Games

Best Games In The Weird West Genre

Published

4 weeks ago

October 28, 2024

Christoph Rediske

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Key Takeaways

Weird Western games offer unique takes on the traditional Western genre with horror and fantasy elements.
The genre has expanded in video games with various releases, from action-adventure to RPGs and FPS games.
From clunky shooters like Damnation to top-down RPGs like Weird West, the genre provides diverse gaming experiences.

From the 1935 novel The Circus of Dr. Lao to Jonah Hex comic books or movies such as Ghost Town (1988) and Bone 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.

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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.

7 Damnation

Only For Die-Hard Genre Fans

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Released: 2009
Developer: Blue Omega, Point of View
Genre: Action-Adventure
Steam Reviews: Mixed

Damnation takes the Western genre into steampunk territory in a disappointing shooter that received unfavorable reviews on release. Damnation is 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.

6 Hard West

A Fun Turn-Based Offering

Hard West

RPG

Tactical

Adventure

Indie Games

Strategy

Released: November 18, 2015
Developer: CreativeForge Games

Weird Western fans will love this tactical 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.

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Hard West offers 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 West is a strong addition to the genre.

5 Evil West

A Solidly Fun Action Shooter

Evil West

Third-Person Shooter

RPG

Action

Adventure

Platform(s): PS5 , PS4 , PC , Xbox Series X/S
Released: November 22, 2022

Evil West takes the Weird Western genre into third-person action territory. While it struggles to compete with genre giants such as God of War, it remains a fun and well-designed game that will please fans of the genre.

In Evil 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 West offers fun, no-nonsense combat, with players shooting and punching their way through the legions of undead. While some elements are Soulslike adjacent, Evil West offers a more relaxed action experience that will appeal to fans of the Western genre most of all.

4 Blood West

A Terrific Retro Stealth Shooter

Blood West

Systems

Released: February 10, 2022
Developer(s): Hyperstrange

In Blood 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.

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With tons of loot to discover around the open world, a well-designed progression system, and excellent stealth mechanics, Blood West is 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.

3 Weird West

A Brilliant Weird West RPG

Weird West

Released: March 31, 2022
Developer: WolfEye Studios

This top-down action RPG is a recent hidden gem and a must-play for fans of Lovecraftian horror and immersive sims. Weird West blends 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 West offers 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 West is a great addition to the genre and a must-play RPG.

2 Hunt: Showdown 1896

A Cult Hit Among FPS Players

First-Person Shooter

Extraction

Released: February 22, 2018

In this dark fantasy multiplayer 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 1896 has 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.

1 Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

A Classic Weird West Expansion

Systems

Released: July 26, 2010
Developer(s): Rockstar San Diego

With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar took their fantastic open-world style, made famous with GTA, and created an expansive Western classic. Red Dead Redemption follows John Marston’s journey as he is blackmailed into taking on the outlaw gang that betrayed him. The game received widespread acclaim.

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Following up on the success of Red Dead, Rockstar released Undead Nightmare. This fantastic DLC flipped the game on its head, bringing hordes of zombies into the open-world environment and making a Weird West classic in the process. Undead Nightmare is 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.