Wild Bastards

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 377 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Wild Bastards Game Cover
The roguelike and FPS genres haven't been spliced so successfully since Deathloop—and Wild Bastards deserves just as much acclaim.
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In "Wild Bastards," recruit and manage a team of 13 outlaws, each with unique weaponry and abilities, to wrangle loot and engage in intense shootouts on different planets. Flee from the posse of the puritanical Jebediah Chaste, ressurecting your dead gang members on a quest to reach the mythical Homestead. Prove your skills as a gunslinger in challenging tactical FPS combat with a variety of enemies and battle strategies.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 377 reviews
gameplay51 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • Wild Bastards offers a unique blend of tactical decision-making and fast-paced FPS combat, making each encounter engaging and strategic.
  • The character design and voice acting are top-notch, adding depth and personality to the gameplay experience.
  • The game features a vibrant art style and humor that keeps the experience light-hearted and enjoyable.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive, with some players finding the combat encounters to lack variety and depth over time.
  • The feud system can be frustrating, as it limits character combinations and can lead to unwanted conflicts between outlaws.
  • Some players have reported issues with enemy AI and balance, feeling that certain enemies can be overly punishing or difficult to deal with.
  • gameplay175 mentions

    The gameplay of "Wild Bastards" has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its blend of FPS action and strategic elements, while others criticize its lack of depth and balance. Many find the core gameplay loop to be simple and addictive, but repetitive and grindy over time, with a notable absence of the risk/reward mechanics that characterized its predecessor, "Void Bastards." Overall, while the game offers engaging moments and unique character mechanics, it struggles with clarity and depth, leading to a somewhat polarizing experience among players.

    • “The gameplay loop is simple and addicting.”
    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay feels really good, especially with how unique each character plays.”
    • “There's no real risk/reward mechanics since most maps can be cleaned dry of resources (that disappear at the end of each sector).”
    • “The time-pressure mechanic doesn't feel very pressuring at all, since the three bosses who show up on every planet if you take too long aren't really that big of a challenge once you know how to handle them.”
    • “The gameplay loop is pretty simple to pick up, and overall it's a fairly fun shooter.”
  • story75 mentions

    The story in the game is generally regarded as enjoyable and engaging, featuring compelling characters and humorous dialogue, though some players feel it lacks depth and can be predictable or underdeveloped. While the narrative provides a fun backdrop for the gameplay, it sometimes feels rushed or incomplete, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the character dynamics and the immersive experience, making it a notable aspect of the game, especially compared to its predecessor, Void Bastards.

    • “The characters are super likable and you really feel immersed when you get to learn the story of all of these 'wild' people.”
    • “Masterful storytelling that uses characters who already know each other and lets you piece things together as you move along, modulate-able difficulty that makes this game approachable from all skill levels, every ounce of charm the previous game's style and writing had and given extra flair.”
    • “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.”
    • “If you're coming into this with a lust for the story, you're not going to get what you wanted, which is fine, don't get me wrong!”
    • “To be honest, I should have listened to my gut feeling and simply stopped there, because after finishing the story all I can come up with is 'meh'.”
    • “The story and dialogue are unfortunately more forgettable than the characters themselves.”
  • graphics52 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, comic book-inspired art style, which many reviewers find beautiful and full of personality, reminiscent of the studio's previous title, Void Bastards. However, some players note that while the visuals are striking, they can hinder gameplay readability, making it difficult to distinguish enemies from the environment. Overall, the art style is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's charm and engaging atmosphere.

    • “The art style is great, and the game oozes with personality.”
    • “Blue Manchu has brought back the fantastic 2.5D comic book art style of Void Bastards, and it is beautiful when applied to the bigger, open spaces represented on the different planets.”
    • “Incredible fun, with a charming cast of characters and a vibrant art style.”
    • “Much like Void Bastards, the game's visuals are either the thing catching your eye or turning you away from the game completely.”
    • “That in itself is already infuriating from a game-design perspective, but due to the flashiness of the art style, you'll have to trust your ears (and the radar on top of the screen) to not constantly run into shotgun barrels.”
    • “While the roguelike nature and graphical style of the two games are similar, apart from a few basic elements, the similarities end there.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, with engaging dialogue and funny character interactions that evoke a sense of familiarity among the cast. Players appreciate the combination of humorous writing, catchy voice acting, and a vibrant art style, which together create a lighthearted, cartoonish atmosphere. While the humor is entertaining, some reviewers note it lacks deeper satirical elements, focusing instead on a fun and wacky experience reminiscent of "Void Bastards."

    • “The conversations between the characters are charming and funny, making you feel like they've known each other for a long time.”
    • “The writing is funny, the character variety is crazy, and the setting is cool.”
    • “Solid gameplay, funny dialogue, and a really cool art style and aesthetic.”
  • character development13 mentions

    The character development in "Wild Bastards" is widely praised for its exceptional character design, engaging writing, and top-tier voice acting, which contribute to a vibrant and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the unique personalities and abilities of the characters, although some feel that the gameplay does not match the quality of the character work. Overall, the game's character design stands out as its strongest aspect, showcasing significant effort in development and balancing.

