Evil West will Introduce a New Type of Frontier
Evil West is a fresh take on hunting vampires by developer Flying Wild Hog. The idea of slaughtering creatures of the night while traversing the brutal terrain of the American west is an enticing proposition. Over-the-top violence and gore seem to be the backbone for this new IP. Synonymous with DOOM and even Mortal Kombat, Evil West introduces a new hero that has the superhuman ability to knock around demons and monsters like common thugs. There was a recent gameplay trailer that showcased how this game will play and it looks rather glorious. This game is played from a third-person perspective and it seems to have the feel of a first-person shooter. Even though this protagonist looks like a generic gunslinger, evidently he comes with a few perks of his own.
The story of this game is still pretty much a mystery. What’s stipulated is that the forces of hell are leaking through and infesting the domain of the American frontier. Players will be taking control of a vampire hunter who is the last of his kind. His tools are the supernatural variety. Involving summoning lighting, oversized melee weapons, and a slew of tinkered American firearms. This game seems to have all the makings of a fun time and honestly, it’s nice to see a new IP in the limelight. The developers are obviously taking notes on what makes satisfying combat and they’re utilizing it. This game is still under development, but at least the footage shown had enough impact to raise some considerable interest in it.
Smokin’ Faces
Evil West seems to have a slick and bone-crushing presentation to it. From what was mentioned in the trailer, this is going to be a straightforward story-driven affair. However, players will be free to venture off the beaten path and poke around the levels to see what they can find. From the looks of things, this game may have a God of War format to it. Certain areas will need to be cleared before moving on to other segments. Chances are that players may need particular items to unveil hidden passageways and open gates. The developers’ website says that exploration is encouraged and maybe there will be wide-linear level designs. There will certainly be upgrades to find and use for the gunslinger’s arsenal. Guns, tools, and even a special gauntlet will be part of this character’s gear in which all can be individually upgraded.
From the looks of things, there will be a slew of collectibles to find that can provide perks for the protagonist. Even though this game is considered to be a “shooter,” it will be more of an actual action-adventure title than anything else. The combat appears to be a mix-big of things. Even though the primary attack will be with the guns, players can also get “up close and personal” with melee attacks. Punches, juggles, and finishing moves appear to be part of the gameplay mechanics. After a certain amount of damage is absorbed, enemies become stunned and this signals a contextual takedown. Just like the “Glory Kills” found in Doom Eternal. The trailer dabbles in this and it’s shown the gunslinger delivering a massive punch toward a zombie which obliterates it.
Partners in Grime
The main appeal of Evil West is that it provides a single-player campaign that evidently will have a lot to offer. On top of that, there is also a co-op feature, as well. How this will work hasn’t been explained, yet. Will the co-op have special missions that are catered to it? Perhaps players can play as another character that’s usually controlled by A.I.? Something like Clarke and Carver from Dead Space 3? It’s currently not known. However, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising the co-op gameplay might be attached to an online horde mode of some kind. As opposed to playing through the entire campaign together. Whatever the case, this game seems to offer some gritty fun that can be extra alluring when playing with another person. It is also possible that only places will be accessible through teamwork by pulling two switches at once, or something of that nature. This is just a theory, but it’s highly possible that this could be the case. Which, in turn, could provide some massive replay value.
Since this is obviously an alternate universe, there will be tools available that go far and beyond contemporary Wild West notions. The gunslinger will have the ability to summon lightning through his gauntlet like Raiden. He will be able to launch creatures up in the air and slam them down via high voltage tackling moves. He can also zap minions that are surrounding him, causing them to be dazed while setting up a combo. Yes, combos are apparent in Evil West. It looks like players will be able to string attacks and play around with their move set in the same manner as Kratos. Switching between weapons and firearms on the fly will most likely be essential to smite all of the different enemies. With that said, there seems to be a myriad of undead cryptids in which players will encounter during their playthrough. The main menace in this world is apparently vampires. However, since the gates of the underworld are prying themselves open, there will also be new threats running amok. According to the trailer, there will be hulking brutes, flying imps, red-eyed demons, and an assortment of lumbering blood-suckers lining up for carnage.
High Stakes
There is still quite a bit to learn about this new IP. The trailer does give a nice little glimpse of what to expect and it definitely looks like a bloody good time. Even though it has some vague similarities to other popular titles out there, the fact that Evil West will have co-op gives it legs of its own. This game is slated to be released sometime this year, but the exact date is still up in the air. Evil West will be available for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC upon release. Meanwhile, it is exciting to think about what else this new adventure will bring for the next generation of gaming.
