Far Far West is a game that caught my eye due to its outlandish cartoon aesthetic, roguelike elements, interesting-looking gunplay and its 4-player co-op action.
Even in its early access state, I’m happy to report that Far Far West is already shaping up to be a riot of a co-op PVE shooter. For those unfamiliar with Far Far West, developer Evil Raptor has crafted a frenetic, Wild West-inspired PVE shooter with an emphasis on chaotic mayhem.
In its current early-access build, Far Far West features over five areas or maps with around two levels per zone, making for a solid amount of content, particularly for a title that is still in early-access. Maps include Desert, Canyon, Far West, and Woodlands, in addition to hard-mode exclusive areas such as Area 41. Of course, most areas in Far Far West feature a Cowboy aesthetic, from expansive canyons, to desert wastes, mines, ghost towns and abandoned farmsteads, the level variety and scope of each zone is well realized and full of meaningful PoIs.
Far Far West has a simple enough premise for each mission: complete a main objective, unlock the boss, clear out hordes of enemies, take out the boss, and exfiltrate without getting wiped. In its current state, the main objectives largely consist of moving a payload from point A to B, but Far Far West does still change things up with a few other fun objective types, such as priming a rocket and crafting a massive bomb. The game also features a variety of side objectives and missions strewn about the map that unlock plenty of loot and are often required to unlock new areas, making it more than worthwhile to explore and take your time.
Boss encounters are diverse and over the top, making them the highlight for each biome. Bosses include a massive haunted train that must be taken out in chunks, an ethereally creepy Grim Reaper with a huge scythe, and even a haunted Saloon that feels inspired by something like The Evil Dead. Boss encounters vary in difficulty pretty drastically, something that encourages players to try different areas until they accrue enough points for some upgrades and weapons.
“Boss encounters are diverse and over the top, making them the highlight for each biome.”
On that note, weapon and upgrade variety in Far Far West is fantastic, giving players access to a starting revolver and a Quad Cylinder semi-automatic machine gun. Players can earn additional weapons like a Doom-style shotgun, heavy machine gun, and other versions of existing weapons, like the revolver, by earning weapon fragments through clearing objectives in each level.
Players also have access to a healthy amount of secondary magic-infused attacks, including a fire AoE, a lightning chain attack, and a possession skill (which heals the player), among others, all of which help diversify your squad, giving the player the incentive to craft their own class without committing to a prebaked class system.
Players can also stumble upon modifier cards by defeating enemies and by simply exploring off the beaten path, which unlock powerful augments that further diversify your kit, making the often overwhelming odds more manageable. Combat and gunplay in Far Far West, like everything else in the game, feel fast and frenetic, often choking the player with hordes of enemies that give the game a distinct boomer-shooter-esque feel, similar to games like Serious Sam and the aforementioned Doom.
Weapons have both hip-fire and ADS modes of operation. I found myself sticking mostly to hip-fire for the onslaught of undead mobs, only changing to more precise aiming when dealing with bosses that have critical weakpoints to exploit. Players can also often find caches of dynamite, which can’t be holstered, but can be taken anywhere on the map, making them viable for taking out bosses or enemy spawn points.
Outside of undead skeletons and unique bosses, Far Far West features some other interesting enemy types, including a Golden-Axe-inspired loot goblin that must be chased down, dropping valuable gold upon defeat, to more dangerous enemies, such as an undead, strapped to radioactive waste, which, upon death, releases a massive mushroom cloud explosion that can take out everything in the immediate vicinity, including the player.
“Far Far West is already showing the potential to be one of the great PVE multiplayer experiences available on the PC platform.”
Thankfully, running away is a pretty viable option in Far Far West, thanks to your trusted robo-steed, which is on a cool-down but can be summoned and used to escape or cover serious distance by pressing the run button or key. Your horse can also mow down smaller enemies and more effectively evade boss attacks, making it an invaluable asset to rely on.
Ultimately, Far Far West is already showing the potential to be one of the great PVE multiplayer experiences available on the PC platform, right up there with the likes of Deep Rock Galactic and Risk of Rain 2, making it a solid recommendation for those looking for something new to play with their friends.
Far Far West is now available in Early Access on Steam.
