Evil West
" Visceral action-adventure RPG with fluid combat and co-op fun but highly linear gameplay "
Evil West Review
Evil West offers a fast-paced, linear beat 'em up experience set in a dark Wild West world where players fight vampires and monsters. Combat is praised for its fluidity, satisfying combos, and weapon upgrades, delivering a fun and engaging gameplay loop. However, the game suffers from excessive hand-holding, limited exploration, and repetitive enemy encounters that reduce variety over time. Graphics receive mixed opinions, with some appreciating the visuals and effects, while others find them dated or poorly optimized. The story is considered serviceable but clichéd and shallow, failing to deliver impactful moments or memorable characters. Technical issues such as bugs, stuttering, and poor optimization, especially on PC, frequently disrupt immersion. Multiplayer co-op is available but criticized for progression limitations and stability problems. Overall, Evil West is recommended mainly on sale for players who enjoy straightforward hack-and-slash action with a Wild West vampire twist, but it falls short of expectations at full price due to its flaws and lack of polish.
Highlights
Players consistently praise the combat mechanics for being smooth, satisfying, and reminiscent of classic beat 'em ups with powerful punches and weapon combos. The graphics and animations receive positive notes for their style and effects, enhancing the atmosphere. The upgrade system and perks add depth to gameplay progression. The story, while simple, has engaging cutscenes and voice acting that some find enjoyable. Co-op play adds fun for friends despite some technical limitations. The game’s pacing and boss fights are appreciated by many as challenging and exciting when balanced well.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the linear level design with forced paths and lack of exploration, which limits player freedom. The combat becomes repetitive due to enemy reuse and bullet-sponge bosses, leading to monotony. Numerous technical issues such as stuttering, bugs, crashes, and poor optimization, especially on AMD GPUs, frustrate players. The UI and keybindings are overly complicated and inflexible, with poor controller support. The story and characters are viewed as shallow and clichéd, lacking emotional impact. Multiplayer co-op progression issues and unstable connections further detract from the experience. Some find the game overpriced for its content and polish level.
Pros
- • Combat is fluid and satisfying with powerful punches and weapon combos.
- • Upgrade and perk systems add meaningful progression and variety.
- • Graphics and animations are stylistically pleasing and atmospheric.
- • Boss fights offer a challenging and exciting experience.
- • Cutscenes are well-produced with solid voice acting.
- • Co-op mode adds enjoyable multiplayer fun with friends.
- • Weapon variety keeps combat fresh and engaging.
Cons
- • Highly linear gameplay with forced paths and no exploration.
- • Combat becomes repetitive due to enemy reuse and bullet sponges.
- • Technical problems including stuttering, crashes, and bugs are common.
- • Poor optimization, especially on AMD graphics cards.
- • Complicated and inflexible keybindings frustrate players.
- • Multiplayer co-op progression is limited to host only.
- • Story and characters are shallow and clichéd.
Rating Criteria
A dark menace consumes the Old West. In solo or coop, fight with style in visceral, explosive combat against bloodthirsty monstrosities. Eradicate the vampiric hordes with your lightning-fueled gauntlet and become a Wild West Superhero.