Info about Wild Bastards: Official game description: Grab The Original Bastards ========================== About the Game ============== From the veteran team behind Void Bastards and Card Hunter, Wild Bastards has you travel from planet to planet to recruit, manage and gun sling with a team of 13 outlaws, each of whom has their own weaponry, special power, and growth tree. On planets, you’ll wrangle loot and start showdowns that are then played out in intense, bite-sized shootouts. The Wild Bastards were the most deadly gang in the galaxy until a posse from the puritanical magnate Jebediah Chaste eliminated one outlaw after another. Faced with their own mortality, the two remaining members have teamed up with the Drifter, a mysterious sentient spacecraft, to find and resurrect the dead gang members as they flee to the mythical Homestead. **Intense Showdowns** --------------------- Prove you’re the ultimate gunslinger by blasting an array of enemies in bullet-flying shootouts. **Tactical FPS Combat** ----------------------- Use your wits to overcome crafty enemies that utilize cover, flank you, and employ a huge variety of special moves from teleportation to homing poisonous quills. **13 Outlaws to Play** ---------------------- Rebuild a gang of 13 outlaws, each with their own unique weapon, stunt, personality, relationships, and ability tree. **Build & Maintain Relationships** ---------------------------------- The gang know each other well, but that doesn’t mean they like each other. It’s your job to manage their dynamic relationships, but good luck getting feuding outlaws to ride together. **Keep The Gang Thriving** -------------------------- Accumulate resources to heal injured gang members, level up characters, improve relationships, and more. **Strategize for Victory** -------------------------- Evaluate each planet’s terrain, enemies, and traits before selecting which gang members you want to land there. Collect items, level up, and use special locations carefully to turn the odds in your favor! **An Ever-Changing, Lawless Galaxy** ------------------------------------ Roam the procedurally-generated galactic sectors and planets with varying parameters such as gravity, terrain features, weather, and more. **Challenge Mode** ------------------ After completing the main campaign, a challenge mode unlocks to offer a sequence of challenge sectors with increasingly difficult levels and mutators to modify the play experience. Release date: 12 Sep, 2024 Categories: First-Person Shooter, Roguelike, Strategic Planning, Character Management, Character Progression, Resource Management, Arena Shooter, Exploration - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: No data Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Engaging & Strategic Gameplay Loop (weight 0.99): Players consistently praise the game's core gameplay loop, highlighting its unique blend of FPS action, roguelite elements, and strategic depth. The combat is described as engaging, tactical, and varied, offering both intense showdowns and opportunities for thoughtful planning. The game's ability to maintain freshness through new content and challenges, especially on higher difficulties, contributes significantly to its high replayability and addictive nature. - Diverse & Charismatic Characters (weight 0.59): The game's diverse cast of characters is a major highlight. Players love their unique designs, distinct personalities, varied playstyles, and well-executed voice acting. The character interactions and the strategic depth offered by their unique abilities and synergies are frequently cited as strong points. - Improved Successor to Void Bastards (weight 0.33): Many players view the game as a significant improvement and worthy successor to Void Bastards. They appreciate that it retains the core charm and aesthetic while refining mechanics, enhancing the story, and introducing more diverse content, leading to a more engaging and less repetitive experience. - Enjoyable Story & Humor (weight 0): The game's narrative and humor are well-received, providing an entertaining and lighthearted experience. Players enjoy the witty writing, engaging dialogue, and the overall fun tone that complements the gameplay without overshadowing it. - Striking Art Style & Visuals (weight 0): The game's art style and visual design are consistently praised. Players appreciate the unique comic book-inspired aesthetic, vibrant colors, and distinctive character and environmental designs, which contribute to an immersive and stylish experience. - Underrated & High Value (weight 0): Many players feel the game is undervalued and deserves more recognition. They highly recommend it, emphasizing its strong fundamentals, innovative approach, and excellent value for its price. Common complaints: - Disappointing Compared to Void Bastards (weight 0.94): Many players, especially fans of the developer's previous title, Void Bastards, express significant disappointment. They feel the game deviates too much from Void Bastards' core mechanics (like exploration, looting, and tension) and fails to deliver a comparable or improved experience, despite being marketed as a 'spiritual successor.' - Frustrating Enemy & Map Design (weight 0.88): Players report various issues with enemy design and behavior, including enemies blending into environments, having 'hit-scan' accuracy, or being difficult to locate. This leads to frustrating encounters where players feel unfairly targeted or forced into passive playstyles, and maps often feel too large or empty. - Repetitive & Clunky Gameplay (weight 0.84): The core gameplay loop, particularly the first-person shooter combat, is widely criticized for being