Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 71 | 11 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 86 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 70 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 60% | 60 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 14 reviews sampled · 15 total reviews in window · weighted 6.3 up / 4.3 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (37)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Nintendo Switch is enjoying a growing number of turn-based tactical games, and Hard West is another welcome addition to that strategic throng.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“All things considered, for the price Hard West is a surprisingly competent tactical turn-based shooter than gets more right than it gets wrong...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The game is solid. It's not going to be legendary in any aspect, and has a few problems such as broken abilities, but is enjoyable all-around and nice to play. Effort was put in and it pays off in the form of actually feeling like its own unique title instead of just another rip-off even if the occasional flashback to fighting aliens happens.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“A decent enough turn-based tactical game with a genuinely excellent atmosphere, let down by limited tactical options, poor mechanic explanations, and a number of issues that make it seem as though the lofty ambitions outstripped either time, money, or ability.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“There are a few missteps, like a lackluster tutorial stage and no real explanation of certain mechanics (I had to watch a YouTube video before I learned how to "Subdue" enemies), but the game is fun to play even if you fail a mission or two while learning. The graphics and music are solid, but nothing that will blow your mind.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Hard West does a ton of things right in my book. It offers quite a few of what I would call mini campaigns that not only keep the player engaged, but constantly add new elements to gameplay while progressing the storyline. It's a pro and a con, as every time a new story section is introduced, each lasting a few hours, the next is almost as if starting anew, which might rub players the wrong way. At the same time the player is constantly engaged with something new to do or way to play, even if it only feels minor at times. It's not the longest or the most in depth RPG, but for the price, the theme, and unique style, Hard West is clearly worth your time in gold and offers a fairly authentic western experience, well besides the demon and supernatural overtones that is. Saddle up partner, the west might be hard, but it's also a worthy, fun time.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“With a little bit more cohesion and fewer drastic system changes over the course of the campaigns, Hard West could have been amazing. Instead, it's merely quite good.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Rough round the edges and clunky in parts, Hard West's refreshing take on turn-based strategy is still worth saddling up for.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Hard West is a satisfyingly creepy mash-up of six-gun horror and tactical combat.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Depending on the tactical depth you want to approach, the title can take dozens of hours to complete, so you do get a lot of content for what you pay. In the end, Hard West is a solid tactics game set in the wild west.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Hard West gets a lot of things right, with a number of clever ideas that help to broaden the scope of the standard turn-based formula it draws upon, but a lack of checkpointing and other game design faux pas can spoil the fun.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Hard West has a strong concept and is fun for a while, but because the core gameplay soon becomes monotonous, along with having some awful overworld segments, the game is difficult to recommend. ”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
PC Invasion
GameWatcher
ZTGD
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
We Got This Covered…and 25 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Hard West 2 After Dark Update is now Live!Oct 17, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.5! Save Game on Demand! The future is here!Jun 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Content Patch 1.4 and DLC Scars of Freedom Released!Mar 3, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Content Patch 1.4 and DLC Scars of Freedom Released!Mar 3, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Hard West Patch 1.2 is deployed on SteamNov 30, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Hard West Patch 1.2 is deployed on SteamNov 30, 2015
- Hard West Patch 1.1 ReleasedNov 24, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Hard West Patch 1.1 ReleasedNov 24, 2015significant · resets scoring window