Okay, so your co-op crew plays Helldivers 2 and maybe Crime Boss: Rockay City or something when you want an endless co-op experience. Still, do either of those games have robot cowboys fighting skeletons in the wild west? I don't think so! Far Far West from Evil Raptor and Fireshine Games aims to scratch that itch. It's out now on Steam Early Access, and it features some wild 4-player online steampunk shooting action.
Far Far West stars a crew of robotic bounty hunters who take on missions for the town sheriff. The team takes missions in town, selecting them from a map, and then heads into one of several sand-covered levels. Within a level, the team can complete side missions, look for collectibles, and eventually head out to fight the boss. After defeating the boss, everyone earns a weapon piece (used to unlock new guns and equipment) and rides the train back to town. In town, bounty hunters can play darts, customize their equipment, and unlock and equip Joker cards (roguelike-style buffs).
The majority of the game is played from a first-person perspective. Players carry two weapons: a rifle and a pistol. Additionally, each character has two spells that recharge over time. These spells can interact with each other to enhance their effects. Spray some oil on the ground, throw a fireball at it, and any bad guys in the oil will go up in flames. Being a western-themed game with open-world maps, players can also ride on horses at any time during a mission. The camera switches to third-person view while on horseback. My gripe with horses is that you can't shoot while riding a horse. Shooting on horseback would be fun, darn it!
To earn greater rewards, the team can choose to take on optional side missions and even search for secret missions before they take on the boss. Some of these side missions involve puzzles. For instance, the team will need to complete a memory game or deliver ingredients in a specific order. While working on these puzzles, enemies will assault the heroes. This keeps you on your toes, but it can make it hard to focus on the puzzle when you keep getting swarmed by a horde of irate skeletons.
So far far, Far Far West is a very promising early access game. It plays very well, looks good, and has a catchy soundtrack. The Steam community loves it too, which is certainly a good sign. It will be fun to watch the game grow throughout the early access period. Hopefully it will come to consoles someday as well! We'll keep you updated.
Far Far West costs $19.99 on Steam. It's on sale for ten percent off through May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), though, so grab it while you can!
Steam download codes were provided by the publisher for this article.