SteamWorld Heist II it came out last year in early August and did not create as many obstacles as some of the other genre products in its strange robotic world. That's a shame because the bones of this tactical RPG are some of the strongest around, even if the fluff gets in the way sometimes.
Sequel to the 2015 3DS game Image & Form, SteamWorld Heist II trading its predecessor's sci-fi setting for a Pirates of the Caribbean– infused takes on the high seas, but otherwise most of it still revolves around turn-based events in 2D side-scrolling maps where ricochet guns and grenades blow up cover to create chaotic fights.
You're still scrambling through procedurally generated levels and trying to escape as bullets and lasers whiz past the mechanical heads of your crew, but there's a big difference. SteamWorld Heist II. Unlike the first game, in which each character was equipped with a specific class of artifacts, the sequel allows you to give any weapon to a team member and then start building their equipment around that . Equip a sniper rifle and you'll be a sharpshooter who specializes in critical damage from afar. Use a hammer and you become a fighter who gets extra turns and other bonuses from smashing close enemies.
This offers a lot of flexibility and freedom, but SteamWorld Heist II goes a step further and allows characters to mix and match skills from different classes once unlocked, rewarding experimentation and encouraging a hunt for collaboration the game will break and help you take any prisoners when they break into high security facilities in search of powerful power. finance It's basically the other side of the Final Fantasy Tactics a job system where skill trees were tied to classes rather than weapons. The result is a refreshing change that is simpler without putting too much depth down.
I finished the game last summer on Switch (it's also on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC) and loved every minute I found myself analyzing bullet paths, rats bleeding, and the chances of success if I sacrificed one character for the rest of the crew's tactical descent. Even through procedurally generated maps where you can quickly locate any lollygagging you by enemy forces, SteamWorld Heist IIThe ingredients create the perfect recipe for tense moments, analytical presentations, and seat-of-your-pants escapes. It cleverly replicates the best elements of the first game and makes them even stronger and more fun.
The only drawback SteamWorld Heist II it's that the first game lacks a precise 12-hour running time. It's almost twice as long, with the extra hours going towards some late game grinding and a new overworld exploration system in which you explore as a submarine that ' shoot down enemy ships in real time in exchange for small rewards that are not worth the trouble to stop quickly. . Like the rest of SteamWorld Heist IIthe shoot-'em-up sections are smartly designed and control well but ultimately feel like unnecessary time wasters and frustrating distractions from the tactical combat Excellent 2D at the heart of the game.
At last, SteamWorld Heist II it's like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with an extra piece of bread in the middle. Still tasty but ultimately far more than you want to eat. I still finished the game because the 2D XCOM– similar visuals are good enough to make wading through the filling worth it. SteamWorld Heist II is a great RPG technique that genre acolytes would be doing themselves a disservice to ignore.
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