repetitive, clunky, and lacking depth. Players find the moment-to-moment gunplay unrewarding and the overall experience monotonous, especially given the campaign's length. - Weak Story & Characters (weight 0.83): The game's narrative, characters, and overall story are frequently described as underdeveloped, forgettable, and lacking charm. Players report that the plot is barebones, characters are unmemorable, and the dialogue can be cringeworthy, failing to engage them. - Unbalanced Character System (weight 0.81): The character system suffers from balance issues, with some characters being significantly more powerful or useful than others, leading to repetitive use of a few 'overpowered' characters. Many later characters feel like filler, and the progression system doesn't adequately support the entire roster. - Overpriced for Content (weight 0.78): A significant number of players feel the game is overpriced for the content and experience it delivers. They suggest a lower price point would be more appropriate given the perceived lack of depth, polish, and replayability. - Abrupt & Unsatisfying Ending (weight 0.77): The game's ending is widely criticized as abrupt, anticlimactic, and unsatisfying, leaving many questions unanswered. Players feel there is no proper closure or catharsis, and the final hours of the game often drag. - Annoying Feud Mechanic (weight 0.75): The 'feud' mechanic, which randomly prevents characters from going on missions together, is a major point of frustration. Players find it an annoying and poorly designed system that artificially restricts choices and often requires spending resources to resolve. - Inconsistent Difficulty Balancing (weight 0.74): The game struggles with overall difficulty balancing, often swinging between being too easy (especially with certain character builds) and unfairly difficult. End-game content and 'Prince' boss fights are frequently described as either trivial or frustratingly unbalanced. - Poor Aiming & Gun Accuracy (weight 0.71): The aiming and gun accuracy mechanics are problematic, with players reporting that bullets often don't go where the crosshair is, and the 'aim down sights' feature feels clunky. This contributes to a less satisfying shooting experience. - Temporary Loot & Progression (weight 0.69): The temporary nature of mods and cash, which are lost upon warping to new sections, creates a lack of meaningful progression. Players feel that acquiring these items becomes pointless, diminishing the sense of reward and long-term investment. - Tedious Boss Fights (weight 0.67): Boss battles, particularly the first one, are criticized for being tedious due to high health pools and low player damage, requiring prolonged engagements. Players also desire more variety in boss encounters. Gameplay feedback: - Two-Layered Strategic Map (weight 0.25): The game features a two-layered strategic map system. Players navigate a sector map to choose planets, then a node-based planetary map to make tactical moves, collect resources, and engage in combat. This strategic movement is a core gameplay element. - Diverse Character Roster (weight 0.25): The game features a roster of 13 unique 'Outlaws' or 'Bastards,' each with distinct weapons, abilities, and playstyles. Players manage these characters, their relationships, and their upgrades, often pairing them for combat. - Roguelite FPS Hybrid (weight 0.17): The game is primarily a roguelite FPS hybrid, combining strategic elements with first-person arena combat. While it shares some roguelike characteristics like procedural generation and unlocks, it's not a traditional roguelike. - Campaign and Unlockable Modes (weight 0.13): The game includes a story-driven campaign, approximately 10-18 hours long, which serves as an extended tutorial. Completing this campaign unlocks additional procedural and challenge modes for extended replayability. - Arena-Based FPS Combat (weight 0.11): Combat primarily occurs in 'Showdowns,' which are bite-sized, first-person arena shootouts. Unlike Void Bastards, the game focuses heavily on direct gunfights rather than stealth or avoidance. - Distinct from Void Bastards (weight 0.11): While sharing a similar art style and some structural elements, the game is distinctly different from Void Bastards. It emphasizes direct combat and character abilities over stealth and scavenging, offering a unique gameplay loop. - Persistent Ace Upgrades (weight 0.06): Aces are permanent character upgrades or passive bonuses collected throughout the game. They are crucial for character progression and persist across runs, allowing for long-term team development. - Instant Character Swapping (weight 0.05): During combat, players can instantly switch between two active characters, effectively changing weapons, health, and abilities. This character-swapping mechanic is central to the combat strategy. - Character Relationship System (weight 0.05): A 'feud' system impacts character relationships, preventing feuding characters from being paired together. Conversely, 'Pals' can offer combat advantages, requiring players to manage team dynamics. - Lenient Death Penalty (weight 0.04): The game features a lenient death penalty where injured characters can be revived, and players typically restart at the beginning of a sector rather than losing all progress. Loot collected on a planet is generally retained even if characters are injured. Performance notes: - Excellent Steam Deck performance (weight 0.04): Players consistently report excellent performance on the Steam Deck, noting smooth gameplay, high settings compatibility, and efficient battery usage. This suggests strong optimization for portable play. - Frequent saves, short encounters (weight 0.02): The game features a save system that progresses after each encounter, and these encounters are generally brief, often lasting less than five minutes. This design supports quick play sessions and reduces frustration from long re-dos. - Similar visual style to Void Bastards (weight 0.01): The game's visual style is noted to be very similar to 'Void Bastards,' combining 3D environments with 2D sprite enemies. This provides a clear expectation for players familiar with that aesthetic. - Encounter-breaking bug reported (weight 0.01): One player reported a significant bug that forced them to replay the same section multiple times, leading to frustration and uninstallation. While an isolated report, it highlights a potential critical bug. - M+KB offers advantage (weight 0.01): One player noted that using a mouse and keyboard provides an advantage, attributing this to the game's AI. This suggests that the AI might be challenging or that precise input is beneficial. Recommendations: - Highly Recommended Game (weight 0.3): Overall, the game receives a strong recommendation from many players, often with high ratings. While some suggest waiting for a sale, the general sentiment is positive, with many finding it a worthwhile experience. - Good Value on Sale (weight 0.05): Many players suggest purchasing the game during a sale, particularly when it's around $10. While some believe it's worth the full price, the consensus leans towards it being an excellent value on discount. - Play on Higher Difficulty (weight 0.05): Players recommend increasing the difficulty, especially to Hard or Ironman mode, to enhance the game's excitement and challenge. This is suggested for both initial playthroughs and after completing the story. - Understand Game Style First (weight 0.04): Players are advised to watch gameplay videos before buying to understand the game's style and mechanics. It's also noted that the game might not appeal to those who dislike repetition or expect a stealth/sniper experience. - Desire for Endless Mode (weight 0.02): There's a desire for more post-campaign content, specifically an infinite campaign mode. This would allow players to continue leveling characters, experiment with team compositions, and extend playtime. - Minor QoL Improvements (weight 0.02): Minor quality-of-life improvements are requested, such as a 'Continue' button to pass prompts, a skip animation button for end screens, and the ability to wait multiple days at once in the campaign. - Anticipate Future Content (weight 0.01): Players express anticipation for future projects from the developers, Blue Manchu. Some specifically hope for a direct sequel or DLC for 'Wild Bastards', indicating satisfaction with the current game. Other player notes: - Satisfying Game Length (weight 0.1): Players generally found the game to be of a decent length, with playthroughs ranging from 18 to 27 hours. Many expressed excitement about continuing to play, unlocking characters, and exploring end-game content or potential DLC. - Pricing and Value Perception (weight 0.05): The game's pricing and value proposition were a point of discussion, with some sympathizing with the $35 price tag while others noted its frequent availability in bundles or sales. There's also a broader sentiment about the challenges indie developers face in pricing their games fairly. - Unfairly Criticized Reception (weight 0.03): Some players feel the game has been unfairly criticized or received a lukewarm reception, despite being competently made. There's a concern that this negative perception might hinder future content or sequels. - Quirky 'Beans' Theme (weight 0.02): A recurring, humorous theme in the reviews is the mention of 'beans,' often tied to the game's narrative or character interactions, indicating a quirky and memorable aspect of the game's flavor. - Steep Learning Curve (weight 0.01): The game has a noticeable learning curve, and some players suggested that initial gear and character choices should be more guided to help new players familiarize themselves with the mechanics. - Mixed Feelings on Casino Character (weight 0.01): The Casino character received mixed feedback; while appreciated for their ability to earn money, their tendency to leave the party and only return at the final stage was a point of frustration for some players. - Desire for More Planet Variety (weight 0.01): Players expressed a desire for more environmental variety and planet tags, such as different weather conditions, low oxygen, or heavy gravity, to add more depth to exploration. - Potential for Co-op Mode (weight 0.01): There's a suggestion that a co-op mode could significantly enhance the game's fun factor, indicating interest in multiplayer options. - Racing Wheel Conflict Bug (weight 0): One player reported a specific technical issue requiring them to disable their racing wheel in Windows Device Manager to resolve a bug, indicating a potential peripheral conflict. Emotions: - Satisfaction (weight 0.28): Players felt satisfied by the game's high overall quality, including its engaging and addictive gameplay loop, strategic depth, and well-executed combat. The game's unique art style, humor, and diverse, well-written characters, along with excellent voice acting, significantly contributed to a rewarding experience and a sense of good value for money. - Disappointment (weight 0.17): Disappointment stemmed primarily from the game not meeting expectations, especially when compared to its predecessor, Void Bastards, often due to a perceived lack of depth, repetitive late-game content, and the removal of immersive sim elements. Players also expressed dissatisfaction with clunky gunplay, poor balance, and a general