|| REVIEW || Hard West (Nintendo Switch)
Whether you frequent my ramblings here (although they've been a bit quiet as of late), or maybe your eyes happen to scan my words on The Switch Effect, one thing you may be aware of is my somewhat newfound love for turn-based strategy games. Because of my late arrival to this genre, it's caused me to miss out on some of the greats, such as the X-COM series. However, it allows me a chance not only to discover the old things that I've missed, but also the new things that are just entering the scene. Hard West is one of the latter, and what's great about it is how much it feels like those other great titles that I've missed before, right off the bat. So let's revisit the old west with this title and see how it shapes up.
Developed By : Creative Forge Published By : Forever Entertainment
To break things down a little further, there are a few stats that will be relevant on both sides of the field. One of these is the current stance of any one character. Each person can be in one of three different stances : fully exposed, in half-cover, or in full-cover. This is probably one of the most important stats, at least in my opinion, because it will not only determine if you can avoid being attacked, but it will also help determine whether or not you can successfully hit one of your enemies. When you go to take a shot, a percentage will pop up with the stats showing how likely you are to hit your target, and how much damage you can expect to do if you hit them from that distance.
Another stat you'll want to be concerned with is your health, naturally. Hanging over your head will be an icon that's split in two. The left side is meant to show the current status of your weapon, mainly how many shots it can have, and whether or not those shots are loaded or they've been spent. The left side of that icon is your health, and it's shown as a big number in a block of red. Damage dealt to you will be effected by just about everything mentioned above and more : the distance between the shooter and you, how much in cover you are, how much damage the weapon itself deals, and your luck factor. The best way to describe luck is probably as a form of currency that's only valid in combat. It spends itself, and can be a way out of what seems like a guaranteed hit, but once it's all spent, you'll need to make sure you're in the best cover possible.
Outside of combat, you'll find yourself getting very familiar with the screen that you see in the image above, and it's important for two very distinct reason. For one, it serves as your story progression, opening up new scenarios and interacting with new characters. However, just as importantly, it's where you'll mine for gold so you can purchase equipment to do better mining, more powerful weapons, and even some...mystic items that may help you on your journey.
Every time I step into a new game such as this, I'm always anxious of how much I'm going to have to re-learn. We all know that while there may be a lot of genre-sharing titles, most of the time that's all they really share is the genre. And while it's important that a game stands apart from it's brethren, it's my personal opinion that they never want to stand too far apart so to feel unable to relate to the things that are supposed to be similar. Hard West is absolutely a perfect fit in the genre of turn-based strategy and tactics. It's similar, but not so much that it feels like a re-skin of something else. While at the same time it's different, but doesn't struggle to find familiar ground.
I have loved every moment I've gotten to spend in this game, and it was plenty tough enough to set it down long enough just to write the review! Warren and his families story does an amazing job of pulling you in as you play it. Normally, being given the task of "keep so-and-so alive" feels so exhausting, and for me personally it usually takes away from the level overall because I feel all of my focus being put on that one person. Here, that's not the case because the characters you get to play alongside of are the kinds of characters you grow to love and want so desperately to keep them alive as it is, without the game even ordering you to do so.
Whether you decide to pick up this game in it's most recent iteration on the Nintendo Switch, or you just grab it on PC where it was released a little over 3 years ago, Hard West is an absolute must play and it's worth every penny that you'll spend on it.
Game Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
Code Provided By : Forever Entertainment
Also available on PC, Mac, and Linux
Hard West
Developed By : Creative Forge Published By : Forever Entertainment
Category : Simulation, RPG, Turn-Based Strategy, Tactics
Release Date : Mar 07, 2019
Price : $19.99
The story follows that of Warren and his family, who have set out on the Oregon Trail. Early in the journey, misfortune happens upon them and causes a quite lengthy delay in their journey. Eventually, after settling down for a while, Warren decides that it's time for him and father to take up their journey on the Trail again, as it's what mother would have wanted. This leads to doing some local mining for gold which, in turn, causes them to get mixed up with a lot of the goings on in the area. Without spoiling too many of the story's details, Warren finds himself at a crossroads, striking a deal with the devil hoping for a chance at retribution.
