Evil West is one of those action games that just feels right. From the first shot I fired through a vampire's head to the last creature I booted through a spike trap, I immediately wanted to climb back aboard developer Flying Wild Hog's new rollercoaster ride. That's exactly what Evil West is, by the way – an unashamedly wild ride and one of the most interesting new games of 2022. Like the Shadow Warrior trilogy before it, Evil West is self-aware and assuredly absurd in all the right ways; breakneck and bloodthirsty, focused intently on ensuring you embrace the power fantasy laid out in front of you and have a good time doing it.
Flying Wild Hog is adept at holding up funhouse mirrors to popular genres and developing whatever is reflected back. The Shadow Warrior games always felt as if they were calling back to a style of FPS that had long gone out of style, and Evil West looks set to do the same for the action genre – fans of the best action games, like the early God of War and Devil May Cry titles, will want to pay attention. It isn't quite as grandiose as the former, or as skill-based as the latter, but Evil West occupies a strange middle ground between the two that seems to work well enough. You know, only this is set in a twisted American frontier that is overrun by supernatural entities.
Admittedly, Evil West isn't as brash or as crass as Flying Wild Hog's previous efforts, but the 'zero shits given' attitude that helped Shadow Warrior unlock a special place in my heart is alive and well here. I think that's what imbues Evil West with its edge over other games looking to slot into the throwback-action genre niche. Lock your rifle's reticle over a flashing weak point and watch as a vampire's limbs explode outward in a shower of blood. Put the firearms away and batter enemies to a pulp with your fists, which will eventually become imbued with the power of electricity because why the hell not. Chain melee and ranged attacks together with a well-placed combo, sending enemies hurtling into elements of the environment; don't forget about the short dash ability, because you'll need it by the time screen-dwarfing bosses start showing up to the party.
Evil West really clicks into place when the pressure is amped up, forcing you to move quickly and act instinctively. A few melee hits here, a few shots off with your pistol there – if you're able to clear enough space around you to actually aim down the sights of your rifle you're doing alright. Evil West has a really solid rhythm, and I do hope that Flying Wild Hog will gradually increase the tempo the further we push through the campaign.
The west has never been wilder
Evil West is part of the 12DOVE Fall 2022 Preview, which is exploring the most anticipated games set to release before the end of the year.
If there's any one element of Evil West that could threaten to derail it, it's the balance and interplay between the melee and gunplay aspects. I did ultimately prefer wielding the pistol and rifle in combat, and found the execution of combos to be a little sticky – when it clicks into place, as you're hurling vampires into the air and holding them there with revolver fire, it feels pretty great, but I am worried it may be difficult to resist the impulse of button bashing. A Flying Wild Hog representative watching me play Evil West could clearly see I was more enamoured with the ranged weapons, prompting him to tell me "just wait until you start unlocking skills and getting the gauntlet powered up with electrical energy – melee gets crazy fun."
So I'll wait before making a final judgement, because ripping vampires limb-from-limb with electric-powered fists does sound like a good time. Evil West is one of those action games at risk of slipping off of the radar in a packed Fall release schedule, but it's one you should absolutely keep an eye on – who knows, it might just be the surprise hit of the season.
Evil West is set to release on November 22, and it's one of those upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games that you just can't help but pay attention to. If you're yet to get a new console, Evil West will also launch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
