Summary
From the 1935 novelThe Circus of Dr. LaotoJonah Hexcomic books or movies such asGhost Town(1988) andBone Tomahawk(2015), Weird Westerns have been popular among fantasy and horror consumers for years and offer a unique take on the traditional Western genre that permeates popular culture. Unsurprisingly, they are defined by their Western setting but with a horror, fantasy, or sometimes steampunk element.
In video games, the Weird Western genre has steadily grown, with several notable releases that perfectly capture the gritty and sometimes strange aesthetic. From open-world RPGs and Soulslikes to FPS, the genre has produced a wide variety of games. From cult classics to hidden gems, the Weird Western genre continues to expand and release fun and immersive gaming experiences.
7Damnation
Only For Die-Hard Genre Fans
Damnationtakes the Western genre into steampunk territory in a disappointing shooter that received unfavorable reviews on release.Damnationis set in an alternative America where the Civil War has raged on for years longer, resulting in the steampunk dystopia portrayed in the game.
While the game offers clunky combat and little story, the game will still appeal to fans of the genre looking for a simple action shooter that requires little thought. The world is well-designed and the steampunk aesthetic well realized. However, there are far better games within the Weird Western genre for players to enjoy.
Weird Western fans will love thistactical turn-based game, where players follow a man on a mission of vengeance against those who wronged him. Set in the Old West, the game offers immersive exploration and fun turn-based combat. Players will battle a variety of enemies, from undead gunslingers to ghosts and demons.
Hard Westoffers everything a good Weird Western game should include. From the dark atmosphere, rugged landscapes, and supernatural entities. While it may not be as polished as other games on the list,Hard Westis a strong addition to the genre.
Evil Westtakes the Weird Western genre into third-person action territory. While it struggles tocompete with genre giantssuch asGod of War, it remains a fun and well-designed game that will please fans of the genre.
InEvil West, players control vampire hunter Jesse Rentier as he protects the frontier from supernatural monsters. While the plot is rather simplistic, it’s the gameplay that is most important. Here,Evil Westoffers fun, no-nonsense combat, with players shooting and punching their way through the legions of undead. While some elements are Soulslike adjacent,Evil Westoffers a more relaxed action experience that will appeal to fans of the Western genre most of all.
InBlood West, players control an undead gunslinger, fated to wander the lands until his curse is lifted. This fun retro-style stealth FPS game blends immersive sim elements with fun demon-killing action. The world is filled with strange characters and demonic monsters.
With tons of loot to discover around the open world, a well-designed progression system, andexcellent stealth mechanics,Blood Westis a hidden gem in the FPS genre. The Weird West design brings a darker element to its Western backdrop, creating an immersive atmosphere that genre fans will love.
This top-down action RPG is a recent hidden gem and amust-play for fansof Lovecraftian horror and immersive sims.Weird Westblends an engaging story with fun gameplay and a dark fantasy design. Players follow five sometimes intertwined stories throughout the game, where each playthrough is a different experience depending on players’ choices.
Weird Westoffers plenty of atmosphere and action as players explore the different locations, filled with outlaws, gunslingers, and strange creatures. The world is rich and a pleasure to discover, while the combat is fun and engaging.Weird Westis a great addition to the genre and a must-play RPG.
In this dark fantasymultiplayer extraction shooter, players control a bounty hunter who explores backwater swamps looking for unnatural monsters lurking in the dark. The game offers two modes. The first is a co-op mission, where a team of three players can hunt down the game’s bosses and claim a bounty. However, these bounties can be stolen by other teams on the map.
The second game mode is a battle royale called Soul Survivor, in which players must find several rifts within a 15-minute timeframe.Hunt: Showdown 1896has become a cult favorite with a dedicated player base and has recently enjoyed a big update, which greatly improved the game. It is a unique take on the extraction shooter, battle royale titles that dominate the gaming space and one that is only improving over time.
WithRed Dead Redemption, Rockstar took their fantastic open-world style, made famous withGTA, and created an expansive Western classic.Red Dead Redemptionfollows John Marston’s journey as he is blackmailed into taking on the outlaw gang that betrayed him. The game received widespread acclaim.
Following up on the success ofRed Dead, Rockstar releasedUndead Nightmare. This fantastic DLC flipped the game on its head,bringing hordes of zombiesinto the open-world environment and making a Weird West classic in the process.Undead Nightmareis set within an alternate timeline where John Marston is searching for a cure to the zombie outbreak. The DLC featured new horses, designed after the four horsemen of the apocalypse, different zombie types, and all new strange characters to interact with.
