SteamWorld Heist II Review - Screenshot 1 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

When we played the original SteamWorld Heist, to anyone who’d listen (and to plenty of people who wouldn’t) we described Heist as the quintessential underrated indie gem. We thought everyone should play it. We were blown away by how skillfully Thunderful Games had taken everything satisfying about X-COM-style turn-based action and made it work in 2D: the step-by-step growing tension during missions; the zen-calmness of analysing the environment and enemies and then executing decisions; the existential finality of committing to a choice and living by it.

Like a pinged sniper shot ricocheting off multiple walls into the back of a steambot head, we were blown away by the gameplay USP – the need to manually aim your shots during battles. The 2D style provided this additional mechanical twist that would have been difficult to replicate in 3D. You aim carefully, like someone lining up a golf putt. You fire. You bounce shots from walls. When you succeed, you feel good and skillful. When you miss, you grow frustrated, and you watch as your steambot, wide open now to a counterattack from a should-be-dead enemy, suffers a blast of shrapnel that tears their jolly robot body into pieces.

SteamWorld Heist II Review - Screenshot 2 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

The story and character writing of the original Steamworld Heist also drew us in. The game’s space-bound adventure featured a crew of well-written 'bots, each with different combat skills, who through nothing more than text boxes showed themselves to be identifiable souls struggling and thinking their way through the adventure. And then there was Thunderful’s bold collaboration with the band Steam Powered Giraffe, who littered the game with original music that added to the sense of Steamworld Heist’s strong personality.

The sequel could have gotten away with more of the same, and in many ways does, but an hour or so in we started sensing that something was a little different. Beating Steamworld Heist took around a dozen hours. Beating Steamworld Heist II on the other hand ultimately took around 35 hours. This tripled length is matched by the game’s increased ambition, mainly found in the depth of levelling up, tinkering, and managing your team. You’ll need to commit some time to this. The sequel is a little less approachable as a result, but it’s still a great game.

True, for a period Heist II frustrated us. We struggled to adapt to the change in pace and scope. After playing through some long battles we died right at the end, and as the game allowed us to go back just two turns, we found our fate more or less locked in.

On multiple missions we were absolutely mullered by a series of midpoint twists – we felt as if we were in control, but suddenly more and more enemy navy reinforcements turned up from nowhere. There was no way we could have anticipated this. Yet, round after round they came – in ones and twos. Just as many gun-toting drones appeared next. Then guns sprouted from the walls and lined up long-distance shots. At times, it felt unfair and overwhelming, and as if we were wasting our time. We started wondering whether Heist II had taken a movie-like lesser sequel move of ‘doing the same but more’. We died a lot.

SteamWorld Heist II Review - Screenshot 3 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

We play a lot of games in this genre, but found ourselves needing to lower the difficulty setting. This wouldn’t have been a big deal had the game then not started feeling, conversely, too easy. Thunderful seems to have been aware of this issue. A well-timed pop-up addressed the situation: ‘It’s important that you find a difficulty level that suits you. The game gets frustrating if it’s too hard and less fun if it’s too easy.’

We ended up diving into the custom difficulty settings to make the game suit us, which initially felt unsatisfactory. We don’t play games like this expecting to make up the rules, but the truth is we soon forgot our objections, and Heist II soon hit a familiar sweet spot. We also learnt to anticipate these midpoint twists.

The story is interesting – this time set not in space, but on The Great Sea. We followed Quincy Leeway, a submarine captain, as he headed off on a new adventure hoping to live up to the reputation of his famous mother, who had killed a giant sea monster. Complicating matters, a ruthless navy was plundering and stockpiling barrels of clean water, an essential resource, especially as a mysterious rust was spreading throughout the land. It’s a story of oppression and rebels, with a little mystery sprinkled in for the ride.

SteamWorld Heist II Review - Screenshot 4 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

There is some extra variety to the gameplay this time round. In Heist II, you navigate the overworld in your sub, which you upgrade over time until it becomes quite the tool for getting to out-of-reach places and battling navy boats. The action here is never deep, but it’s a nice change of pace. In the tricked-up nautilus, you search out missions or visit water-based bars, which serve as a place to meet important NPCs, buy weapons, or obtain upgrades.

As we hinted at earlier, to make the most of Steamworld Heist II you will need to spend some time collecting and tinkering with your characters. Making sure your loadout for each mission maximises your offensive potential feels almost mandatory. You need to upgrade your characters. You need to experiment with the system of assigning different ‘jobs’ and to make sure that you understand and take advantage of the best perks on an open-ended skill tree. Getting used to this takes a bit of time and may not suit casual players. There seems to be very little room for error, though mercifully there is no permadeath and you’re able to repeat missions as much as you like.

SteamWorld Heist II Review - Screenshot 5 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

But if you do all this, and if you come to accept that missions are more often than not filled with twists and turns, and that you’ll need to factor in dealing with and halting the source of reinforcements, then suddenly Steamworld Heist II clicks. Earning star ratings for every mission to progress in the story, gathering swag, battling your way out of tight corners, and basking in the sumptuous visuals and tight sound design soon becomes incredibly satisfying all over again. The game runs perfectly well docked and undocked, though with noticeably lower resolution in handheld mode.

Overall Steamworld Heist II is a much evolved version of its predecessor. Heist 1 was a pick-up-and-play delight. Heist II is a more challenging, though still rewarding beast in comparison. Ambition shines through every decision. Just don’t expect to rush through without putting in the work.

Conclusion

Steamworld Heist II expands upon its predecessor’s solid foundation, offering a more complex and ambitious experience that rewards patience and careful planning. While the increased difficulty and expanded mechanics may deter some players, those willing to invest time and tweak things to suit their preferences will find a deeply satisfying tactical adventure.