- Publisher: Thunderful
- Release Date: Aug 8, 2024
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
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- By date
- Unscored
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II is made with plenty of heart and effort to create an amazing adventure that never feels bad. Don’t be afraid to stop by and make your own legend. It’s worth it.
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May 9, 2025SteamWorld Heist 2 doesn’t reinvent itself, but it doesn’t need to as it takes what worked in the original, refines it and adds just enough new elements to make it feel fresh.
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Aug 16, 2024New setting, old strengths: Steamworld Heist 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor. The innovations are manageable, but they pay off: This thing is just fun!
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Aug 9, 2024Much like the SteamWorld Dig sequel, Heist II ditches the drab procedurally generated stages for hand-crafted battlefields designed around collaboration and the game’s new class system. While these changes might sound minor, they feed into so many different components that the follow-up feels fresh, at least until the run-up to the game's finale.
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Aug 5, 2024What's most impressive about all of these disparate systems is how well they synergize with each other, and how they remain easily understandable and not overwhelming. Like a well-crafted Steambot, each part and gear of SteamWorld Heist 2 attaches just-so to another, with every piece of the device contributing and feeding into the function of two or three other parts. The result is a game that plays with clockwork precision from start to finish.
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Aug 1, 2024Steamworld Heist 2 is a full-on sequel to the first title. Overall, it's better in every way that matters: more weapons, more skills, more enemy types, more gameplay, and a lot of adjustments that make the game more fun to play. Only the new world map feels more like a lateral move than an actual upgrade, but it doesn't get in the way of the quality of the rest of the game. Steamworld's streak of excellent titles continues, and it makes me excited to see what the development team comes up with next.
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Aug 1, 2024Supremely satisfying side-scrolling strategy resurfaces in SteamWorld Heist 2 for a sea-faring sequel that refines and expands on the original.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II takes the things that worked in the original Heist and, well, gives players more of them. It’s well-considered in so many ways, making sure you’ll have a good time exploring its ideas for as long as it holds you. It ain’t exciting or revolutionary, really, but it sure is fun.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II innovates on what made SteamWorld Heist 1 great, with some stumbling around its open-world design.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 gives you plenty of customisation for your party, filled with thrilling combat, excellent presentation, and much more.
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Aug 1, 2024Thunderful has delivered a sequel that feels like an evolution of the format that made the first game so special, with a rich aesthetic, great buildcrafting and progression systems, tight combat, better exploration, and that typical SteamWorld charm creeping out of every crack too.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 grabbed me right away with its light-hearted tone and the fact that it offered considerable tactical depth without being punitive in its approach. On the contrary, the developers seem to say "Come on, try this thing too, you have nothing to lose anyway!". The management of the difficulty level and the mission structures do the rest, while it is only a partial lack of variety of enemies that prevents Thunderful Development's game from reaching excellence.
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Aug 12, 2024An adorable little strategy game that's deeper than it appears and has a wonderful soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe. Absolutely a gem.
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Aug 8, 2024SteamWorld Heist II is a big step up from the first game. With different classes, weapons and skills to choose from, it introduces new strategic possibilities to the gameplay. The non-linear exploration of a large open world adds depth to the experience outside of the intense turn-based strategy.
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Aug 5, 2024Fans of the SteamWorld series will be happy with Heist 2. If you like steam bots and robot pirates – and who doesn’t? – pick this one up.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II continually impressed me throughout my roughly 30-hour playthrough. Thunderful has done a wonderful job carrying over the immediacy of the engaging sidescrolling combat mechanics while expanding upon the design in meaningful ways. The addition of character classes adds a new dimension to building your crew, and the expanded approach to the world design had me exploring every nook and cranny for more secrets. Captain Leeway’s seafaring adventure is a must-play for any turn-based strategy fan.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II is a delight. Brilliant tactical combat is mixed with a clever story, great music, and engaging progression. Whether you’ve played the first title or not if you’re into turn-based, strategic combat then this is one to check out.
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Aug 2, 2024Crazy robot tactics game with clever ideas and very fair mission design.
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Aug 5, 2024Sharp and compelling strategy that expands on the first game with a clever new progression system, but at over twice the length it's in danger of outstaying its welcome.
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Aug 26, 2024I have several small, indie game series, that have never let me down. SteamWorld is one of them. Be it meroidvania, be it a jRPG with cards - all my adventures with steambots were at least good. SteamWorld Heist 2 confirms that rule, and I simply have to recommend this game.
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Aug 7, 2024SteamWorld Heist II is a sequel done right. It retains the best aspects of its predecessor—turn-based combat with precise aiming and trick shots—transports it to an appealing pirate setting, wraps it in a meaningful storyline, and adds simple world exploration with an excellent class-mixing system that could use just a bit more depth. Regardless, it's a fantastic return for a great game, appealing to both fans and newcomers alike.
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Aug 6, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 is an interesting return to a style Thunderful hasn’t re-explored in years, and it’s a decently polished one at that. The multi-job character progress and new upgrades to sea travel make for an improved approach to new and varied challenges throughout the game. The upgrades aren’t watertight against the issues that poked holes in the first game such as inconvenient travel and grinding. That said, if you’re looking for a solid tactical strategy game, SteamWorld Heist 2 is a charming voyage that should provide plenty of good times to fans of the SteamWorld universe.
