Wild Bastards

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 204 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Wild Bastards Game Cover
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The spiritual successor to the epic strategy-shooter Void Bastards, Wild Bastards is a hybrid FPS/strategy game with heart-pounding tactical combat, detailed management systems, and a roguelike campaign. Saddle up and lead the most notorious outlaws in the galaxy.

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Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews
gameplay26 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Wild Bastards offers a unique blend of roguelike mechanics and FPS action, providing a fresh gameplay experience that encourages strategic planning and character management.
  • The game features a vibrant art style and engaging voice acting, bringing the diverse cast of outlaws to life and enhancing the overall atmosphere.
  • The character abilities and interactions add depth to the gameplay, allowing for creative combinations and strategies during encounters.
  • The combat can feel clunky and less satisfying compared to its predecessor, with some players finding the shooting mechanics lacking in impact.
  • The reliance on RNG for character feuds and injuries can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, limiting player choices and strategies.
  • Some players feel that the game lacks the exploration and immersive elements that made Void Bastards enjoyable, focusing more on quick encounters rather than meaningful exploration.
  • gameplay93 mentions

    The gameplay in "Wild Bastards" is characterized by a blend of strategic planning and tactical combat, with a focus on managing a diverse roster of characters, each with unique abilities. While the mechanics can initially feel overwhelming, players often find the gameplay loop addictive and rewarding as they progress, despite some criticisms regarding balance and repetitiveness. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on the roguelike shooter genre, combining humor, engaging mechanics, and a charming art style, though it may require patience to fully appreciate its depth.

    • “You'll have to play the game for yourself to truly get a sense of the depth of its gameplay loop.”
    • “Learning to pair outlaws together in ways that best complement their abilities is the key to success in combat and helps make the otherwise basic mechanics of fighting a bit more interesting.”
    • “Wild Bastards is a uniquely fresh experience in the roguelike shooter genre; it has one of the most entertaining and addicting gameplay loops I have seen in a while.”
    • “But after a few hours, I can say for sure the lack of polish, narrative, balance, and the overcomplicated relationship mechanics will keep most people from being able to really enjoy this game.”
    • “The gameplay loop is rather simple, and the layers that surround it don't take too long to grasp.”
    • “I just couldn't get over some pretty glaring problems about the main gameplay loop.”
  • story30 mentions

    The story in "Wild Bastards" is more character-driven and personal compared to "Void Bastards," featuring unique interactions and a narrative that explores dark themes, such as racism against xenos. While the overall plot is described as silly and at times forgettable, the game offers engaging character dynamics and emergent storytelling that enhance replayability. Players appreciate the voice acting and humor, though some feel the story could have been better integrated with the gameplay mechanics.

    • “While Void Bastards mostly focused on somewhat random protagonists who never said a word, Wild Bastards' story takes the specific characters into account when crafting the narrative, and features unique interactions between them, either during scripted events or during showdowns.”
    • “The story heavily gives you the context for your actions, and helps the emergent storytelling that happens when you beam down on planets with your selected outlaws.”
    • “The story has a greater focus than Void Bastards, and the main campaign goes in directions you might not expect.”
    • “The story, characters, and overall vibes are a massive improvement over Void Bastards, in my opinion.”
    • “There's no story events during a run and the events that happen at the end of each chapter feel somehow rushed and overwritten at the same time.”
    • “Honestly, it feels as if the characters and their design were invented much before the actual story itself, into which they were forced.”
  • graphics26 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their unique and vibrant art style, which is described as beautiful, charming, and reminiscent of the previous title, Void Bastards. While the visuals are generally considered superb and engaging, some users noted that certain enemy designs lack vibrancy. Overall, the aesthetic contributes significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the gameplay experience with its striking and stylish presentation.

