As a huge fan of unpredictable variability, risk and reward, and overcoming tough odds I tend to enjoy roguelike titles more than most. While there are loads of them in specific genres and styles like action or twin-stick shooting (among others), I can’t say I’ve run into too many of them that feature first-person play though. Wild Bastards, though perhaps not perfect, tackles the challenge nicely though with a clever mix of varied outlaws to work with, some nice elements of strategy, and what can often end up being pretty tense play.

What I think really makes the experience work well is the diversity of characters you’ll eventually get to work with. Each of the Bastards has their own play style, with some favoring ranged combat, some that are absolutely built to get up close and personal, and ones that can feel a bit more chaotic. Their shooting style is often complimented then by their main skill, which you’ll need to find the right hooch on the map to use, and I often found that who I chose for my team was tied to whose skills gave me the best situational options depending on who I was set to face. 

No matter who you choose, what you’ll quickly find is that none of the areas these shootout skirmishes will take place in are terribly large. There will sometimes be opportunities for cover, or perhaps some verticality with raised land or buildings to get a perch on, but more often than not you’ll simply need to improvise and make the most of wherever you find yourself. Again, this tends to make the focus on the composition of your team, trying to be sure to represent different styles of play and attack so you can be sure you’re not left feeling overmatched. That’s also thankfully where temporary gear and your longer-term character perks you can unlock come into play. They may allow you to further sharpen your characters’ skills into a lethal edge, but you could also opt to focus on their overall durability and adaptability for fear of turning them into a glass cannon otherwise.

I’ll admit that the game’s humor will likely be a take it or leave it affair. The voice work of your more formidable enemies is at least typically infused with some personality, but some of the dialogue can also trend towards being goofy at times. In another vein, the banter between the members of the group can be nice, but if you use the same pair on too many missions it will also get pretty repetitive. Despite whatever shortcomings it has though, this was a game that grabbed my interest quickly and then kept it going by continuing to surprise me in a variety of ways. If you like shooters, and have been looking for something with some different flavor than the norm, this should satisfy.