West of Loathing

West of Loathing is not your average RPG; in fact we’d go so far as to say you’ve probably never played anything quite like it in your life. Its combat won’t blow you away but don’t be lulled into believing that’s what this game is about, as really the whole thing is an adventure in exploration and interaction with a bit of fighting sprinkled in. It can occasionally be a little bit difficult to decipher, but the satisfaction felt upon working out a problem totally makes up for it. The humour is as wonderfully dry as the desert you’re traversing and the writing is some of the best you can find on the Switch.

West of Loathing is one of the most fun and funniest Adventure/point and click game that I have played in some time. Combat rarely gets in the way of the adventure, and everything moves at a good pace to get you back to doing silly things that will keep you smiling through most of the games’ playing time. If you’re looking for a game with laughs that don’t lean too hard on using pop culture references or mean-spirited jokes at peoples’ expense, then West of Loathing is worth checking out.

West of Loathing is a game you pick up for ten minutes and put down four hours later because you were lost in finding the right item or avenging the deaths of a family. Aside from a few tiny flaws here and these, this is a must own game for everyone and one that begs to be played over and again.

The amount of humour, fun and character within West of Loathing is astounding. Repetition in the turn based battles is the only slight in an otherwise amazing game. DLC is on the way too, and I for one cannot wait for it.

Imagine a Western where scouring the American frontier is as urgent as calculating the severity of a hat. This balance sustains West of Loathing's mixture of zealous role-playing and profuse outpouring of absurdity. It's proof that capable writing can not only texture eccentric maneuvers in design and presentation, but also prevail as a primary attraction. West of Loathing celebrates Western ambience and revels in disciplined goofiness.

I truly love West of Loathing. It's charming, silly, fun and, most surprisingly, offers genuinely engaging combat and questing. This made it easy to play until my Nintendo Switch battery was running flat over, and then have me itching to play again while the battery was charging. And it did convince me to start playing Kingdoms of Loathing again. I guess I'm never going to get away from these nonsense stick figures.

The surprise with this game has been the quality of its writing and how it manages to transmit humor through complex and elaborate situations. With sensational microanimations, this is a game to question (and mock) some of the pillars that have transmitted both Western cinema and role-playing video games.

West of Loathing understands the stylistic charm that a unique aesthetic can provide and that stick figures are still, at the heart of everything, rad as heck. While the combat system is lacking, hilarious storytelling and a dynamic world make up a wonderful stroll through the western-styled landscapes.

Don't let the stick figure graphics turn you off – this is one journey you'll want to saddle up for, especially if you're looking for a new casual RPG, or just a good laugh! [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 23]

West of Loathing is a great value for its price and definitely entertaining for what it is. Unfortunately, the actual mechanics lack a lot of depth that keep it from being an experience for everyone. A deep RPG experience this is not. However, if you’re looking for a few hours to kill on a game with funny writing and creative environments, this one is for you.

West of Loathing is something particular. An adventure RPG with a bare simple art style and full of humour in a wild west setting...and it works, anyone who enjoys a good dose of humour, plenty of text, an absurd plot and who doesn't mind the rather uninspired combat system will have enough content here to go through the entire game and even to forget about the main story and get lost in all the side quests.

What a delightful and funny adventure West of Loathing is, a unique blend of a very simple turn-based role playing game and an old time point and click adventure. It's a perfect companion for lazy Sundays and hard day's nights.

While this is obviously not Red Dead Redemption or anything of the sort, West of Loathing proves to be truly entertaining for what it is. The huge amount of text to read through to really appreciate the humour may be deterring to some of the audience, as much of the events and details are conveyed solely through the text on-screen, and the simplistic aesthetic may not do this game any favours to attract attention, but let nobody be fooled as this is indeed a truly awesome story to sit through.

West of Loathing's visuals are monochromatic, but there's enjoyable comedy painted between every line, a pitch-perfect Spaghetti Western soundtrack, and a full spectrum of role-playing possibilities to choose from that make it a consistently enjoyable madcap cowboy jaunt.

Asymmetric Publications has created a highly entertaining title in West of Loathing. The game provides an excellent mixture of humour and exploration that is very easy to get sucked into. Switch owners — and those on PC, Mac, or Linux who haven’t done so yet — would do well to check it out.