West of Loathing

Developer: Asymmetric  | Publisher: Asymmetric  | Release Date: 2017 | Genre: Adventure / Indie / RPG | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Boring Springs is the kind of place you would leave as soon as you can, which is precisely what your character in West of Loathing does after a short tutorial. Once you decide whether to be a Beanslinger, Cow Puncher, or Snake Oiler, you can ride off into the sunset and try to make a name for yourself in the Wild West. However, if the character classes were not a dead giveaway, West of Loathing isn’t exactly the type of Western setting you might be familiar with. Sure, it has towns, saloons, horses, and bandits, but also necromancers, skeletons, and demonic cows. It is also the kind of world where meat is the primary currency, and treasure can be found at the bottom of a spittoon.

Although West of Loathing makes use of stick-figure style artwork and doesn’t take itself too seriously, it is also a damn good role-playing game. All too often, games that parody the genre end up falling flat because delivering the same old tropes with a nudge and a wink doesn’t actually make them more fun. West of Loathing sidesteps this problem by being funny and a lot of fun to play. It is a single-player RPG where the emphasis is firmly on comedy, which means most of the time spent playing it is done while grinning from ear to ear. It doesn’t matter how sullen you are; West of Loathing will wear you down with the sheer amount of jokes and puns it throws at you until you eventually crack a smile, even if it is grudgingly. This is all thanks to the brilliant writing style and ridiculous world that you get to explore.

If you are looking for an epic story, you probably won’t find it in this game. Although demonic cows are on the rampage, your character isn’t exactly out to save the world. In fact, depending on your choices, your character can be the type of person who sneaks up on someone in a bathtub and drowns them. Of course, plenty of folks with problems need solving if you are feeling kindhearted, or you can roam around hitting skeletons in the face with snakes or blowing up bandits with dynamite. If all you want to see are the end credits, then helping the railroad make its way further westward should be your primary concern, but for some of the best bits in the game, it is worth seeking out all of the side quests. From apprehending bandits like the “Stripey Hat Gang” and “Gherkin Brothers” to figuring out the mysteries of El Vibrato or taking down a Necromancer, there is no shortage of things to do in West of Loathing.

The most striking thing about West of Loathing is the visuals, and while everything is hand-drawn in black and white, the graphics are not without charm.

It can take a while to get used to the unique style, but once you do, it quickly becomes apparent how much effort has gone into making the game. There are tons of unique locations, and the game also features some brilliant animations and great use of shadows for darker areas. Everything is viewed from a side-on perspective, and while the locations aren’t huge, all of them are a pleasure to explore. From forts and mines to towns, gulches, and even a circus and petting cemetery, West of Loathing is crammed with places to go and things to discover. The game uses an overworld map to travel, and virtually every trip between locations results in discovering a new point of interest along the way or getting into a random encounter.

Speaking of encounters, combat in West of Loathing is turn-based, and you are joined in combat by a single partner whom you get to choose at the start of the game. In addition to ranged and melee attacks, you can use class-specific skills and items during combat to turn the odds in your favor. Food and drinks can be used for buffs, while an impressive assortment of hats and other items can be equipped for further stat boosts. West of Loathing is also the type of RPG where your stats matter, and while things like Gumption, Moxie, and Grit might sound goofy, they play an essential role. You can let the game automatically handle stat increases when you level up or do it yourself to create a more unique character. Push enough points into the correct stats, and you can go through the game charming everyone in your path and using words instead of weapons to get out of trouble. It is also worth learning skills like picking locks or cracking safes and a few more esoteric talents.

Unsurprisingly, for a game that uses stick figures, West of Loathing doesn’t feature any speech but more than makes up for this with a killer Western soundtrack. The game features enough tunes and sound effects to fool anyone not looking at your screen that you are busy watching an epic Wild West movie. The control scheme is very straightforward, and everything can be accomplished with a mouse and a couple of keyboard shortcuts. Interacting with the gameworld is as simple as walking into things, but the game also throws in the occasional puzzle that will leave you scratching your head.

West of Loathing is a great game, but not everyone will appreciate the visual style. The fact that the game doesn’t have an epic story but instead focuses on plenty of fun quests that can be enjoyed even in short bursts might also deter some players. Finally, while combat isn’t as much of a chore as it can be in many turn-based role-playing games, it is still one of the weakest elements of the game. Despite all this, we had a blast playing West of Loathing and kept returning for more, even after watching the end credits roll. The way the map continually fills up with new locations to explore as you progress means there’s something to do every time you play, and three different character classes also boost the replay value. The best part of the game is definitely the writing, and it is refreshing to play a game that is not just fun but also genuinely funny.