Gameplay in Hard West takes place in one of two difference scenarios. One is the levels themselves, which is where the majority of the action and strategy of this game will happen. This is where you'll find Warren, his father, and/or anybody else in a small party that will contain up to four characters. You'll have a task that you need to complete, and typically a stipulation that you'll need to be weary of, for instance a certain character will be required to survive the situation.
Typically, when you think of turn-based strategy games, there are lot of mechanics and gameplay features that probably spring to mind. Again, this is a semi-new genre to me over the last couple of years, but I can absolutely confirm that the best of those mechanics have found their way into this game.
Turns will alternate between the players party and the enemies. Each of your characters is allotted a certain amount of Action Points, which you can use as you see fit. The first thing to note is that there are two radial areas in which you can move a character. If you keep your movement within the first area, you'll be able to make use of a second action such as shooting at an enemy or utilizing something in the environment, or even reloading your weapon. However, if you move further and utilize the further of the two areas, it will cost all of your AP's and you won't be allowed to shoot or reload. Your enemies will be faced with the same restrictions on their turns as well.
To break things down a little further, there are a few stats that will be relevant on both sides of the field. One of these is the current stance of any one character. Each person can be in one of three different stances : fully exposed, in half-cover, or in full-cover. This is probably one of the most important stats, at least in my opinion, because it will not only determine if you can avoid being attacked, but it will also help determine whether or not you can successfully hit one of your enemies. When you go to take a shot, a percentage will pop up with the stats showing how likely you are to hit your target, and how much damage you can expect to do if you hit them from that distance.
Another stat you'll want to be concerned with is your health, naturally. Hanging over your head will be an icon that's split in two. The left side is meant to show the current status of your weapon, mainly how many shots it can have, and whether or not those shots are loaded or they've been spent. The left side of that icon is your health, and it's shown as a big number in a block of red. Damage dealt to you will be effected by just about everything mentioned above and more : the distance between the shooter and you, how much in cover you are, how much damage the weapon itself deals, and your luck factor. The best way to describe luck is probably as a form of currency that's only valid in combat. It spends itself, and can be a way out of what seems like a guaranteed hit, but once it's all spent, you'll need to make sure you're in the best cover possible.
Outside of combat, you'll find yourself getting very familiar with the screen that you see in the image above, and it's important for two very distinct reason. For one, it serves as your story progression, opening up new scenarios and interacting with new characters. However, just as importantly, it's where you'll mine for gold so you can purchase equipment to do better mining, more powerful weapons, and even some...mystic items that may help you on your journey.
Every time I step into a new game such as this, I'm always anxious of how much I'm going to have to re-learn. We all know that while there may be a lot of genre-sharing titles, most of the time that's all they really share is the genre. And while it's important that a game stands apart from it's brethren, it's my personal opinion that they never want to stand too far apart so to feel unable to relate to the things that are supposed to be similar. Hard West is absolutely a perfect fit in the genre of turn-based strategy and tactics. It's similar, but not so much that it feels like a re-skin of something else. While at the same time it's different, but doesn't struggle to find familiar ground.
I have loved every moment I've gotten to spend in this game, and it was plenty tough enough to set it down long enough just to write the review! Warren and his families story does an amazing job of pulling you in as you play it. Normally, being given the task of "keep so-and-so alive" feels so exhausting, and for me personally it usually takes away from the level overall because I feel all of my focus being put on that one person. Here, that's not the case because the characters you get to play alongside of are the kinds of characters you grow to love and want so desperately to keep them alive as it is, without the game even ordering you to do so.
Whether you decide to pick up this game in it's most recent iteration on the Nintendo Switch, or you just grab it on PC where it was released a little over 3 years ago, Hard West is an absolute must play and it's worth every penny that you'll spend on it.
Score : 8.5/10
Game Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
Code Provided By : Forever Entertainment
Also available on PC, Mac, and Linux
