SteamWorld
Heist II

SteamWorld Heist II (2024) is a tactical naval combat game where you play Captain Leeway and his ragtag crew taking on a menacing threat in the Great Sea. The main draw is the turn-based side-on combat where you aim your crew's weapons to defeat enemies before escaping with your loot. It stands out for being full of character, like the first game, but now we pilot submarines rather than spaceships and have a more detailed overarching campaign.

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All is not well at sea, as the water has started corroding metal and sinking submarines. As Captain Leeway you build a crew of steam-powered robots to find out what is going on. You play in three phases; equipping and customising your crew, choosing your daily battles and then dictating each move in an effort to win.

These turn-based battles focus on aiming and ricocheting shots with deadly accuracy. You have limited steam with which to move and fire so every shot counts as you strategise your way to victory. There is a greater number of weapons and armour this time around. This is joined by a new job system that can be used to unlock complementary skills to create the perfect tactical team.

The result is a game that takes you deep into a rich underwater world brought to life by handcrafted characters and environments. Fans of the original will appreciate the musical return of beloved troubadours, Steam Powered Giraffe. Newcomers will appreciate the nuanced difficulty settings that let you tweak things to exactly the right level of challenge.

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Our examiner, Oli Hawkins, first checked SteamWorld Heist II 11 months ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 6 months ago.