Is there a genre Steam world is afraid to tackle? Image & Form’s long-running anthology series started as an RTS in SteamWorld Tower Defense, went to space and the Wild West, and has even taken the form of a fairy tale. And while Dig, the Metroidvania-style series, may be the most popular, many have a soft spot for the 2015 3DS hit SteamWorld Heist.
Returning to the franchise’s strategy roots, SteamWorld Heist is a side-on turn-based strategy game that combines the unique aesthetic and humor of the SteamWorld series with gun-slinging, bullet-ricocheting action. We loved it, and Ultimate Edition on Switch is a no-brainer. Still, we didn’t expect Heist to return, but nine years later, SteamWorld Heist II is almost here. We got the chance to go hands-on with the PC version of the game during Summer Game Fest, and we can already tell that this is a well-oiled machine that fans will love, and newcomers can jump right in too to jump.
SteamWorld Heist II is all about steampunk sailors this time around, and the new setting is also where the biggest change to the gameplay lies. Your base of operations is your submarine, and this is where all your crew members (read: playable characters) congregate. You can talk to them, figure out what to do next, and then start your next adventure from here – similar to the first game.
When you get behind the wheel of the ship – a fancy computer terminal – you have the chance to explore a vast open world on the high seas. Most of this involves steering your boat across the water, following the map to find your next heist, or simply exploring. The part of the game we played was just before the middle of the game, so we got some guidance from producer Petter Magnusson, who told us to go north for our first mission, and then go west for some more exploration, along with a second mission.
The point is: we have it So distracted because the map was much larger than we expected. The game does guide you to your next goal, but sailing the big blue seas is really fun, and we saw a lot of little details on the islands. A small parasol and a towel on a beach; pieces of metal near some rocks; and many crates with items and currency in them.
However, our bullshit got us into trouble: an enemy ship shot at us. In ship battles you simply have to take revenge by using your cannons, attacking the enemy ship or running away. It’s simple, but it adds flavor to the overworld and really hammers home the seafaring theme. Every time we were spotted by the enemy we were surprised.
Finally, we headed to our first mission, where we were reintroduced to the combat of SteamWorld Heist. We selected two different characters: Daisy, a sniper, and Crowbar, a flanker. Daisy specializes in taking out enemies from afar, while Crowbar is fast and can get close to the enemy. Each mission lets you choose who you take with you, but if you succeed, your fighters need to rest, so you’ll need to drop them off at a nearby tavern to regain their strength.
Once we jumped in, we had to go to the back of the facility and take out the leader. The gameplay is essentially the same as in the original SteamWorld Heist, but this level had many additional challenges for us. There was a timer that, when it expired, would signal waves of enemies coming out to give us trouble. Another problem was the automatic weapons upstairs in some rooms. We were able to take them out, but they were also quite dangerous.
One thing that stood out was the layout of the stage we played. The level quickly split into two paths which, although they both led to the same objective, allowed us to split our team to focus on keeping enemies busy or speeding to the objective. There are also items and loot you can collect along the way, and depending on how much you collect, you can improve your rating and get better rewards. The layout of each stage is key to hitting those excellent ricochet shots, and we felt really good every time we managed to bounce bullets off the wall.
However, once we reached the end of the stage, that wasn’t the end. We had to go back outside; to our surprise we actually failed and both of our units were destroyed. Luckily, SteamWorld Heist II gives you one free retry per level and loads from an autosave during the mission. That gave us the chance to shift our focus from photographing everything in sight to getting out of there.
Of course, you can’t just move as you want, because movement also takes up action points, which you have to attack or defend. Choosing the right place to hide your characters, or deciding whether to take out an enemy first, is a risk you must weigh. But by using Crowe’s special ability – which allows them to teleport over greater distances – we were able to sneak up on enemies and take them out.
Each character has their own unique special ability. Daisy’s dramatically increases the accuracy of her shot, creating a very clear shot line so we can almost guarantee a hit. Combining these character abilities with the robust and improved class system increases the amount of customization available, and it’s something we can see ourselves tinkering with for hours.
We’ve already mentioned the sniper and the flanker, but we also got to play with the boomer, an explosive class that deals damage in areas, and the engineer, a healing and debuffing class that can also take two shots during a turn. These classes are linked to your character’s weapon. For example, changing from a rifle to a shotgun changes that character’s class from a sniper to a flanker. And it also gives that character access to more abilities.
As you complete missions you earn cogs that you can spend to unlock new skills. And those standard class abilities are always accessible when you unlock them, even if you switch weapons. We didn’t get much chance to play with this, but we did spend time looking at the skill grid and each class for each character. Giving healing abilities to vulnerable characters, or quick close-combat attacks from characters seems like an easy win at first, but it can become too dangerous the further you get into the game. Fortunately, you can respect your characters whenever you want.
There are still a few questions we have about SteamWorld Heist II, however, ahead of its launch in just over a month. The game looks absolutely stunning on PC, with gorgeous visuals and fantastically smooth performance – we’d like to think the Switch won’t struggle too much. The last game in the series, SteamWorld Build, was certainly a hit on Switch, but that was a fully 3D city-builder hybrid. So that glimmer of doubt is always with us, but we’re hopeful for Heist II.
Second, is Heist what SteamWorld fans want right now? It’s been a tough year for Image & Form and Thunderful, with the latter reporting that SteamWorld Build sales were “slightly below expectations” and that development on a new SteamWorld game, Headhunter, has been halted. SteamWorld Dig 2 came out seven years ago and fans are desperate for a third dive into the depths. Given the promise, charm and fun of the early hours of SteamWorld Heist II, we hope that the franchise can get back on its feet and that fans will show up and be ready to celebrate.