It’s not often games that appear first on the Nintendo 3DS make their way to Sony’s PS4. In fact, I can’t believe I just wrote that. I suppose it is an indie game after all. I’m talking about SteamWorld Heist from developers Image and Form. Somewhat of a sequel to SteamWorld Dig, a platformer released two years ago, SteamWorld Heist is an ambitious and gallant attempt at porting a game built for a less powerful smaller screen to Sony’s powerhouse.
SteamWorld Heist focuses on Captain Piper Faraday, a robotic pirate type who sets off into the vastness of space to eliminate all evil plaguing it, be it plundering pirates, alien invaders, or even a potential galaxy takeover. Piper is the stereotypical leader type, taking up arms and recruiting a band of merry bots to assist her in her goals. The story is told through the many conversations Piper has with her newly acquired team. Whilst entertaining, with conversations involving bulky but brainless all-muscle-no-logic members, the plot never branches out into twists and turns. It’s therefore quite shallow, but thankfully it’s full of personality, important considering the game’s lack of animation. By that, I mean a quite literal lack of animation, there are no significant motions or movements that express any sort of emotion or feeling, with characters instead moving like those paper puppets that you made at school with pins for the joints.
Gameplay is where SteamWorld Heist shines brightest. In between hub phases, which allow you to visit bars and retail vessels, the latter of which in turn allow you to purchase weapons, items, and recruit members, the main prize is combat scenarios. At its core, it’s a side-on turn-based strategy game, with Piper and up to three of her ragtag crew taking turns moving through enemy ships and facilities to accomplish an assortment of tasks. These range from taking out enemies and collecting loot to destroying generators or enemy leaders. This rather prosaic premise is enlivened and deepened by a wide variety of weapons, items and upgrades. For example, scoped weapons allow you to aim with the aid of a laser pointer, machine guns fire a burst of shots in one turn, and grenade launcher types can arc to hit enemies from afar. These are just a few of the options available, with more weapons up for grabs within SteamWorld Heist’s great loot system.
Items come in many forms, with your characters only able to equip two at any one time. They generally function as you’d expect, with armour increasing health points, grenades perfect for tossing at enemies and health packs replenishing vitality. This wide variety of choices means the thought process involved in ensuring a successful next mission is astounding and I was constantly thinking what I could equip to make the next mission less challenging. Essentially, SteamWorld Heist is great fun to play. Once I had started, I felt compelled to carry on to the next mission thanks to the addictive nature of the game’s complex combat system. In particular, enemies can be just as smart as you, bouncing shells off of walls to lure you out from behind the barrel you’ve sought cover behind, or occasionally simply rushing at you brandishing axes and other melee weapons. Levels also have their own particular challenges, with activating a turret emplacement likely to quickly ruin your day. However, while such dangers may lurk in certain areas, exploration often worth it, with hidden epic loot able to give you the edge in upcoming missions.
Unsurprisingly, SteamWorld Heist looks sharper and more detailed on PS4 than it ever did on the 3DS. With such a port, the risk of distortion due to stretching is high, but it has transferred brilliantly. Destroyed characters explode into spare parts that bounce around before staying put, and explosions are nicely animated and silky smooth. Characters also have their own unique personalities, which are shown in their designs as well as their standard animation loops. For example, Sally is a big Bertha type with pigtails who wants nothing more than to smash some heads, but her obese build makes her a large target. By contrast, Seabrass is Piper’s right-hand man. Looking like a robot frog, he is slim and nimble and occasionally boasts about his good looks. Overall, SteamWorld Heist is a great looking game, brimming with colour and detail.
SteamWorld Heist has a lot to offer, but what keeps me coming back is the addictive turn-based gameplay. Having to think and carefully consider my next move was exhilarating and, even during tougher missions, I never felt outmatched. This was largely due to the fact that characters gain experience upon completing missions which earn them new abilities; with Piper’s ‘Inspire’ boosting characters’ attacks when she’s stood beside them and Seabrass’ ‘Payback’ powering up any attacks doled out after absorbing a hit. These were not only useful but added another layer of tactical complexity. Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with SteamWorld Heist; it’s a fantastic game with a depth that belies its lighthearted aesthetic.
Developer: Image and Form Games
Publisher: Image and Form Games
Platform: PS4, PS Vita (also available on PC and 3DS)
Release Date: 8th June 2016