SteamWorld Heist II Is a Clean Shot That Doesn’t Miss Its Mark [Review]

Looking for robots? Strategic shooting? Pirates? Cool hats? All of the above? Then SteamWorld Heist II might be exactly what you’re looking for. The sequel builds on the original’s foundations and takes it to new heights, even if it keeps some of its lows.

It’s a (Not) so Watery World Out There – Narrative

SteamWorld Heist II follows the saga of Captain Quincy Leeway, son of a famous pirate captain known throughout the whole seas for her feats. But with no such fame of his own and and a missing arm, Quincy looks to free himself from his mother’s shadow by making a big name for himself. After successfully assembling some followers and recovering his good ‘n old submarine back from the Navy, the crew heads off to explore new waters.

The world is currently going through a water crisis, as the resource is, for some unknown reason, not flowing regularly. Rumor has it that the oppressive Navy may have a hand in it, but it’s up to Captain Leeway’s crew to find out what the real deal is. And for that, his commands will be crucial in leading his newly assembled team to greatness, amassing new members and making a name for himself to finally overcome his inferiority complex.

Thunderful Games brought us a simpler world with the latest installment in the SteamWorld series, and SteamWorld Heist II features less futuristic gadgets than before. It doesn’t mean they aren’t present in some ways, and it’s a deliberate choice to present us with a crisis-struck world where pirates rule almost supreme. It works wonderfully for the game, although some of the initial designs may not be as flashy and eye-catching as in the original.

But this isn’t a big issue, as the important elements of the SteamWorld franchise are still here. We may not be in a galaxy anymore, but the seas feel equally as vast, and there are always some unknown dangers lurking, whether it’s a trap deliberately set by the Navy or even creepy skeleton bots trying to scrap you for invading their lair. Fortunately, we have plenty of tricks to deal with those.

Trick Shots All Around the Corner – Game Play

Game play revolves around completing missions and digging out loot from the most secluded places in the distant waters. Combat is mainly gun-based, which you must manually aim and consider the trajectory to pull off trick shots. A seemingly loose shot can bounce around a level and headshot your target.

Hitting those shots feels delicious, and you’ll find yourself going into more missions just to give out more. It usually demands a lot of patience, but the payoff is immense. The place where you end your turn will also determine whether enemies can hit you or you can hit them back, so it takes a while to get a gist of it and get your gears rolling.

Each crew member has a distinct role that gives them an edge in battle. Snipers have higher accuracy and can easily do some of those fantastic trick shots, while Engineers can set up barriers to protect themselves and their allies from opponent shots. Some enemies will jump you directly, but don’t worry. There’s a Brawler class to deal with those, too.

You also have aquatic battles where you fight the navy on your submarine. These are much simpler and can give you some resources if you’re lucky enough. Just be careful not to scrap your ship, or you’ll need to rest for the day to fix it. Your crew members will also recover this way.

Missions will always have different goals and aren’t locked to simple loot-and-scoot. Sometimes, you only need to survive for long enough to escape, or eliminate a specific target, so it’s never just the same thing reskinned.

However, some objectives are tricky and will probably have you restarting a few times, especially early in the game, which can be very frustrating. You can freely change or even customize your difficulty settings at any time, which does remedy it, but some spawns still feel unfair. You get used to it, but it’s a bit annoying nonetheless.

Pure Water is used as a currency here, and you can use it inside bars to buy new equipment or recruit members for your crew or improve your submarine. Besides water, missions can also reward you with loot directly, which will give you access to better weapons, equipment, and or even fashion accessories.

I’m, of course, talking about hats. Defeating enemies without blowing up their heads may cause them to drop a hat, which you can grab and use on your own characters. They have no practical use, but they’re cool and stylish! Enemies missing their shot but hitting your hat off is one of the rawest things the game can offer, and it feels great to make your collection bigger.

Chill Waters Ahead – Verdict

SteamWorld Heist II goes for a simpler design, but makes it quite charming in exchange. The visuals are gorgeous at all times, and the mesmerizing soundtrack does the job of immersing you in this gadget-filled world. The robots are greatly responsible for the general vibe of the game with their terrible puns and quirky expressions. But by the love of cog, some of these were good!

Wandering around the seas is always a refreshing and cozy experience, and so is interacting with your crew. They’re all loyal to Leeway, either because they’re being paid or just want to live new adventures with the son of a living legend on the seas. And it does pay off, as adventures are the name of the game here. Even if they do become a bit frustrating at times, the whole endeavor is still worth tackling, especially if you enjoyed the first game.

SteamWorld Heist II brings everything you would want from a pirate’s tale: Sail in search of riches and glory, evade the authorities, and uncover secrets hidden deep in the waters. All while shooting the sickest shots you’ve ever seen. You just can’t ask for more. Even with its flaws and frustration-inducing levels, I still found myself returning to it whenever I could, because one more level wouldn’t hurt. And nothing beats finding some treasure alongside loyal companions.

Verdict: Recommended

SteamWorld Heist II will be available on August 8th for PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. A code was provided by the publisher for review.