Weird West is a top-down action role-playing game by WolfEye Studios. It’s set for release at the end of this month and will be published by Devolver Digital. The game features plenty of elements reminiscent of the original Fallout games, specifically Fallout 1 and Fallout 2.
While Weird West takes inspiration from the isometric classics, it’s still very much distinct from the older Fallout titles. WolfEye Studios has incorporated plenty of unique systems and mechanics into the game to make it stand out from others in the genre. That said, it’s most likely going to be worth picking up for any fan of the older Fallout games.
Weird West’s Similarities with the Original Fallout Games
Like the original Fallout titles, Weird West takes place in a defined game world, wherein the player can explore towns, loot items, and fight enemies. However, when traveling between points of interest, the game zooms out, revealing the world map. Here, the player will travel from origin to destination as a single blip on the map, and there’s always a chance of running into enemies or stumbling upon other random events.
Aside from this, Weird West gives the player free rein to explore its settlement's characters, without requiring them to adhere to the main questline. They can even decide to kill everyone they come across. In the original Fallout series, this resulted in becoming a target for bounty hunters. Weird West might take a similar route, ultimately punishing players for their violent actions. On the flip side, the game also rewards players for acting justly. Should the player rescue someone in need, they can come back to help during a fight.
What Sets Weird West Apart
Though the Fallout influences are clear in WolfEye’s first-ever game, it will also feature plenty of its own elements to set it apart. While Fallout-esque in its gameplay perspective and some of its role-playing elements, Weird West has a more fast-paced combat system — real-time as opposed to Fallout’s old turn-based system. This allows the player more freedom in terms of their combat style.
For instance, a bulk of the objects in Weird West’s world are interactable. Players can throw bottles and other small items to distract enemies unaware of their presence. Once they’ve been spotted, they can then utilize TNT, water barrels, and oil sludge to outsmart waves of enemies, turning the battle in their favor. These elements make for an exciting combat system that presents players with plenty of different options in the heat of battle.
Aside from gameplay, Weird West also has the player control multiple characters. Unlike the original Fallout games, wherein the player gets to create their own character, Weird West features five unique characters, each with their own reason to travel the world. These characters will likely meet throughout the course of the game, promising an interesting narrative. What makes these playable characters even more special is the fact that each of them has supernatural powers. One of them is even a werewolf.
As the title implies, Weird West won’t be taking place in the usual western frontier. It’ll be filled with occult characters and other such supernatural elements. While the Fallout series is no stranger to creepy set pieces, it doesn’t quite lean into horror as much as the Weird West. So, Fallout fans looking for a more overt supernatural game should definitely try Weird West. It has enough Fallout elements to make it reminiscent of the original series while also incorporating newer systems to modernize its gameplay.
Weird West releases on March 31, 2022, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
