Steamworld Heist 2 review: this seafaring strategy sequel will test your skill

Steamworld Heist 2 MSRP $30.00 Score Details Pros

Aquatic theme feels fresh
Ship exploration is a fun touch
Combat is as tactical as ever
Deep job system
Every bot feels distinct

Cons

Underexplored setting
Enemy waves are overwhelming
A bit too unforgiving

There’s no job more complicated in the world of Steamworld Heist 2 than that of a ship captain. It doesn’t just require managing a ragtag team of mechanized crewmates, each one with their own jobs and gear. It also requires becoming an engineer, reinforcing your sea vessel with the armor and weapons necessary to survive the cutthroat Great Sea. And when danger does inevitably arise, a good captain needs to know the ins and outs of various robo factions roaming the sea so they can handily scrap them. It’s a job reserved for master strategists.

That complexity is reflected in Steamworld Heist 2, a tense tactical strategy game where every move matters. In this sequel to 2016’s Steamworld Heist, developer Image & Form Games turns the heat up on its turn-based action formula. The aquatic adventure is more expansive, harder, and filled with the kind of surprising gameplay twists that make each Steamworld game feel so fresh. It’s a follow-up that deals in escalation, and that’s an at times overwhelming evolution that’s sure to separate the captains from the swabbies.

A robot’s life for me

While Steamworld Heist 2 keeps the same core ideas of its predecessor, Image & Form Games goes the extra mile to make its sequel stand out. It’s a similar dynamic to the one present in the first two Steamworld Dig games. The first one was a surprising riff on Dig Dug that felt both innovative and elegant in its execution, while Steamworld Dig 2 subtly transformed that hook into a Metroidvania by turning a few screws. That’s been done here too, with Steamworld Heist’s turn-based tactics placed into a freer adventure format with an additional layer of exploration.

The big change this time is that players aren’t in outer space