Evil West

Evil West is a third-person action game set in an alternate Wild West, where gunslinger Jesse Rentier joins a secret organization of vampire hunters battling a gothic horror spreading across the American prairie in the late nineteenth century, while the government tries to keep the threat under wraps. Flying Wild Hog, the Polish studio known for the Shadow Warrior series, combined a brutal combat system built around pistols and rifles with an electric gauntlet, which the player uses to stun enemies, knock them into environmental traps, and periodically recharge at special generators scattered across the arenas throughout the map.

The game openly embraces the legacy of titles like Devil May Cry or the older God of War games – linear levels, elaborate arenas filled with gradually escalating waves of enemies, and rewarding combinations of ranged and melee attacks, their impact heightened by electric effects, slow-motion charge animations, and flashy finishing moves that quickly dispatch opponents. Visually, the game leans on a stylized, comic-book-inspired take on western aesthetics combined with gothic horror, giving it a distinctive visual identity that sets it apart from more realistic competitors in the genre.

On Xbox Series X|S the game runs stably at high resolution, prioritizing smooth action over photorealistic environments and characters in the story. Reviews praised above all its return to straightforward, honestly crafted action without unnecessarily open worlds or microtransactions, which felt refreshing and sincere to players in an era saturated with live-service titles. Evil West thus became a pleasant surprise for old-school action fans craving simple but honest fun without unnecessary complications or detours. Progressing through the game also unlocks new upgrades for the gauntlet and weapons through a simple skill tree that gives the player a constant sense of growing power.

Why play it: Old-school fans of straightforward action without open worlds or microtransactions will appreciate the honest craftsmanship, stable performance, and gradually growing skill tree for both gauntlet and weapons.