Blood West - immersive stealth horror FPS set in a wicked Wild West

[SharkClub]

Been playing this for the past few days, it's quite fun. I'm on to Chapter 3 now and I'd say that the game dips in difficulty during Chapter 2, the enemies in Chapter 2 felt more witless and sluggish compared to what you're up against with no levels in Chapter 1, but Chapter 3 cranks the difficulty back up high to make up for it.

Gameplay-wise it's probably most similar to STALKER CoP than anything else, minus any roving NPC bands and neutral NPCs out in the wild - but the rest of it is there, you have a big map to explore for each chapter with various objectives within it to complete, a bunch of secrets within these maps, equippable artifacts that give bonuses and sometimes also a tradeoff malus (which is extremely STALKER-esque), lots of different creatures and monsters which move around and act differently from eachother that also have differing weaknesses to certain ammo types.

The guns feel pretty good and the sound effects are appropriately chunky sounding for old cowboy guns, interestingly the player's guns are hitscan but when an enemy shoots a gun at you it's a dodgeable projectile, I never actually followed this game during development so maybe that was something they tried for the player's guns too and scrapped at some point. I'd hesitate to call the game an immersive sim because it doesn't really check off much of the emergent gameplay stuff that you'd see in Thief or Deus Ex, it's really just a supernatural horror cowboy STALKER clone with levelling up and more lite RPG elements and honestly I can dig it. Stephen Russell does a good enough job with the VA, it's no performance of a lifetime role from him or anything (that's Garrett of course) but it's not bad.

I also like that the developer likes boobs, it's not often these days that you see a game acknowledge that women have boobs, most of the time they're covered up and constricted or simply A cups for every female in the game so as to not offend trannies (for not having tits) and feminists (for not wanting people to see tits (without paying for their onlyfans)). In Blood West even the injun ghost ladies have naked boobs and the grotesque skinless hags have jiggle physics for their floppy muscled meat boobs.

 

[VonMiskov]

It seems I'm the only one that wasn't charmed by the game. Made a stealth build with bone dagger. In 3 hours I was able to stealth kill everything in CH1 except the big monsters. Got bored, chapter 2 is the same but with some tougher enemies but the gameplay loop is the same: wander semi-aimlessly through same looking enviroments looking for macguffins. Through ultra brown identical mush.

 

[Lemming42]

I'm with you honestly, I want to like it but the maps being so large and ugly keeps putting me off. Nonlinear, freeform map design is one thing, but this (at least the first map) just feels like a giant field with random shit plonked in it and massive stretches of nothing in between. Combine that with a nigh-monotone colour scheme and it always being night and I keep bouncing off it.

 

[Lyre Mors]

I'm with you honestly, I want to like it but the maps being so large and ugly keeps putting me off. Nonlinear, freeform map design is one thing, but this (at least the first map) just feels like a giant field with random shit plonked in it and massive stretches of nothing in between. Combine that with a nigh-monotone colour scheme and it always being night and I keep bouncing off it.

It apparently get's much better in the second and third map. I've been holding off myself in the hopes that some of the cited balancing issues in these later and better maps get addressed, though I have no idea if that's even planned.

 

[Tyranicon]

I'm with you honestly, I want to like it but the maps being so large and ugly keeps putting me off. Nonlinear, freeform map design is one thing, but this (at least the first map) just feels like a giant field with random shit plonked in it and massive stretches of nothing in between. Combine that with a nigh-monotone colour scheme and it always being night and I keep bouncing off it.

It apparently get's much better in the second and third map. I've been holding off myself in the hopes that some of the cited balancing issues in these later and better maps get addressed, though I have no idea if that's even planned.

Eh. I like the game, but if the gameplay isn't enough to hook you an hour in, it doesn't get much better in the later areas. The second map is very similar to the first, and the third map is more linear. First map is clearly the most polished.

In fact, I'd argue the game gets worse as it just gets easier. You eventually get an overabundance of money and ammo/HP, 100% of the enemies can be destroyed by luring->running backwards->shooting. The bosses are a bad joke.

The best part of the game is sneaking through enemy camps. If you're not enjoying that, you won't enjoy the game.

 

[Terenty]

I enjoyed the first map, but hated the boss, cus you had to redo everything around him if you die which I did a lot.

As soon as I got transported to the second map and it was basically the same with a different skin I gave up.

