SteamWorld Heist - hands-on with new details

- the original idea of having you run heists on procedurally generated stages is entirely gone
- there is now a linear stage-driven structure with a progressive overworld
- there are splits in the path for sub-quests or accessing special in-game resources
- control scheme lets you scout ahead and plan your approach carefully
- get up to 3 star ranking on each stage
- 3DS version also has a map on the bottom screen
- play through various 'worlds', with the first two being populated by Scrapper and Royalist robot clans
- one level gives you a limited number of moves to destroy a set number of enemies
- another level has you taking out a ship's generators
- another stage has you on the lookout for specific loot
- includes boss battles
- one boss battle has you up against a hulking robot with a preference for melee attacks
- various gunplay styles, including sniping, spread weapons and even equivalents of bazookas
- average stage gameplay time takes 15-20 minutes
- there are also cover points, platforms you can shoot through, explosives and more
- utilize sub-weapons and abilities, such as a grenade, a power shot or a restorative buff
- some of these are limited-time use and others require cool-down time
- each character also has their own upgrade tree based on mission-earned XP
- acquire and recruit more characters into your crew
- certain enemies and stages require specific abilities
- if you lose a team member in a level they won't gain any XP once the stage is cleared
- failing completely as a team will cost you half of your water (the game's currency)
- water is to be spent on crew members, weapons and any items that boost your chances
- you have limited inventory space and storage
- campaign will likely take most players between 12-16 hours
- four or five difficulty levels in the final product that can be adjusted on the fly per mission
- New Game+ content