Blue Manchu’s upcoming FPS roguelikeWild Bastardshas some obvious similarities with the studio’s previous titleVoid Bastardsin its structure and gameplay, but whereWild Bastardscharts new territory is its introduction of 13 distinct playable characters – the Outlaws. Each operative has its own unique set of abilities and progression paths outside the larger meta-progression at play inWild Bastards' roguelike structure. Game Rant recently spoke with design director Jonathan Chey, and according to him, the introduction ofWild Bastards' Outlaws presented some unique challenges regarding the game’s balance and its approach to the single-player roguelike.
In general,roguelikesfocus on a singular character that gradually becomes more powerful in each run. This power curve is influenced by both the permanent, big-picture meta-progression that sees the character grow and develop from run to run, as well as the randomized rewards and upgrades that players pick up during gameplay. With not just overall progression to consider but 13 separate characters with unique abilities, Blue Manchu had its work cut out for it in balancingWild Bastardsand ensuring that player progression felt satisfying without giving way to becoming overpowered.
Outlaws are the Crux of Wild Bastards' Roguelike Progression
UnlikeVoid Bastards, which focused more on procedural upgrades on a single character (despite that character changing from run to run),Wild Bastards' take on the single-player roguelike is built around the player’s gang – a collection of 13 unique Outlaws that have more in common with the characters from ahero shooter likeOverwatchthan playable protagonists in a roguelike. According to Chey, “Each of the outlaws is designed to play very differently and to respond to the situations they’re placed into differently,” and each of these playable Outlaws has signature abilities that simultaneously connect to their design and fulfill a specific gameplay niche.
The main axis of persistent progression in the game is your gang: any Outlaws you have added remain in the gang each time you reset your progress. And any “aces” you’ve found for those characters (that provide improved or new abilities) also remain across runs. But in a roguelike, you need to lose some progress - and we support that via your progression through each “sector” of the galaxy and through loss of transient resources like mods (items that boost outlaws), tonics, beans and cramm (money).
The Challenge of Wild Bastards' Outlaws
Rather than follow traditional progression paths that roguelike players are familiar with,Wild Bastards' introduction of the Outlaws creates an entirely new spin on the formula through more pronounced character progression and less emphasis on the luck of the draw. As one might expect, this new approach to the tried-and-truestructure of a single-player roguelikeprovided some unique challenges for Blue Manchu to overcome withWild Bastards' balance being “hard to get right,” with Chey explaining,
In Wild Bastards, you end up with 13 Outlaws in the gang, so it would be a headache to have to deal with very frequent small upgrades to all of them. Instead, we hand out “aces” which are substantive new powers or upgrades to existing ones. Each Outlaw can obtain up to 6 new aces over the course of the game (and there are some other progression aces too).
While the Aces themselves are powerful, they drop at infrequent rates to make each new one a significant acquisition and meaningful step toward character progression.Wild Bastardsmight share naming conventions and visual motifs asVoid Bastards, but itsroguelike progressionreceives a massive overhaul courtesy of the Outlaws.
Wild Bastards
WHERE TO PLAY
From the veteran team behind Void Bastards and Card Hunter, Wild Bastards has you travel from planet to planet to recruit, manage and gun sling with a team of 13 outlaws, each of whom has their own weaponry, special power, and growth tree. On planets, you’ll wrangle loot and start showdowns that are then played out in intense, bite-sized shootouts.The Wild Bastards were the most deadly gang in the galaxy until a posse from the puritanical magnate Jebediah Chaste eliminated one outlaw after another. Faced with their own mortality, the two remaining members have teamed up with the Drifter, a mysterious sentient spacecraft, to find and resurrect the dead gang members as they flee to the mythical Homestead.Heart-Pounding Showdowns – Prove you’re the ultimate gunslinger by blasting an array of enemies in bullet-flying shootouts.Tactical FPS Combat – Use your wits to overcome crafty enemies that utilize cover, flank you, and employ a huge variety of special moves from teleportation to homing poisonous quills.Strategize for Victory – Evaluate each planet’s terrain, enemies, and traits before selecting which gang members you want to land there. Collect items, level up, and use special locations carefully to turn the odds in your favor!
