Weird West Review – Western Meets the Witcher

Americans, and even some abroad, have become enamored with the tales of the Wild West of the mid to late 1800s. Many outlaws and cowboys roamed the land, working to survive on the harsh terrain. Weird West takes a look at the tales of the old West and adds a supernatural flair to it, introducing enemies like Sirens and Pig Men.

Each choice you make in the Weird West has an impact, with even main story characters susceptible to your trigger finger. That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, though, as you’re likely to face severe resistance from the various groups that roam the lands. As a result, players will have to form up their posse and prepare the best gear to survive in Weird West.

What’s positive about Weird West?

The atmosphere in the game is probably one of the most rewarding parts of the game. Something about the muted colors, music, and character design all pair together nicely to create a dismal feeling, but in a good way. If you’re into darker themes and weird twists on classic tropes, Weird West has a lot to offer.

The map in the game has all kinds of areas that the player can explore, from deep caves and mines to cities filled with NPCs. While some of the locations get reused once or twice, there’s still a lot for players to explore in each place. Weird West rewards the player who takes the time to search the map after every encounter, even the random ones. You never know what gear someone has left behind.

The lore feels deep and rich, but not in a way that overwhelms the player the second the intro starts. If you’re paying passing attention, you can get the intentions. However, there’s more to be explored as you find news articles, books, etc. This information can range from someone thanking you to the world reacting to a town you saved.

Weird West is willing to amply reward the player for going out of their way to save people. Once you’ve done someone a big enough favor, they’ll be glad to come to your aid when you need it. If you’re in a fight and it doesn’t look so good, there’s a chance that one of these allies you helped in the past will show up and take on your enemies with you.

Each of the multiple characters you take on has its playstyles and skillsets, a blessing. As you progress through each story, you’ll learn more about the North American geography and the brand that allows you to travel between these different bodies.

What’s negative about Weird West?

For a game that rewards stealth so heavily, it’s hard to imagine why the enemies’ perception is often shortened to a few feet away. Any further, and they won’t hear your explosion, gunshot, or anything else that might cause an enemy alarm. In some instances, it’s surprising how little the other enemies can listen to their friends shooting and shouting from a distance away.

The loot isn’t exactly the best thing you’ll find in similar games, with most gear doing more damage or having an increased ammo capacity. There’s nothing special outside of different rarities, which is commonplace in almost any game with multiple guns. No other loot excites the player either, as it usually boils down to the same consumables or junk that you can sell for next to nothing at a trader.

The map isn’t the largest, but that’s fine since it lets the player view it through different characters’ eyes. However, it can take the player out of the moment when they realize they often are in the same layout for a mine or other location.

The game was just released on March 31, and there have been several bugs that have yet to be patched out. For example, some quest items are missing when you go into an area for the first time to look for them, and other required locations don’t show a spot on the map. Since these are side quests, it doesn’t break the game, but it does limit some of the missions.

Conclusion

While this is a dark adventure, players will be fascinated by the world it takes place, with its fascinating lore and characters. In addition, players looking for a new game to play should try out some of the Weird West.

Our Weird West review was written based on the PC version of the game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles in the Game Reviews section of our website!