A game needs to keep introducing new things to keep it fresh, when it becomes obvious that nothing exciting is gonna happen anymore the magic dies.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

The shotgun feels shitty

 

[toro]

I think the criticism for the game is fair. It's not for everyone.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1587130/view/3987441639179157011

3.0.4 Update + Trading Cards are here!
New Update, Steam Community Items
Howdy Gunslingers,

The promised update has arrived and it is ready to go, but before you go digging into the newest changes, let us share with you one more thing that will make some of you happy.
Steam Community items
As of today, Steam Community items have been enabled for Blood West, so expect some trading cards to drop while you play. There are also badges to unlock, forum emotes, profile bacxkgrounds - the whole shabang!




Keep an eye out for these sweet special Steam item drops, and now back to the 3.0.4 update. It's time to give you the...

Full 3.0.4 changelog
Major Changes:
Fixed a very rare error that occurred when accessing the player’s stash that results in items being lost
Fixed a very rare instance of items being lost - after the patch is applied, the lost items should be back in player’s inventory
Fixed inability to save & exit the game via pause menu for some players
Fixed issue where removing Occult Mask without full HP didn’t remove the effect
Second level of Gunslinger perk no longer affects bosses
Fixed rare crash that occurred on opening bags in a trading window
Fixed an issue that could cause some players to not be able to pick up items from the ground
Way of the Spirit is no longer tradeable


Minor Changes:
Fixed an issue that made builds using Devil’s Eye to increase player’s HP beyond the intended levels
Disabled mouse acceleration/smoothing that was not suppose to be active
Fixed an issue where the Emerald Eyes could be taken off without dying or using Purple Revival
Animated Dead will no longer perform two charges/jumps in a row
Certain artifacts and weapons were not working correctly - including Giant Leech, Drunken Master, Corrupted Liver
Fixed an exploit that allowed player not tot pay for partial stacks of items under certain circumstances
Fixed a case where the number of available charges of Whetstone disappeared from HUD
Revolvers are better aligned towards the center
Fixed an issue that could cause the cursor to disappear when the player left the trading window in a specific manner
Spite no longer will kill player if they have exactly 5 HP remaining when trying to shoot
Lionheart should now work correctly
Fixed an issue where the could be both at the old and new camp
Blowing up enemies heads with dynamite no longer counts towards the Headhunter achievement
Fixed a rare issue where the player was not able to move after teleporting back to the Safe Zone
Bunch of smaller typos and improvements to translations


Balance Changes:
Undead Hunters take aim faster, making them more dangerous
Scallywag now prioritizes throwing molotov at player over using a shotgun
Increased the range of the stomp attack for boss of Chapter 2
Crimson Brooch found on maps will have non-default price values
The following perks have been slightly rebalanced: Bloodless, High Tolerance, Gotcha, Bloody Carnage, Pitcher, Strong Lungs, Alive and Dangerous, Self-taught and Gunslinger


Other improvements:
Added the ability to change keybind for item rotation on the inventory screen
Added an the option to hide/show UI as desired, using a bindable key
Added the ability to limit fps to a desired value


Known Issues
Negative Stamina regeneration (until death, or next strong melee attack)
Whetstone buff icon may remain on screen and as an effect after all charges has been used
Enemies may stop moving under certain rare circumstances
Rare case when one of the NPC doesn’t update correctly and softlocks player when trying to talk to them
There were reported crashes on Chapter 3 for some players

 

[thesheeep]

I enjoyed the first map, but hated the boss, cus you had to redo everything around him if you die which I did a lot.

Same.
Did you also go for a stealth build and were then just woefully unprepared that the only thing stealth does with the boss is put him to 50% health?

It's absurd. And when you die, which you invariably will if you are used to playing stealth, you need to do the entire stealth section all over again (which takes 5-10 minutes). And of course there is no resting/teleport place close to the boss, you gotta walk.
I was THIS close to just quitting the game at that point.
Woefully terrible design. If you allow me to play the entire game as a stealth game, don't make me play an entirely different game for bosses At the very fucking least, don't make me do the lengthy stealth part all over again with all enemies respawned.
Fun fact: The stealth boss paths used to kill the boss completely, but they changed it so you have to fight it normally anyway. A change that unsurprisingly, none of the stealth players liked.

What's even worse, the bosses are incredibly easy if you know the strategy, chuck some potions down and just go ham on the weak points.

