Our Verdict
A captivating comedian e-book aesthetic and a good, satisfying gameplay loop make Wild Bastards a worthwhile FPS roguelike, offered you’ll be able to bear its gratingly chatty solid and infrequently underwhelming upgrades.
Roguelikes are harmful. Booting one up for the primary time mainly ensures an unhealthy takeout dinner, a pile of unfolded laundry, and a 2am bedtime as you squeeze in only one extra run. Again in 2019, developer Blue Manchu launched an FPS roguelike impressed by System Shock known as Void Bastards. Set on cramped ships and lauded for its comedian e-book aesthetic and tight gameplay loop, it was effectively obtained however, for me, didn’t fairly take over my life in the identical means because the style’s greatest. Enter its follow-up, Wild Bastards.
This one trades the System Shock vibes for a vibrant sci-fi Wild West setting and stars 13 outlaws with distinctive, killer expertise. Wild Bastards‘ chatty solid makes for an outwardly extra story-driven roguelike game. All however two outlaws are lifeless by the hands of the Chaste gang, however with the assistance of a magical ship known as the Drifter, you’ll be able to soar from system to system resurrecting your buddies and including them to your crew. The Chastes, nevertheless, doggedly comply with you the whole time, attempting their greatest to place the outlaws again within the floor.
Whereas a novel idea, Wild Bastards spins a skinny yarn. Every outlaw isn’t rather more than a humorous accent and a singular package, and their quests are stretched too skinny over a full ten-hour playthrough. Sadly, the limitless bickering additionally begins to grate lengthy earlier than it’s over.
Wild Bastards fares higher within the gameplay division. Every system is made up of a number of planets which have a handful of constructive and unfavourable variables together with collectible expertise and objects to energy up your crew. You possibly can select which to go to in your strategy to the system’s last planet. As soon as on the bottom, you navigate a board game-like map, gathering loot and triggering area battles known as showdowns in opposition to a mixture of the 40 totally different enemy varieties.
The Chastes arrive to hunt you down earlier than lengthy, so it’s a rush again to the ship with no matter loot you managed to seize, then on to the subsequent planet. A brand new outlaw joins your crew everytime you attain the tip of a star system, along with your newly acquired expertise carrying over. There’s an actual depth as I rush to gather expertise for my favourite character because the Chastes beam down planetside, avoiding them on the map as I return to my ship, narrowly avoiding triggering a nigh unwinnable struggle.
The showdown shootouts are the place Wild Bastards actually shines. The comedian e-book aesthetic with 2D enemy sprites returns, making it probably the most visually charming roguelikes round. Whereas there isn’t a ton of selection to the levels, the swamps, dusty cowboy planets, and low-gravity moons are all a deal with to take a look at as you gun down shifty, dynamite-throwing bandits and prickly aliens.
The capturing itself is rudimentary: every outlaw has their signature weapon, an influence transfer known as a stunt, and generally a passive. They will run and soar – and that’s about it. You possibly can solely have two outlaws in a showdown without delay, switching between them with the press of a button.
Every outlaw is beneficial in several conditions, particularly after unlocking sure expertise. Smoky can spray hearth across the map to maintain swarming critters at bay. Preach’s gatling gun can mow down even cumbersome robotic foes however takes time to wind up. Spike’s stunt hacks into enemy turrets, turning them on their masters. Fletch’s bow tracks foes, however extra importantly, you’ll be able to study a ability that has a 25% probability to show an enemy into an ally.
I usually wished that the outlaws had extra utility when paired collectively. The outlaw ready in reserve will periodically assist out by providing some well being pickups or a quick invulnerability window. Simply don’t count on to see any particular combo results.
Most level-ups and objects really feel a bit uninspired, too. Enjoyable highlights comparable to explosive bullets are far outnumbered by boring harm discount buffs. Together with simply how lengthy a single run can take, Wild Bastards by no means reaches these roguelike highs the place you luck right into a ridiculously overpowered construct.
Whereas not irresistibly life-consuming, my second and third full playthroughs weren’t precisely straightforward to place down. Positive, I nonetheless folded all my laundry and solely skipped one meal to play, and I’ll by no means contact the narrative mode once more, however Wild Bastards is a stable roguelike with a gameplay loop that’s nearly satisfying sufficient to maintain me coming again for extra.