    • “The writing is funny, the design is fantastic, the art style is gorgeous, and the gunplay and battle mechanics are spot-on.”
    • “Incredible fun, with a charming cast of characters and a vibrant art style.”
    • “Visuals are mostly fantastic, some enemies seem to have duller palettes but they still stand out among the scenery; most times the biomes you encounter are mostly vibrant affairs, even the swamps with their purple goo lakes.”
    • “While the roguelike nature and graphical style of the two games are similar, apart from a few basic elements, the similarities end there.”
    • “The art style takes some getting used to but can be absolutely gorgeous.”
    • “* stylish (though lo-fi) visuals”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its engaging dialogue, fun characters, and catchy voice acting, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. While it maintains a lighthearted, Saturday-morning cartoon vibe, some reviewers note a lack of deeper satirical elements. Overall, the combination of humor with solid gameplay and striking visuals contributes to a memorable and entertaining experience.

    • “Solid gameplay, funny dialogue, and a really cool art style and aesthetic.”
    • “Fun characters, writing that made me laugh out loud a handful of times, and a unique combination of crew management, board game movement, and FPS encounters.”
    • “There's also a lot of funny quips and dialogue throughout the gameplay.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The game offers solid replayability due to its remixed solar systems and the introduction of a procedural campaign mode after completing the main story. While some players appreciate the variety in character builds and item management across sectors, others feel that the overall experience may not provide enough diversity for extensive replay sessions. Overall, it strikes a balance between enjoyable first playthroughs and moderate replay value.

    • “Despite the long main campaign, it is still highly replayable considering how remixed each solar system can be and how you might not appreciate certain outlaw pairings until you experiment even further than you do on your first run.”
    • “Once you complete the story, it opens up a procedural campaign mode, so it's got solid replayability.”
    • “I would highly recommend this game for a first playthrough (play on hard, feels way better than normal) but don't expect a ton of replay value. The systems are there to facilitate replays, but I don't think the game is varied enough to warrant them.”
    • “It also has a lot of replay value between each sector since you can't keep any items, forcing you to build up different characters with certain items for the zone ahead.”
    • “If it were there, it would really up replay value.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for being catchy and thematic, enhancing the atmosphere and character interactions. However, some players noted issues with volume control, particularly during showdown intro tracks, which can overshadow other audio elements. Overall, the voice acting and humorous dialogues complement the strong musical elements, contributing positively to the narrative experience.

    • “Voice acting and music are very catchy and there are many funny dialogues in the narrative campaign.”
    • “The characters, atmosphere, and music are wonderful.”
    • “The music is good (not sure if licensed or original) and the gameplay has been really quick and tight.”
    • “The loudest thing in the game is the showdown intro tracks, which aren't controlled by the music volume. It's tied to the main volume, and turning that down makes everything else basically inaudible.”
    • “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during long play sessions.”
    • “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, often feeling out of place and detracting from the overall experience.”
  • character development3 mentions

    The character development is highlighted as a strong point, with exceptional character design and voice acting that bring the personalities to life. The art style enhances the overall experience, making the characters visually appealing and memorable.

    • “The character designs are great and are full of personality, and the art style works even better here than it did in Void Bastards.”
    • “Strongest point: character design and voice acting, very well done.”
    • “Lovely art and character design.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
    • “The game introduces interesting characters but fails to explore their backgrounds or motivations, leaving them feeling one-dimensional.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and monotonous, particularly when it involves repetitive tasks like farming infamy, which can lead to a lack of engagement and enjoyment.

    • “I don't know what happens to the wild bastards by the end, but I hope their existence thereafter is far less tedious than what I experienced.”
    • “When farming infamy, clicking 'wait' and then 'yes' to the double-dare like 3-5 times per prince gets really, really boring.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its amazing storytelling, vibrant characters, and captivating music, though some feel it falls short in exploration and quirkiness compared to titles like Void Bastards.

    • “The characters, atmosphere, and music are wonderful.”
    • “Amazing atmosphere and story, but it doesn't live up to Void Bastards' exploration and other quirkiness.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of villain appearances is criticized for being abrupt, with random threatening messages at the end of chapters that go unacknowledged by the crew, detracting from the overall experience despite strong performances from voice actors.

  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect is criticized for intrusive ads and frustrating gameplay mechanics, such as overly punishing environmental hazards and enemies that can quickly eliminate the player, which detracts from the overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

60hMedian play time
60hAverage play time
60-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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