalesces wonderfully with the light-hearted and zany atmosphere of Steamworld Heist.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
50%
12%
Overall, the game is highly praised for its optimization, running smoothly on various platforms, including lower-end devices like the Steam Deck and Windows tablets. Players report no performance issues or bugs, with consistent frame rates and a small download size enhancing accessibility. The optimization contributes to enjoyable gameplay, allowing for strategic depth without sacrificing performance.
- “Very well optimized and worth the sticker price.”
- “I played this game entirely on my Steam Deck and the game ran flawlessly, without any bugs or performance issues.”
- “Just amazing game, it is optimized perfectly, I never saw a 1 fps drop, even if I lock it at 60.”
- “It's a fairly short game though, and once you've beat the last boss, you've pretty well explored the game's mechanics and have found optimized strategies for the various character combinations.”
- “The 'optimization problem' ran through my head and the patterns go over and over and it loses its appeal.”
- “After a few hours of gameplay, a very interesting alarm system appears and it is similar to the alarm system of Invisible Inc, in which after a determined number of turns, more enemies or turrets appear, requiring time optimization.”
character development
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with many reviewers noting that while the character designs are charming and unique, there is minimal depth to the story and character interactions. Players appreciate the distinct gameplay styles and aesthetics, but express disappointment in the absence of meaningful character growth or narrative complexity. Overall, the focus seems to be more on visual appeal and gameplay mechanics rather than on developing a rich character-driven experience.
- “The character development is fun and makes a difference; once you've picked your favorites, they just get stronger the more you use them.”
- “Like other SteamWorld games, Heist is packed full of distinctive character designs, polished gameplay, and wholesome, quirky humor.”
- “The story is barely there, and there's not much character development of any kind.”
- “There's not really anything in the way of plot or character development.”
- “The attention to detail in the character designs, environments, and animations is impressive, making for an aesthetically pleasing experience.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its focus on fun and lightheartedness rather than deep emotional engagement, with players appreciating the wholesome humor and vibrant presentation. While the gameplay offers thrilling moments and a sense of adventure, the narrative and world-building are often seen as lacking depth, leading to a mixed emotional experience that balances enjoyment with moments of heartbreak. Overall, it provides a charming and entertaining experience, though it may not resonate deeply on an emotional level.
- “All of these elements combined made me feel like I was a space pirate, leading my crew into hit-and-run battles, raiding and looting enemy ships, and then escaping to fight another day.”
- “It makes you feel emotional.”
- “Heartbreaking when your robot explodes.”
- “Because if you can get past the lack of depth and boring story, then you have a fun little time-waster on your hands, and I mean that with a lot of sincerity.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly and is largely bug-free. Users report minimal issues, with the most notable being a freeze when alt-tabbing, but otherwise, the gameplay is polished and optimized.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck in desktop mode.”
- “The game is bug free.”
- “Graphics are pretty and polished, gameplay is smooth; I have encountered no glitches or bugs in my completed game.”
- “Not much, except when I alt+tab, I have to restart the game as it freezes.”
- “As for bugs/glitches, I didn't see any; perhaps sometimes the hit boxes weren't all that great.”
- “Graphics are pretty and polished, gameplay is smooth (I have encountered no glitches or bugs in my completed game) and the difficulty is adjustable at any point in the game.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization model is praised for being user-friendly and free of excessive microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy a wealth of loot without feeling pressured to spend additional money. An update announcement was noted for promoting a different game rather than focusing on the current one.
- “The released an update announcement for this game that's actually an advertisement for a blog for a different game.”
- “Oh, and yeah, there is a lot of loot - no microtransactions required.”
- “Inventive, fun, and user-friendly, not trying to squeeze you out of your hard-earned cash with ridiculous amounts of microtransactions.”

85%Critics’ scoreBased on 34 critic reviews

Buy SteamWorld Heist

15h Median play time

14h Average play time

13h Main story

21h Completionist

10-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 31 analyzed playthroughs

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