The rest of the game is really good, though.
The exploration, the atmosphere, the level design (most of the time), all quite captivating.
But I wish they kept the stealth path for bosses worthwhile and not just "boss has less HP now kek".

 

[Terenty]

Same.
Did you also go for a stealth build and were then just woefully unprepared that the only thing stealth does with the boss is put him to 50% health?

Not exactly stealth, but I did take the stealth route for the boss and even that wasn't enough to kill him, cus he was summoning those giant monsters who ate lots of bullets.

The biggest problem for me was how it got repetitive after the first map, the exploration aspect wasn't all that exciting anymore

 

[thesheeep]

Not exactly stealth, but I did take the stealth route for the boss and even that wasn't enough to kill him, cus he was summoning those giant monsters who ate lots of bullets.

Yeah, that's what I mean with the right strategy making it piss easy.
Basically, with or without the stealth route, you just use those consumables that make you deal more damage when shooting, whack the "sacks" on the side, use the special shotgun that deals more damage and the boss goes down before the first giant monster is even summoned

If you try to beat the boss in a "fair fight", you'll just eat through your own supply and might end up having to grind normal mobs for ammo.
The worse you do, the harder and more annoying it gets. It's silly.

 

[Tyranicon]

Wait until you guys see the last boss. :D :D :D.

It's the easiest boss in the game and also the most generic.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1587130/view/4015590404621345510

Monster Design Contest
Your creation could be the next terrifying legend in Blood West
Howdy Gunslingers

Step right up and help us make Blood West even scarier and more challenging! Blend your creativity into the frightening atmosphere of Blood West and bring a new level of terror to its haunted world.
Your creation could be the next terrifying legend in
Blood West
!

The most blood-curdling, spine-tingling, original monstrosity will find a place in the world of Blood West. That's right, you heard correctly!

YOUR MONSTER will be animated and will roam the lands of Blood West in the newest expansion!


And there's more – you'll get your name etched in the annals of Blood West, right there in the game credits!




PRIZES
1st Place Prize

The winner of the contest will have their concept art recreated in the newest expansion for Blood West. Our internal team will create the monster’s model, animate it, and code its behavior in accordance with your concept art and description.

Runner Up Prizes

Up to 3 participants whose concepts have got close to the final cut, but have not made it, will receive game keys from the Hyperstrange Catalog.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

1. Create a concept art that would depict a cosmic horror-themed monster that would fit the Weird West setting of Blood West.
2. In addition to the concept art, provide a text which describes the creature’s in-game behavior, powers and weaknesses along with a short flavor text which will justify the monster’s existence in the world of Blood West.
3. Once you have both parts of the submission ready, host them on a Google Drive or an equivalent cloud service and go to https://hyperstrange.com/bloodwest-contest/

IMPORTANT DATES

• Start of the contest: 31st January, 2024.
• End of the contest: 29th February, 2024.
• Results announcement: 5th March, 2024.

DISCLAIMERS

• You have to be 18-years old to participate.
• You have to be the legal owner of the provided concept and the related materials you submit.
• The submission cannot include AI-generated images and text.
• The submitted content cannot be neither offensive nor sexually suggestive.
• We, Hyperstrange S.A., reserve the right to alter the submitted content in order to make it coherent with the game’s style and functional within the game’s engine.
• By submitting your concept, you, as an author, grant the non- revocable free of charge right to the Hyperstrange S.A. to use your intellectual property, related to the submitted concept, for the indefinite period.

 

[SharkClub]

Hopefully more booba monsters.

 

[Spukrian]

I finished this a couple of days ago. This is one of those games which I really like despite it being quite flawed (e.g. stealth system being quite basic, Enemy AI being quite stupid, etc).

But it does have quite a lot of awesome. Music is great, ambient sounds are great, I really like all of the voice actors, there are a lot of secret stuff you can find (I didn't find all of them) and lots of not so secret stuff that is difficult to find.

A great game which I'll replay in the future.

 

[Be Kind Rewind]

Blood West is probably the pinnacle of slop, doesn't get much more ass than this. It's a Frankensteined mess, parts of better games now long dead badly stitched and stapled together. You see a lot of big names being thrown around in this thread, Thief, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Gothic, take your pick of preferred 90's to 00's icon. Nothing could be further from reality, this botched attempt at necromancy is even further away from the golden period than the console decline ever was.

