When you play sequels to games you consider to be truly top-tier, there’s always a mix of excitement and some trepidation as well. Will it just be more of the same? Now that the surprise of the original is gone, will there be a lack of novelty that holds the sequel back? Will everyone regret worrying about the game repeating the original by changing it so much that you just want the original gameplay back? If fans stress about this sort of stuff just imagine what it’s like being a developer! Anyway, getting back to this sequel to my favorite title in the SteamWorld series, Heist II wisely keeps pretty well everything from the original and then simply adds more.

Starting with the positives, I love the fact that in terms of its core combat mechanics nothing critical was really altered. I love the challenge of finding your best spots appropriate to each of your bots’ strengths, in particular always giving my sniper a safe hidey hole with great visibility for decimating opposing bots. That said, there’s a wonderful thrill when you’re able to make critical unscoped shots with some of your other classes, racking up some bonuses and feeling like you’re unstoppable. Where things get even more wild strategically is the additional layer you’ll be forced to then jump into a few hours in with jobs. While at first this can be a bit disconcerting, as you’ll feel pretty attached to your key role players in your squad, once you find the right mix of skills from your previous role to mix with the weaponry from another, you may just fall in love all over again. You really just need to take a moment to reflect on what skills synergize well with a different style of play and a mission or two in, it should begin to click nicely.

While I’d like to say that everything works wonderfully, not all new elements feel quite as necessary or maybe just as fleshed out to make a better case for themselves. While I enjoyed the exploration aspect of your trusty submarine, going into zones I clearly wasn’t meant to be in yet, and sometimes being rewarded with game-changing loot by pulling it off, overall it still felt a bit thin as an addition. I think the issue is a game so focused on smart tactical thinking and depth, then featuring a pretty simple action sub game where you meander around and dodge enemy fire in search of new stuff, just feels inconsistent. The need to then pretty constantly move around the map to get back to a bar every day, looking to rest and reset your crew, without the ability to expedite that process greatly, also felt like a misstep and padded play time without much value in return.

Still, all things considered, this is a bigger and longer sequel that managed to keep everything fun about the original and then expand on it. While perhaps the forced jobs system won’t be a hit for everyone who’d prefer to max out their characters in their one preferred class, I think in terms of strategy it’s a smart move and one that can result in some ridiculously-powered builds if you have the right mix of skills with the right gear. The silliness of the game’s bosses, dialogue, hat collecting, and SteamWorld-style oddity in general also remain engaging and fun as well. In the end, I can’t think of any reason why anyone who enjoyed the first wouldn’t have a great time with this follow-up, and if you’re new to the franchise it’s also a great starting point, even if the original might be a little better from a purist’s point of view.