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Aug 5, 2024As far as sequels go, SteamWorld Heist 2 expands on its predecessor's compelling gameplay in multiple ways while providing a compelling new setting. Some aspects need further tidying up, but it's still an enjoyable journey.
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Aug 2, 2024Quotation forthcoming.
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Aug 2, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 delivers an excellent blend of steampunk, pirate adventure, and tactical gameplay. With its distinctive style and original soundtrack, this sequel stands out. While the strategic missions and characters shine, the narrative and overworld ship combat are it’s weakest points. Overall, it’s a treasure trove of tactical fun, offering a blast for both seasoned strategists and newcomers.
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Aug 2, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 is a superb sequel to the first game, building on its merits and offering a thrilling maritime adventure. For aficionados of the genre, the game offers a distinctive and entertaining experience with its intriguing plot, gorgeous art style, and captivating turn-based combat. I was drawn back for more because of the deeper and more varied gameplay offered by the extended crew and highly imaginative environments. For me, SteamWorld Heist 2 isn't an absolute must-play, but if you love pirate stories or tactical strategy games in general, then you'll definitely love this game.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist II’s great tactical battles and sense of humor make it hard to imagine anyone not being won over by it, whether you’re a fan of strategy games or not.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 is set to be a great new entry for dedicated SteamWorld fans and a great jumping-on-point for newcomers and strategy fans alike.
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Aug 1, 2024Steamworld Heist 2 has taken everything good about that first game and delivered something truly special. Although there may be a few weak points, the game is able to make up for it with its thrilling gameplay, unique class system, and its colorful world. It not only serves as a great turn-based strategy game for genre veterans, but it may be a great one for newcomers to try out too. And with its release, there are hopefully plenty more adventures within the Steamworld franchise on the horizon.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2’s charming adventure refines the original game’s clever turn-based combat with a flexible mix-and-match class system and hand-made maps that are built around using teamwork to accomplish their objectives and escape unscathed. On top of that, it serves up a light and entertaining real-time nautical exploration game as a palette cleanser between battles, and swapping between them helps things stay fresh for more than twice the first game’s 15-hour length. It’s occasionally mired in grinding to unlock the next area and the skill system will make you waste a lot of XP if you don’t know what’s coming, but there’s no shortage of loot, amusingly off-kilter robot characters, and fantastic original folksy music along the way.
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Aug 5, 2024SteamWorld Heist II is a captivating blend of strategy and action that delivers a truly solid experience. The game's turn-based combat is a highlight, offering a satisfying mix of planning and execution, and the job system adds to character progression and customization. Mission rewards and necessary backtracking can detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing, but if you don't mind a bit of a grind, then SteamWorld Heist II is definitely worth checking out.
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Edge MagazineAug 9, 2024Look for the new stuff, then, and there's no doubt this is a refined and expanded sequel, even if certain issues remain. [Issue#401, p.108]
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Aug 2, 2024I love the world of SteamWorld. Heist 2 is as flavorful as ever, with great characters, funny writing, and a great soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe. The overworld exploration is charming too, with its own pirate ship progression system and simple naval combat. I really want to like SteamWorld Heist 2, but I can’t get past the more tedious aspects of the grind, or the long, punishing missions in the late game. It’s an improvement over the original to be sure, but I’ll have to wait patiently for SteamWorld Heist 3 to see if this series can finally reach its full potential.
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Aug 1, 2024Steamworld Heist 2 is a strong sequel, even if it may test both your skills and patience.
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Aug 1, 2024SteamWorld Heist 2 is a great sequel. While retaining the aiming system and side-on perspective that made the original a joy, it features a generously redesigned class system and new overworld to explore. However, old problems with mission repetition and stingy XP rewards deter you from experimenting with classes, pulling the game down from excellence.
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Aug 1, 2024The core of SteamWorld Heist still burns brightly in this turn-based tactics sequel, but its bid to go bigger and better is a risk that hasn't quite paid off.
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Aug 19, 2024Immerse yourself in a steampunk universe with turn-based combat, deep customization, and an engaging and fun narrative. A sequel that invites you to dive into a steampunk world with turn-based battles, extensive customization, and an incredibly entertaining story. [Recommended]
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Aug 19, 2024In my playthrough on the default difficulty setting, there was never really a moment when I thought I had a total edge on the opposing side. I also found that knowing my crew of death machines was fully handcrafted made the whole experience far more rewarding. The SteamWorld franchise continues to innovate in exciting ways, and I’m looking forward to seeing what genre it’ll set its sights on next.
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Aug 22, 2024Once again, I've yet to play a SteamWorld game I didn't like. SteamWorld Heist 2 is not bucking that trend. After 15 hours I still haven't finished it, but my endgame sense is tingling and I'm eager to see it through. If I was asked to name the most reliably entertaining franchise in video games today, I would perhaps point to Thunderful's toybox and say simply: "Them 'uns". These games know what they're doing, they communicate it succinctly, and most importantly, they let the player happily move on when the game is finished. These are not games of "endless replayability", they are toys of endful playability, of conclusiveness, closure and clemency. If switching off after reaching an "ending" in a piece of Destiny 2 DLC is like finishing a McDonalds yet feeling hungry again two hours later, then watching the credits roll on a SteamWorld game is like finishing a decent home cooked meal and walking away full of unthinking contentment. I'm keen to keep sailing north, find a homey pub on the horizon, and eat that final dish.
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