While it only has a vague release window of 2024, Blue Manchu’s upcoming roguelike titleWild Bastardshas quickly shot up to the top of many fans' “most wanted” lists thanks to the developer’s last gameVoid Bastards. LikeWild Bastards,Void Bastardsis a single-player roguelike first-person shooter that utilizes a cel-shaded art style and offbeat sense of humor, but the similarities between the two almost end there. WhereasVoid Bastardswas more concerned with survival elements in its run-based roguelike gameplay,Wild Bastardsevolves Blue Manchu’s approach to the genre through its character progression and genre mixing.
In a recent conversation with Game Rant,Wild Bastards’design director Jonathan Chey (who also served as lead designer onVoid Bastards) explained how the studio’s approach to its upcoming game differs from its last. WhereVoid Bastards' genre influences and classic PC gaming homage is skewed towardsurvival, stealth, andSystem Shock,Wild Bastardspays tribute to the cult-classicFreedom Forcewhile blending FPS roguelike gameplay with strategic elements.
How Wild Bastards Evolves Blue Manchu’s Approach to Single-Player Roguelike Games
Each run inVoid Bastardsforces the player to make important considerations regarding how they progress through the game’s star systems. Resources like food, oxygen, and fuel are scarce, and every stop off at a derelict vessel brings both the promise of valuable rewards while also carrying the risk of being overwhelmed by enemy forces. WhileWild Bastardsplays with the same risk/reward structure that’s foundational to mostroguelike games, it does so in a completely different fashion fromVoid Bastards.
Wild Bastards isn’t a survival game like Void Bastards. There’s less of a focus on desperately trying to stay alive and more on advancing your power…When moving through a sector, you can see (to a limited extent) which of these resources are available on each planet and use this to decide on a route. Of course, previewing which enemies you might encounter and what kinds of planets you will need to pass by will affect your strategy too.
Differences betweenVoid BastardsandWild Bastardsextend into the games' combat systems as well, withWild Bastardsintroducing a whole new set of factors for players to consider that go beyondVoid Bastards' survival gameplay.
Wild Bastards’ combat is a lot deeper and more involved that Void Bastards. Enemies feature a much wider variety of behaviors and fight more intelligently. They’ll use cover, duck and dodge, flank, and attempt to fake you out. They’ll shoot at noises they hear even if they can’t see the target, and they’ll run away when caught in the open or threatened by a stick of dynamite. Player weapons also have a lot more variety, from a sniper rifle to a lasso and a flamethrower.
Interestingly, Chey notes that terrain considerations and tactical, stealthy gameplay are still important inWild Bastardslike they were inVoid Bastards, albeit in different ways givenWild Bastards' more “arena-like” levels as opposed toVoid Bastards' claustrophobic corridors. That said, Chey is quick to point out that “Wild Bastards isn’t a “stealth” game, just like Void Bastards wasn’t. It’s a shooter in whichstealth mechanicswork and can play a role - if you wish.”
Wild Bastards
WHERE TO PLAY
From the veteran team behind Void Bastards and Card Hunter, Wild Bastards has you travel from planet to planet to recruit, manage and gun sling with a team of 13 outlaws, each of whom has their own weaponry, special power, and growth tree. On planets, you’ll wrangle loot and start showdowns that are then played out in intense, bite-sized shootouts.The Wild Bastards were the most deadly gang in the galaxy until a posse from the puritanical magnate Jebediah Chaste eliminated one outlaw after another. Faced with their own mortality, the two remaining members have teamed up with the Drifter, a mysterious sentient spacecraft, to find and resurrect the dead gang members as they flee to the mythical Homestead.Heart-Pounding Showdowns – Prove you’re the ultimate gunslinger by blasting an array of enemies in bullet-flying shootouts.Tactical FPS Combat – Use your wits to overcome crafty enemies that utilize cover, flank you, and employ a huge variety of special moves from teleportation to homing poisonous quills.Strategize for Victory – Evaluate each planet’s terrain, enemies, and traits before selecting which gang members you want to land there. Collect items, level up, and use special locations carefully to turn the odds in your favor!
