I'm always on the search for new games to help lure my friends into. It doesn't matter if it's friendslop, serious gaming, or anything in between. Anything that I can play with my buddies is a plus. I've been keeping my eyes on Far Far West for a long, long time, and now that it's out? It's better than I imagined it could be. Imagine the pure chaos of Helldivers 2 mixed with the gunplay and vibe of Borderlands, and you've got a co-op shooter that is going to be in the weekend rotation for the foreseeable future.

There's something magical about Far Far West. Maybe it's the sheer amount of polish that the game already has, or the sheer chaos that could only stem from camaraderie. The development team knew that they were cooking, and somehow, made a game about robot cowboys that can cast spells and wield wacky weapons even better than it sounds. It's an absolutely bonkers time, and I need everybody to get into this one as soon as possible. And yes, you read that right - cowboy robots that can cast spells. Shit is TIGHT.

Far Far West Is, Without a Doubt, a Rootin’ Tootin’ Good Time

I've been writing for Glizzy for a hot minute now, and you likely already know that I'm an absolute sicko for weird games. I'm also a complete and total fiend for games that I can play with my friends. Far Far West combines two of my favorite loves and melds them together into a robotic love child, one that has come kicking and screaming into the world. Sure, it may not match the madcap weirdness of games like Pih or BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT, but it's still wacky as all hell.

The basic premise of Far Far West is incredibly simple. You load into a map, do some small missions, search for gold, find Jokers that power up your character, and battle hordes of enemies. Sounds simple, right? Well, as you explore, you'll encounter Danger Zones that are filled beyond the brim with enemies that are ready and willing to rip you apart and use your mechanical bones for toothpicks. If you die, it's not the end of a run either. You can either help your buddies as a little orb until you can get resurrected, or just... not die. It's that simple, isn't it?

Far Far West Is Beautiful To Look at and Runs Like a Dream

I didn't mention it before, but it's worth mentioning now. Far Far West is an absolutely beautiful game. Fantastic art direction, paired with great character models and enemies, makes every map a visual feast for my hungry eyes. As with many games in the indie field, Far Far West strays away from photorealism for something that is memorable to look at and will look utterly fantastic for the foreseeable future. They've got the right idea. It's gameplay over graphics, and that's a mighty high bar to jump after their game looks this damn good.

But, somehow? They make it happen. Far Far West, on its surface, is a co-op shooter. But underneath the first layer of robotic flesh lies some roguelike features. You'll get Jokers during your run that will give you temporary boosts, and permanent ones you can affix to your characters, guns, and everything in between. It turns you from a Robo Dork to Robohero in no time, and you'll feel unstoppable. That is, until you crank up the difficulty.

This Game Punched Me in My Stupid Robot Face Over and Over Again

My buddies and I love a good challenge, especially when we're playing a multiplayer game together. Games like Deadzone: Rogue? We could handle that on Expert and sometimes even Nightmare. But Far Far West? Maybe it's because it was first game jitters, but we got our shit absolutely ROCKED the first time we launched into a level on hard. Strongly recommend playing a few runs on normal before bumping up the difficulty so you can power up your robo buddy a bit more. You'll need it.

Even when we were getting kicked repeatedly in the stomach by roving packs of skeletons, Far Far West was an absolute blast. Inventive bosses end the run on a high note, and there's nothing quite like fighting a haunted Saloon. Everything here feels fresh and inventive, which is hard to do in a genre that is as oversaturated as the first-person shooter genre is. But that's just the start of things. After you beat the boss, you've got to try to extract and survive. That's where the real fun begins.

Extraction Is Balls to the Wall Action, and I Want a Firefight-style Horde Mode ASAP

Once you kill the boss and grab the loot, shit hits the fan real quick. It's time to get out of dodge and back to the saloon for a drink and maybe some darts. The music swells to life with a Grant Kirkhope-esque take on a spaghetti western theme, and it's off to the races. You can either fight your way back and hope that the extraction is less busy, but where's the fun in that? Hop on your metal Mustang and hit the dusty trail to eliminate as many skeletal bastards as you can before the train shows up.

The extraction portion is, honestly, one of the most fun parts of Far Far West. It's intense, full of action until the final seconds, and brings a satisfying run to an even more satisfying conclusion. Regardless if your run comes to a close during these final moments, or you're lucky enough to survive, the itch to get right back on the train to cowboy town never leaves. It's been a hot minute since I've played a game that has sunk its claws into me this hard with its multiplayer shenanigans, and I'm here for it.

Oh, Yeah, You Can Get a Card That Spawns Exploding Pigs, Too. That’s a Thing That Happens Here.

Far Far West doesn't take itself seriously in the slightest. You can buy a T-Pose emote with your hard-earned gold, or buy a skin that makes you look like a robotic member of the Beverly Hillbillies. It's all about the goofs and the gaffes here, and I completely and totally fuck with the vision. The first night we played Far Far West in a group, we spent 6 hours exploring the plains. It felt like an hour at most, and I'm not even joking about that. It sucks you in, and when the going gets good? Far Far West stays good.

The fact that the game is this polished already in Early Access gives me high hopes for what the future holds. More spells? More enemy types? Who knows at this point? All I know is I'm already itching for it to be the weekend again so I can hit the dusty trail with my cowboy friends and fuck some shit up. Call me Bruce McClain, because I'll be shouting YIPPIE KI-YAY, MOTHERFUCKER at my friends this whole time.