As a seasoned gamer with over three decades under my belt, I must say that SteamWorld Heist 2 has left me utterly captivated. The intricate blend of strategy, exploration, and character progression is a testament to the developer’s mastery of game design.
In the realm of gaming, SteamWorld Heist 2 represents the seventh installment within the SteamWorld series, which has grown more as a collection of unique narratives than a conventional sequence. The title serves as a creative sandbox for various concepts, loosely tied together by a cartoon-robot style, rather than a consistent universe with recurring gameplay mechanics and storylines. Notably, Heist 2 follows only the second direct sequel, coming after SteamWorld Dig 2. Interestingly, it seems noteworthy that the second true sequel is choosing the more niche hit, SteamWorld Heist, as its platform. However, the true test lies in the game itself, as SteamWorld Heist 2 significantly outdoes its predecessor by enhancing nearly all of its systems without introducing unnecessary complexity or sacrificing its appeal.
Similar to its predecessor, SteamWorld Heist 2 eludes simple classification as it primarily plays uniquely. In this game, you lead a team of Steambots on various missions that often involve confined indoor environments, featuring turn-based strategic combat. Although there is cover and abilities with cool-down periods similar to those in games like XCOM, Heist 2 sets itself apart by offering a distinct playing experience.
As an ardent fan, I’m thrilled about how SteamWorld Heist 2 expands upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, introducing a host of innovative features that not only stand alone but also harmoniously enhance the core gameplay. One such novelty is the job-class system, which is intrinsically linked to your choice of weaponry. In this game, any Steambot can adopt any job by merely swapping their primary weapon during mission setup, and the experience points earned in that specific mission will contribute towards the selected job’s progress. Each job offers five levels to advance, gradually unveiling a series of potent abilities along the way.
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As a gamer, I find the true thrill lies in blending and upgrading skills I’ve already got a handle on, to unlock powerful new synergies that can feel downright exhilarating. For instance, The Reaper, who typically wields SMGs with shorter aim lines, becomes much more potent when you master the Harvest skill, allowing continuous fire on enemies while dealing fatal damage. Equipping this skill onto a heavy-hitting class like Boomer or a long-range specialist like Sniper transforms one unit into a potential room-clearing powerhouse.
As a devoted fan, let me share one aspect of SteamWorld Heist 2’s job system that really caught my attention: the way it manages excess experience points. In many games with job classes, mastering a job leaves you in a bind – either stay with your mastered job to tackle tough story missions but gain no more experience, or switch to another job to gather experience but end up weaker. This often leads players back to grinding with other jobs, which isn’t exactly enjoyable.
In this game, the number of additional skills you can acquire is decided by what are called Cogs, which serve as slots for secondary abilities. By default, you’ll start with a certain number of Cogs, but they also factor into other aspects of the game. Some equipment can provide you with extra Cog slots if you want to create powerful combos, or they can be used for additional features like improved armor, sidearms, grenades, or healing kits. Moreover, within a single role, the variety of weapons is vast—for instance, one submachine gun might offer more burst-fire but won’t bounce off walls, while another may provide armor-piercing or healing capabilities. This system offers great flexibility, enabling you to customize your team according to your preferred playstyle.
Besides enhancing individual crew members by assigning jobs and gear, you’ll also accumulate a distinctive form of currency in your base, which can be utilized to enhance your party in various aspects. You have the freedom to spend it on unique, personal abilities for each team member, or on job-class upgrades that will benefit any bot assigned with that job. My top pick was Daisy, whose ultimate special ability lowers the cost of all abilities, making her an excellent choice for experimenting with different job combinations.
1. In addition to using that currency, you can utilize it to upgrade your submarine, serving as both your stationary base and mobile battle station. Unlike the first game, Heist 2 is set on a single planet predominantly covered in water. Your submarine will transport you to various missions, but it will also engage in thrilling real-time naval battles against enemy ships or can be used for exploration to uncover hidden areas with unique stashes of equipment. As you unlock additional submarine equipment slots, customizing your submarine becomes nearly as flexible as customizing your characters, allowing you to choose which weapons to employ, whether you prefer speed or power, and so on. The submarine combat offers a refreshing change of pace from regular mission combat, feeling like a mini-game but with enough depth to make it enjoyable.
In this narrative, the heavily flooded world plays a pivotal role as well. The water source, essential for the steam-driven robots to function, is becoming contaminated, causing an issue called “The Rust.” Two main groups are at odds in this setting: the Dieselbot Navy, a powerful and polished faction that boasts self-sufficiency without steam power, and the Rattlers, a grim robot cult who have taken to replacing their metallic components with bones to avoid corrosion.
In this narrative, Captain Quincy Leeway serves as the central character, a Steambot with one arm, living under the long shadow of his acclaimed mother who was also a captain. The tale primarily focuses on Leeway discovering his unique path amidst the pressures of those expectations. However, he doesn’t actively participate in missions; rather, he serves as the voice guiding other bots through earpieces, offering instructions and context for their missions. You control Leeway during ship exploration, docking at stores, or solving occasional simple puzzles. Initially, Leeway seeks only to boost his score, but soon the plot thickens with the revelation of the Rust corruption’s mystery and the turmoil between rival factions. Ultimately, this is a heartwarming tale about a diverse band of pirates who transform into a close-knit family, despite occasional bursts of heavy dialogue.
As you explore different regions in the game, certain areas may become inaccessible for your submarine due to a reputation-based system. To obtain specific submarine upgrades, you’ll need to build up your reputation by successfully completing missions within those areas. This can be achieved either by perfecting a few missions or simply finishing several of them. Your reputation serves as a form of currency, and it can be redeemed for special “bounty” rewards when you take a break at an inn. Resting is also essential because it allows you to reuse party members, so maintaining a large team of robots will help you complete multiple missions before returning to the inn, thereby maximizing your reputation and bounty rewards. This system adds another layer of strategy to Heist 2, encouraging players to make the most of their efficiency.
“What’s truly remarkable about these diverse systems is how smoothly they work together, and how they remain clear and manageable rather than confusing. Just like each component of a finely tuned Steambot fits seamlessly with another, every aspect and mechanism in SteamWorld Heist 2 connects perfectly to support the function of multiple other components. This results in a game that runs flawlessly from start to finish, like a well-oiled machine.”
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2024-08-06 00:09