Pixels the size of bowling balls, an atrocious art direction, the most dogshit stealth system I've had the misfortune to experience, the shooting is the usual Unity trash dumpsterfire. The amount of praise it has gotten in this thread proves that the Codex has no discerning taste at all and will lap up any old shit, the equivalent of comic book faggots that will go watch the latest box office turd because a bunch of familiar deviants playing dressup with their underpants on the outside happen to be starring in it without any appreciation for the medium of film, or video games in this case. One of the worst games I've played in decades and it made me lose any faith in humanity I had left. You have to be a subhuman to enjoy this Polish cow dung.

 

[toro]

Blood West is probably the pinnacle of slop, doesn't get much more ass than this. It's a Frankensteined mess, parts of better games now long dead badly stitched and stapled together. You see a lot of big names being thrown around in this thread, Thief, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Gothic, take your pick of preferred 90's to 00's icon. Nothing could be further from reality, this botched attempt at necromancy is even further away from the golden period than the console decline ever was.

Pixels the size of bowling balls, an atrocious art direction, the most dogshit stealth system I've had the misfortune to experience, the shooting is the usual Unity trash dumpsterfire. The amount of praise it has gotten in this thread proves that the Codex has no discerning taste at all and will lap up any old shit, the equivalent of comic book faggots that will go watch the latest box office turd because a bunch of familiar deviants playing dressup with their underpants on the outside happen to be starring in it without any appreciation for the medium of film, or video games in this case. One of the worst games I've played in decades and it made me lose any faith in humanity I had left. You have to be a subhuman to enjoy this Polish cow dung.

Spoiler

Serbia

Spoiler

 

[Spukrian]

Adding a voice to the protagonist is a terrible move imo, but if they had to do it, they couldn't have chosen anyone better.

They had a different voice actor before but got Stephen Russell to replace him, maybe due some behind the scenes drama? Lots of people in the Steam forums saying the old voice was better.

 

[Vulpes]

Chapter 2 is a load of horseshit. What were the devs thinking when designing it? Not only do the enemies have tons of more health, but there's about twice as many of them as well. Combined with the fact that enemies respawn when you die (who the fuck thought that was a good idea?), it's gotten pretty exhausting. After clearing out the abandoned fort and most of the mine next to, I was ripped to pieces when a black raven skull I found at the fort teleported me to a burnt down shack with two swamp wanamingos standing right in front of it. Thank God I already saved the priest before using that item, because there's no fucking way I'm massacring all those enemies again. I don't care if I missed any unique items, I just wanna move on to the next chapter as soon as I can.

 

[toro]

Howdy Gunslingers,

As we promised last week, today we have prepared a small taste of what is to come. Just a heads up, today's meal is meant to leave you a bit pecking - but don’t you worry as we are cooking more than an appetizer for you and soon it will leave the oven.

Ok, enough kitchen lingo, kick back and enjoy some moving pictures.

Before you delve into wild speculation about what might be inside that pitch black rift or who is that woman, there are some things we can share with you already! As you have noticed, you will be able to equip magical staffs and other similar objects. These esoteric armaments will allow you not only to melt your enemies’ faces, but to summon minions to aid you in battle. Heck, they can also be used to curse your foes with negative status effects. You will need these and more to deal with new Eldritch Predators such as the lovely Abyss walker.

 

[Spukrian]

They haven't explicitly confirmed it's a DLC with Chapter 4, but they haven't explicitly denied it either.

 

[Vulpes]

I recognize that farm and the boat wreckage, they're both located in the swamp in Act 2. You find the unique knife in the former and the unique double barrel shotgun in the latter. That area was already a pain the ass to go through, so there's no fucking way I'm gonna scrap all my progress so far in Act 3 just to experience this update.

 

[Spukrian]

I recognize that farm and the boat wreckage, they're both located in the swamp in Act 2. You find the unique knife in the former and the unique double barrel shotgun in the latter.

At 0:13 (when he holds the staff with the bird skull) he's walking around in some ruins I don't recognize. But yeah, that might be a secret I missed or maybe I just forgot that place.

That area was already a pain the ass to go through, so there's no fucking way I'm gonna scrap all my progress so far in Act 3 just to experience this update.

You could experience the update when you replay the game!

 

[Ivan]

tight tight tight yeah

I wonder if it will be standalone. Difficulty goes out the winder toward the end of Ch 2