West of Dead in the Test

An atmospheric Western-person Shooter game with clean controls, excellent Voice Acting and the Coolness factor can convince.West of the Dead delivers what it promises: Entertaining shootouts in a Western Setting with a Twist. Not only exceptional style, but also the solid technical implementation impressed.

Flaming Skull and crossbones, blood-red Poncho, armed with Revolver, rifle and loose spells. Much cooler would have to be the protagonist of West of Dead hardly think of can. Nevertheless, it managed the developers, all the even of a reset on it. After all, gives him by no less a voice than Ron Perlman, known for his roles in the Hellboyfilms, or in the games industry to stay in the Falloutseries. Accordingly, it’s just at the beginning pretty well, while running from cover to cover and almost negligible unfortunate souls with lead fills. But Moment, flaming Skull? This can’t be healthy. In fact, William Mason, our main character, died recently. So his story ends, however, not approximately, but it really begins. Because he wakes up in purgatory and learns that he and all other dead are stuck here for the time being fixed. But no one knows exactly why. The only trail appears to lead to a preacher who is also somewhere here in purgatory. Thus, the search for the said man of God, and Mason’s own past begins.

Visual feel of the Hellboy Comics by Mike Mignola recalls: The General colour tone is very much reduced, thereby stinging the characters and important objects, thanks to knalligeren colors, the more out. In combination with the stylized speech bubbles and menus, the result is a visual language, which is similar to a modern Graphic Novel. Although the graphical implementation needs some getting used to, is creating quite a charming ambience. Clean animation complete the picture. This is underlined by subtle background music, which is dripping from the steel-string guitar sounds. The only drawback here are the missing German sync. Texts are also translated and available. But let’s be honest, who would want to voluntarily do without Ron Perlman’s voice?





We start at the beginning… when I died the first time

The control via mouse and keyboard is quite simple and mostly easy to navigate. For example, aims, and fires both of his guns via mouse and by pressing a button, a pike jump. Behind cover to hide automatically when it is in range. This Mechanic actually works very well. My biggest criticism of this, however, refers to the melee. Here it can easily happen that one is close enough to an opponent, but due to the position of the mouse in the wrong direction suggests. With sufficient Practice, this Problem would, however, probably from the world. Also, I’m well clear to avoid the melee simply, if in any way possible. It needed a bit of settling-in time until you are absolutely sure the premises strips. Although this is rather in the somewhat unusual graphics and some of the winding corridors.

A little later you can collect other items that make life easier, such as a lantern, because in the world it is in some places quite bleak. To meet an enemy you can’t see, therefore, is also not so easy. Therefore, any source of light is valuable, especially since opponents will be blinded as soon as new light is lit. At the latest after the first Level you will be happy also every tactical advantage you can get. The difficulty increases soon.

It is too hard, you’re too weak!

First and foremost, the rapid rise in the level of difficulty is always the little indulgent space planning, as well as the varied hordes of enemies to thank for that. The environment is a lack of lighting and sparse coverage of the life. As if that were not enough, the back of us true legions of enemies to the fur. For each of these, you have to develop your own strategy – the only way is waving at the end of the Triumph. Multiple villains of different classes in one room, well, then it will be really hard! At this point, begins West of the Dead something of Bloodborne and friends to remember. Suddenly, you no longer rushes recklessly through endless corridors and shoot everything that moves. Instead, you begin to analyze your Situation to find the best course of action.

If you allow Mason’s HP is reduced to 0, you have to start the current Chapter over from scratch. All collected weapons and Upgrades are gone. So you slip in a Loop of defeat and resurrection. But each attempt brings more a piece, until one finally defeats the boss. As a reward, you can learn more about William Mason’s past, and the next Chapter of the story will be added. The better it feels for when you have finally understood how to master the new challenges.





You’re never too old… or dead… to learn something New

An important part of the West of Dead , it is so, passages to repeat and to learn. All alone on his reflexes, you do not need to rely luckily. While it winds its way through the seemingly endless aisles to collect occasionally, a so-called sins. These can be exchanged for new weapons or helpful items. In this way, bought tools are unlocked permanently, must be found in the case of Mason’s death, until somewhere in the Level. You get so to speak, only options, no guarantees. What might seem at first glance perhaps a bit annoying, actually have to make in the case of each new attempt unique. Different equipment also requires different approach in order to be successful.

It never feels unfair when you lose everything again, what has previously been searched so painstakingly put together. Probably also because the individual sections are built in such a way that it is just the beginning of a new start-up is easier with his opponent to be ready. This is a kind of “grace period” to be able to a couple of improvements to collect, before it starts properly again. In contrast to, for example, Bloodborne, had I never doubt whether the progress at all gonna pay off, sometimes only half an hour to play.

CONCLUSION

West of the Dead creates it is simply a very solid overall package to offer. One of the few weaknesses of my view, a bit to the sudden rise in difficulty level is. To cope with this well, especially since my initial Overstrain may rather my naive approach was due. Thanks to fluid controls, it is anyway hard to give the game the fault if it bites back in the Grass. To start with it is a little bit of getting used to, but once you have mastered that, through it flows in a motivating Flow. This is a fairly strong Soundtrack that does not overwhelm, but provide the right mood and simply harmonious comes. Cool sayings, played by Ron Perlman, to complement the Tonlandschaft almost perfectly. So getting used to the visual style may be, contributes immensely to the atmosphere and charm. And it has West of the Dead lot.

A guest article by Thomas Kager

What is West of the Dead is? A Cover-based Western Shooter in the world.
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch
Tested on PC Intel Core i7-7700HQ, 16GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1050
Developer / Publisher: Upstream Arcade / Raw Fury
Release: 18. June 2020
Link: Official Website