GamesRadar+ Verdict
SteamWorld Heist 2 is a great sequel.
Trick shots feel amazing
Class system is extremely flexible
So.
SteamWorld Heist 2 sits firmly in the center of the Venn diagram of XCOM players and hat fanciers.
But, if some hats get collected on the way, no one can get mad, right?
Under its cartoon aesthetic and caricatured cast, it’s a demanding class-based tactical game with high-skill combat.
SteamWorld Heist 2 splits its action between a real-time overworld and turn-based missions.
It pays to take your time tweaking your squad loadout, especially on the higher difficulty levels.
The fundamentals of SteamWorld Heist’s turn-based combat will be familiar to players of the genre.
Where the game differs wonderfully from most other turn-based tactical games is its aiming system.
Many tactics games determine the success or failure of your shots with an abstract percentage value.
Joyfully, this opens up the possibility for trick shots.
If you really want to test your skills, you’ll need to start claiming hats.
Re-engineered
Thunderful Development has completely changed the class system for SteamWorld Heist 2.
Previously, each character had a unique skill tree and access to two weapon types.
Take, for example, Daisy Clutch, your first crew member.
Give her a shotgun, and she’s a highly mobile Flanker.
As characters level up they unlock advanced abilities for the equipped role.
Swap to a different weapon throw in and you start fresh on its skill tree.
In this way, you’ve got the option to create multi-class characters.
As well as weapon abilities, each character has two unique skills that support particular playstyles.
SteamWorld Heist 2 is almost the best kind of sequel.
The fundamentals of its excellent free-aim combat remain the same.
The class system, which previously offered little flexibility, has been overhauled.
And new systems, such as the real-time overworld, breathe fresh life into the series.
SteamWorld Heist 2 was reviewed on PC, with a code provided by the publisher.
