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Remnants are lost memories and ideas, and when taken to “The Witch”, an antler-wearing woman at the end of missions, they can be further upgraded at the cost of Sin, one of two in-game currencies dropped by enemies along with Iron. Occasional loot drops, such as a charm remnant that recovers small portion of recent health-loss when striking with a melee weapon add depth to the genius but simplistic gameplay. Exploring every possible route will reward the player with new weapons, chests containing loot or shrines where the player can upgrade their personal attributes such as health and melee damage. Unlit areas are dark, illuminated by a small radius that surrounds the player and only by igniting lanterns do they fully reveal themselves. Careful observance of the battlefield must be given when facing Outlaws, powerful enemies that can very quickly dispose of the player if going in without a strategy.Įach level is broken into multiple parts and each of them are labrynthian and dungeon like in design. Their designs are fun and unique enough to prevent feeling too familiar and their attack patterns are varied to keep the player aware of their surroundings at all times. When enough damage is received the enemy will be stunned and as with their exposure to a lantern being ignited, they will take more damage than usual. The standard enemy variety ranges from melee only, armed and supernatural beasts with combinations of health and stun meters. With progression comes more difficult enemies, including mini-bosses with large health bars making them very bullet spongey. Some weapons also have effects like bleed that causes damage over time even after the initial blow.
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Reloading of weapons occurs automatically, as does the recharge of any throwables, all ammo is infinite and relies only on a cool down, eliminating the need to dash frantically across the combat zone to refill.ĭifferent weapons such as revolvers, flintlock, rifles and shotguns can be found and are levelled, meaning the higher the level, the higher the damage output. It feels fluent and seamless, making combat fun and less dangerous by allowing for such control of the battlefield. Crouching occurs automatically when next to any form of cover and moving between it is as simple as vaulting over and sliding to the next. Enemies hidden in the dark can not be targeted unless a lantern is activated and any enemy within a small radius will be stunned upon illumination, leaving them susceptible to taking greater damage.Įvading enemy attacks is simple by using a dive roll to move between cover, which is destructible. Allocating a gun to each trigger, melee weapons including axes and a throwable item such as dynamite to the bumpers allows for simple combinations of assaults to be unleashed on the undead enemies that lurk in the shadows. The accessibility of the gameplay is one of West of Dead’s strongest assets, as it’s simple, fun and dynamic enough to add variety to most enemy encounters. Stuck in a loop of returning to this moment of his (after)life with every death, West of Dead sees the player attempt to complete 9 missions in a single deathless run in a procedurally generated world.Ī simple tutorial walks the player through the basics of gameplay and cleverly introduces all mechanics in short bursts so it does not overwhelm the player. Perlman narrates as the opening cinematic establishes his characters experience with death and beyond in the grim and gritty Purgatory, Wyoming. A striking cel-shaded inspired art style sets the tone for this western twin stick shooter which features a poncho toting, flaming skulled undead bandit powerfully voiced by Ron Perlman, perhaps most known for his role as Hellboy.