feeling that the game was a missed opportunity or unfinished. - Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration arose from monotonous and repetitive gameplay, particularly in combat, coupled with unfair enemy spawns, balancing issues, and clunky gunplay. Players also experienced frustration due to game-breaking bugs, a steep initial learning curve, and mechanics that felt punishing or unrewarding, such as loot deletion or the energy system. - Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players found enjoyment in the game's fun and engaging roguelite shooter mechanics, often highlighting the unique blend of genres, humorous dialogue, and distinctive art style. The challenge and rewarding progression, especially as new content and character abilities were discovered, contributed to a highly entertaining and addictive experience. - Excitement (weight 0.09): Excitement was generated by the game's overall high quality, its compelling roguelite loop, and the successful blend of genres, often seen as an improvement over its predecessor. Players were enthusiastic about the diverse characters, strategic depth, and the anticipation of future content or continued play, indicating a strong positive impression. - Joy (weight 0.04): Joy was primarily derived from the game's overall fun and humorous elements, including charming character interactions, witty writing, and excellent voice acting. The satisfying core gameplay loop and the general positive experience contributed to a feeling of delight and affection for the game. - Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciated the game's unique fusion of genres, well-crafted design, and stunning art style, recognizing the developers' talent and willingness to try new things. The strategic depth, character variety, and overall value for money also contributed to a sense of gratitude for the game's quality. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration was expressed for the game's masterful storytelling, approachable difficulty, and overall charm, particularly its visual design, characters, and core gameplay. Players were impressed by the amazing voice acting, tight gunfights, and the game's unique and high-quality execution. - Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion stemmed from the early game experience, including initial confusing mechanics and a story that didn't make sense to some players. There was also bewilderment regarding why the game didn't receive more popular recognition despite its perceived quality. - Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game developed after its mechanics 'clicked' for players, leading to an appreciation for its overall quality and fun. This emotion signifies a deep affection once the game's design and gameplay loop were fully understood and enjoyed. - Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom was caused by repetitive gameplay, particularly in combat, and a tiresome, uninspiring gameplay loop that quickly became tedious. Players lost the desire to finish the game due to the lack of engaging moments and monotonous progression. - Engagement (weight 0.01): Players felt engaged by the game's addicting gameplay, thoughtful design, and strategic depth, which compelled them to continue playing and even re-run the game. The excellent writing and rewarding character unlocks also contributed to a strong sense of immersion. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm was driven by the game's high quality, successful genre mix, and strong replayability, leading to a desire to continue playing and recommend it to others. The strategic FPS concept and varied enemy playstyles also generated significant excitement. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger arose from strong negative feelings about the game's design, particularly issues with gun accuracy, unavoidable enemy attacks, and an unsatisfying ending. The game's core loop and item management also contributed to a sense of frustration and harsh criticism. - Preference (weight 0.01): Players expressed a preference for Void Bastards, citing its gameplay flow, immersive sim elements, and scavenging/crafting mechanics as superior. This indicates a desire for the game to have retained more features from its predecessor rather than focusing on combat. - Mixed feelings (weight 0.01): Mixed feelings arose from players liking the game but not fully recommending it, often due to it not meeting expectations or having significant drawbacks despite some positive aspects. This indicates a divided opinion where complexity fizzled and balancing issues were present. - Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance stemmed from a bad narrative, tedious gameplay, and poor character design, with overworld maps detracting from the FPS experience. Excessive dialogue also contributed to a sense of irritation for some players. - Regret (weight 0): Regret was expressed by players who sought a refund or regretted their purchase, indicating a strong dissatisfaction with the game's value or experience. This suggests the game failed to meet basic expectations for enjoyment or quality. - Value-consciousness (weight 0): Players were conscious of the game's price point in relation to the content it delivered, often making recommendations based on whether they felt the game offered sufficient value for its cost. This highlights a focus on the economic aspect of the game experience. - Anticipation (weight 0): Anticipation was generated by the game's potential for long-term fun and the desire to play more, particularly regarding the end-game loop. This indicates a positive outlook and eagerness for continued engagement with the game.}