SteamWorld Heist II

This is simply a remarkably fun game that successfully builds on exactly what made the original so great. It captures the charm of the series while introducing enough new elements to keep the adventure fresh. The core combat is fantastic. It retains that deeply satisfying, ricochet-heavy tactical action, and I absolutely loved every minute of the ground missions. The new naval combat wasn't my absolute favorite part of the experience, but it stands as a genuinely interesting mechanic that adds a neat layer of depth and variety to exploring the overworld. As always, the music is phenomenal. Steam Powered Giraffe returns to provide the soundtrack, and their songs are just undeniably perfect for the quirky, robotic, steampunk vibe of this franchise. If you liked the first SteamWorld Heist, you are going to love this one. It hits all the right notes and is a must-play for fans of the series!

SteamWorld Heist II is a fine sequel, but somehow it feels weaker than the first one. Let's explore the ups and downs of the game (+, +/-, -, ?): + The OST and sound design rock here probably harder than in 1. + The gameplay is still fun*. + Everything looks great. I mean, it's a SteamWorld game after all. + I liked the characters quite a bit**. While there's some copy+paste, I enjoyed the crew***. + The rewind 2 turns is a godly addition. This features saves a lot of time. +/- *While the gameplay in a stage is fun, the constant travel between the stages and bars is super repetitive. +/- The stages are usually great, but sometimes the game just throws too many enemies on repeat at you. This becomes a major problem in later levels. +/- The weapon system is kinda fun, but I prefer dedicated troops. It's a bit tiring to force weapons onto your character in order to unlock the same skills for everyone. +/- The story is fine, but I found myself logging out all the time. Maybe it's the dialogue? - ** Even though actually getting a full crew only happens way too late into the game. - The sub controls like ass when using keyboard. Sub combat usually sucks, but oh my god I have to mention the [spoiler] Kraken [/spoiler] fight. It's a major story moment that's just completely terrible! - ***Leeway is a pretty poor leading bot. He's not interesting and when he finally [spoiler] joins in properly in combat [/spoiler] he's the worst. ? The hat thing is okay, but I am not collecting them all for an achievement. SteamWorld Heist II is a surprisingly cool game but it fails to shine properly. It's good time, but in small bites. I hope the next Heist is even longer and better than 2, or 1, and we get a better main bot. 7,5/10.