SteamWorld Heist 2 makes an underappreciated classic even better

This story is part of our Summer Gaming Marathon series.

Back in 2015, developer Image & Form was thriving in the Nintendo 3DS era. Its game SteamWorld Dig had a breakthrough moment two years before, bringing new fans to its unique steampunk world. Rather than following that up with a quick and easy sequel, it would veer into left field with SteamWorld Heist. It wasn’t another Dig Dug-like platformer, but a turn-based strategy game that played more like Worms. Though it may not be as popular as SteamWorld Dig and its sequel, it’s a hidden gem that’s been begging for a sequel.

That’ll happen on August 8 with SteamWorld Heist 2. The sequel builds on the original’s winning formula, while taking it to new heights. I got a sense of just how much bigger it is when sitting down for a demo at Summer Game Fest earlier this month. Imagine the jump in scope between the first two SteamWorld Dig games, and that’s what you can expect from SteamWorld Heist 2.

When my demo begins, I’m quickly reintroduced to some familiar gameplay. I’m controlling a squad of bots who I can move around 2D spaces filled with enemies and loot. Each bot has two actions per turn, which I can use to shoot, reload, or drop a special power. When I shoot, I need to aim my shot, sometimes with the help of a laser sight that shows me my bullet’s path. When I’m not fighting, I can open doors to scavenge for treasure and water, which is a currency used to buy upgrades.

That’s all from the first game, but I get to see the scope shift when I zoom out of battle and find myself controlling a boat. While the original game had players progressing through its story by choosing nodes on a map, this one plops players into an explorable overworld. Players guide a boat through an ocean where they can sail off to objectives and find hidden shops. There’s even a bit of ship combat, as the boat (which can be outfitted with upgrades) will auto-fire at passing enemies. It’s an entirely new layer to gameplay that reminds me of