|| PREVIEW || West of Dead (PC)

Developed By : Upstream Arcade                                          Published By : Raw Fury
Category : Twin-Stick, Indie, Cover Shooter
Release Date : June 18, 2020

Whether you attend them in person, catch them online, or watch bits and pieces afterwards, there's so much to love about the Expo's and conventions that go on like E3 and PAX. One of the highlights of these events is all of the game announcements, whether it's brand new world premiere unveilings, or extended looks at things that have been announced. For me, one of those titles that caught my eye last year was this one right here, West of Dead.

Right away I knew I was going to enjoy this game by the little bit that was showed. A twin-stick shooting roguelike set in the wild west, combine that with the art style and it had just about everything I liked. But, that was just looking at it. Now here we are, a year later and about to see the release of the game, and a free open Beta is available to check out.

You take on the role of William Mason as you enter the world of Purgatory, Wyoming. Filled with guns, witches, and all sorts of enemies, the world around seems to shape itself from the souls of those who pass through. Your only memory upon waking is of a man in black, but will your journey through Purgatory lead to the man and any answers?

While the majority of twin-stick shooters are extremely fast-paced and hectic, West of Dead slows that down and throws in a nice heaping helping of tactics. The world you go through procedurally generates as you pass through, and just about every room you enter will be filled with enemies waiting to taste your bullets. But there will be tons of cover as well, to give yourself a chance to dodge and hide from shots and get the jump on everyone.

Your runs start with a couple of guns, but more can be found as you progress, by locating special chests or merchants with items for sale. Each weapon has it's own stats for damage, reload speed, and number of shots, all to be accounted for when you're choosing to swap out your arsenal.

Graphically the game is beautiful, and with the main character voiced by the great Ron Perlman, how can anything possibly be wrong about this game? I was hooked on the announcement, and playing the Beta for a bit was the second hook for me. West of Dead looks extremely fun and promising, and I can't wait to see it's full release in just a couple of days.

This title will be releasing on all current platforms including the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and in Steam for PC players. If you get your hands on the Beta and play for a little bit, you can nab yourself an extra 15% off the game when it fully releases, so don't let that time slip through your hands. Try the Beta today, and fall into the game in a couple of days.