    • “Great character designs and writing, and some of the best voice acting around--I actively looked forward to hearing the characters interact.”
    • “The character design is top-tier; I found each of the bastards a lot of fun to play with, and finding fun synergies between them was also great.”
    • “You can see where they thought to expand the areas of Void Bastards that proved engaging and successful, but this loop is far less interesting than that game, and for all the effort put into character design and production, I'm just not having any fun.”
    • “I can only imagine just how much work went into character development and balancing in this game.”
    • “Strongest point: character design and voice acting, very well done.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    The game offers solid replayability through its random campaign mode and higher difficulty settings, which introduce roguelike permadeath mechanics and varied character combinations. While some players appreciate the remixed solar systems and emergent gameplay, others feel the reliance on RNG and lack of well-developed systems may limit long-term replay value. Overall, it provides a satisfying experience for initial playthroughs, but may not sustain interest for extensive replays.

    • “Replayability comes from the random campaign mode which has random characters selected to join your team per sector instead of the set story unlocks, and trying out higher difficulties which has more punishing roguelike permadeath mechanics.”
    • “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.”
    • “Wild Bastards is seriously lacking in well-thought-out systems that make for challenging, emergent gameplay and 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.”
    • “The game relies a lot on RNG, which may discourage some players despite the initial impression of having a lot of replayability.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its superb audio and sound design, with several memorable and atmospheric tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players noted that the music is not always prominent, it effectively complements the characters and story, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. However, there are concerns about volume control, particularly with the showdown intro tracks, which can overshadow other audio elements.

    • “Amazing gameplay, awesome music, and a surprisingly interesting story for an action rogue-like.”
    • “The music, while quite atmospheric and therefore not too high key, managed to present a few themes that stuck to my ear even after a week from finishing the game - namely, the 'forest' (ear worm, this one), 'outlaw sortie', 'posse is coming', 'moon' and 'wild bastards titles' tracks stood above the rest.”
    • “The characters, atmosphere, and music are wonderful.”
    • “The music, while quite atmospheric and therefore not too high key, managed to present a few themes that stuck to my ear even after a week from finishing the game - namely, the 'forest' (earworm, this one), 'outlaw sortie', 'posse is coming', 'moon', and 'wild bastards titles' tracks stood above the rest.”
    • “The loudest thing in the game is the showdown intro tracks, which isn't controlled by music volume; it's on main volume, and turning that down makes everything else basically inaudible.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, often spending excessive time battling easily defeated enemies and searching for hidden foes, which detracts from the overall experience. The lack of meaningful decision-making and depth in risk/reward mechanics further contributes to the grindy feel, making the pursuit of achievements and completion feel more like a chore than an enjoyable challenge.

    • “You'll spend a significant amount of time fighting enemies that have no chance against you, which ends up feeling very grindy.”
    • “Often you spend half of the time in a showdown hunting for the last couple of enemies hidden away somewhere on the map, which gets tedious pretty quickly.”
    • “When farming infamy, clicking wait and then yes to the double-dare like 3-5 times per prince gets really, really boring.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players expressing frustration over intrusive ads and gameplay mechanics that detract from the experience. While there is a call for accountability towards large corporations, there is also a recognition that indie developers should not be unfairly blamed for the industry's monetization practices. Overall, the monetization strategy appears to be a point of contention, impacting player enjoyment.

    • “It's one thing to demand more from huge corporations that squeeze every ounce of monetization out of their products, but as gamers, we should be careful not to turn that justified outrage towards the developers who flee the triple-A space into the now oversaturated indie space.”
    • “It's one thing to demand more from huge corporations that squeeze every ounce of monetization out of their products, but as gamers, we should be careful not to turn that (justified) outrage towards the developers who flee the triple-A space into the now oversaturated indie space.”
    • “I wanted to like this from the previews and ads on Facebook, but the gameplay fell flat for me and the gameplay loop felt awkward.”
    • “Ads are clunky, you constantly run into apparently deadly 1-inch deep puddles, and poison enemies have pinpoint accuracy and essentially 1-shot your character.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on a laptop with an i7-11370h processor, 16GB of RAM, and an RTX 3060, with no major bugs or visual performance issues reported. While the gameplay experience is generally positive, some players noted that the abrupt presentation of villain messages at the end of chapters felt disconnected from the overall narrative.

    • “No major bugs or visual performance issues on a laptop using an i7-11370H processor, 16 GB of RAM, and an RTX 3060 laptop card.”
    • “Amazing style, writing, and performances.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating music, featuring memorable themes that linger long after gameplay, alongside a rich narrative and well-developed characters. However, some reviewers feel it doesn't quite match the exploration and quirkiness found in similar titles like Void Bastards. Overall, the atmosphere is described as amazing, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The music, while quite atmospheric and therefore not too high key, managed to present a few themes that stuck to my ear even after a week from finishing the game - namely, the 'forest' (earworm, this one), 'outlaw sortie', 'posse is coming', 'moon' and 'wild bastards titles' tracks stood above the rest.”
    • “Amazing atmosphere and story but doesn't live up to Void Bastards' exploration and other quirkiness.”
    • “The characters, atmosphere, and music are wonderful.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report that stability is generally good, with glitches being infrequent and easily resolved, such as minor map interface issues and a rare enemy spawning problem.

    • “Glitches.”
    • “All glitches I encountered were very infrequent and consisted of a few map interface glitches (which were fixed with a restart) and one enemy spawning/falling under the map in a single showdown instance.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is perceived negatively, with players feeling it lacks depth and instead highlights the less appealing elements of the Borderlands series, leading to a sense of emptiness rather than engagement.

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

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

Buy Wild Bastards

Play time

28hMedian play time
31hAverage play time
8-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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