SteamWorld Heist II Review – Full Steam Ahead

SteamWorld Heist II Review

The SteamWorld franchise has offered a diverse array of games, taking the lovable bots through various genres. From Metroidvania to deck-building RPGs, each release highlights the originality and innovation of Thunderful Games. Heist saw the series delve into tactical combat with its unique approach to turn-based battles. The second iteration aims to refine the acclaimed system, adding nuances to enhance the experience. Will the sequel surpass its predecessor and captivate both new players and long-time fans?

Abandoning planetary exploration for a voyage at sea, SteamWorld Heist II delivers a story rich with environmental themes. Set in a world where water enshrouds numerous islands, the ocean has become a precious commodity. The Royal Navy and their fleet of Dieselbots have imposed strict regulations, leaving the SteamBots struggling to survive. As Captain Leeway, the son of a legendary sailor, you must rise to the occasion and follow in your parent’s footsteps. This leads to a wonderful adventure as you journey across the seas to assemble your crew and battle for justice.

A Story of the Sea

Well-written and packed with character, the story creates enough interest to keep you invested while leaving options to delve further into the lore. Each person you encounter offers optional additional dialogue so that you can unearth more information about the range of personalities. Although intriguing, the presentation of the story is rudimentary and lacks cinematic flair. While not its main appeal, I would have liked this portion of the game to have had an overhaul. More cutscenes and voice acting would help to enhance the immersion and make the story more memorable.

It’s with the gameplay where Heist II excels. Maintaining the foundation of the original, every new facet adds layers to the already addictive and nuanced battle system. In each fight, you must carefully move each character, considering cover and bullet paths to ensure safety. In addition to this, you must also examine the scenario and use the character’s strengths to your advantage. For example, a Sniper is excellent in a stationary position where you have an overview of the map whereas a Boomer is an explosive expert.

Job Skills add personality to your crew in battle. While each character has a role, this new system allows you to alter this by simply equipping them with a new weapon. This allows you to vary your offensive abilities so that you can approach each in battle in a different manner. The six job types are distinct and develop as you level them up. At each stage, more elements unlock, giving more options on the battlefield. You can further personalize your team by spreading upgrades across classes or specializing in a particular skill to become an expert. This opens a ton of possibilities allowing you to experiment with builds.

Tinkering With Mechanics

The number of weapons available has significantly increased with each having specific pros and cons. Due to this, you’ll want a diverse team to tackle any situation you encounter. Accessories also allow you to fine-tune your loadout so that you can utilize each skill set effectively. All of this can be quickly assigned in the easy-to-navigate menus to make this a slick and stress-free process.

Although missions see you enter and escape an area, the objective within each does vary. Some involve freeing prisoners, while others include retrieving swag. The level design for these is impeccable, offering paths for bullets to ricochet and take out multiple enemies. This additional strategic element to each level as you will need to work out the optimal route and method to achieve your goal. With star ratings based on the survival of your bots and the collection of resources, missions are also replayable adding longevity to the game.

One of the largest changes from the original is the overmap. Rather than hopping from one mission to another in a traditional Mario-style map, you now navigate the seas and discover missions. Enemy ships sail along and will initiate an attack when in your vicinity. Your submarine fires automatically, so you only need to direct your vehicle to avoid onslaught. It’s a massive improvement over the original and varies the gameplay to enhance the overall experience.

Slapping on the Polish

The patented aesthetic that permeates each release in the franchise continues in this iteration, however, due to the nautical theme vivid blues splash the screen, bringing balance to the metallic world. Although keeping in theme, there is a noticeable polish given to each asset, making this the best-looking game in the series. Capping off the presentation is the smooth soundtrack which captures the premise perfectly. Due to this combination, the game stands out as a well-crafted experience.

SteamWorld Heist II builds on the solid foundations of the original to create a remarkable tactical adventure. The inclusion of jobs and a wide array of weapons offers a plethora of options for approaching each mission. Traversing the world is a joy, adding variety to the experience. While you may lose interest in the story, the addictive battle system will keep you hooked throughout.

***A Nintendo Switch code provided by the publisher for review***