Wild West Dynasty represents a fantastic concept on paper, but the Early Access launch is collecting nasty Steam reviews. What’s going on?
Wild West Dynasty actually pushes all the buttons our community loves: an open-world role-playing game in which you’re completely free to decide what you’re into in a Wild West setting. Build a settlement, roam around the houses as a pistolero, explore the world, dig for treasure, craft better equipment, carve your own huts – so much about this game seems like the right idea.
However, the Early Access release of 16 February 2023 is met with very, very little backlash from the Steam community. Only 19 percent of the over 300 Steam reviews are positive, many people complain and advise against buying. What’s going on there?
If you want to get your own impression first, the trailer for the game is not far away:
Why is Wild West Dynasty getting so much headwind?
Currently, people are mainly bothered by the game’s technology – and not only with regard to bugs and performance problems, but also in terms of graphics, animations, i.e. the presentation of the open world. Wild West Dynasty – according to the critics – looks too old-fashioned, too dry, too stiff to really draw people into the Wild West world. A few representative voices as an example:
I would currently give it a 60 to 70, but not recommend it. The main reason for me is the graphics (not the character or animation, those are creepy too, but there are supposed to be improvements there), but those textures that must have been bought on the fly in the engine shop. That’s nowhere near what you can expect today and we got in Medieval Dynasty, and we got it from day 1. And that’s why I doubt that will change. On top of that, the game is laggy, and that’s on a high-end PC (Early Access, lack of optimisation, gimme). Especially because of the graphics, I can’t recommend the game and that hurts myself. I won’t return it, but play it every now and then and see if I still warm up to it.
Steam user Thoddy
Another Voice:
2010 wants its graphics back or the devs get in the Delorean and time travel to 2023 for a change. This is just head shaking. I was so extremely looking forward to it, but this is an absolute nightmare. The graphics look very outdated and the controls are absolutely lousy.
The performance is subterranean, even for an Early Access game. Compared to Medieval Dynasty, it just looks slapped together and anyone expecting something similar here, only in the Wild West universe, will be sorely disappointed.
Steam user Thunder Axe
And because all good things come in threes:
The game is a big disappointment in terms of craftsmanship. It makes you feel like Pacman, all wonky movements and controls. Not to mention the riding. There is an urgent need for improvement. Level design: What I have seen so far is static and loveless. Simply bad. That could be better! In short: After I celebrated Medieval Dynasty because it was really well done, Wild West Dynasty is even more of a disappointment.
Steam user Dodg3r
Of course, there are also more positive voices about the game – and our own GlobalESportNews review of Wild West Dynasty states, at least for the Early Access version, that the game, apart from technical and content-related shortcomings, also has a lot of potential and opportunities that could ultimately make it a really good game.
What do you think? Are you already giving the game a chance and putting up with the problems of the Early Access version? Will you wait until the release? Or are you not interested in the scenario at all and stick to the Middle Ages? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
