Pladio spotted a loading time fix for Hard West 2:

Loading Time Issues Fix - Join the Beta Branch!

Howdy again all,

Hopefully, you enjoyed our last update; THANK YOU AGAIN! We wanted to follow up as some players reported issues of longer loading times. For some, this simply caused extended loading times; for others crashes or incrementally increasing load times as you play longer in Hard West 2. We know this is impacting your gameplay experience and we want to address it as soon as humanly possible.

For this reason, we're opening a Beta Branch in Steam for those affected. This branch does not contain ALL the content incoming for Patch 1 that addresses a rebalance and some quality of life issues + localization. Please keep in mind that this is a test build that’s meant to solve the issue as quickly as possible and has not been tested as thoroughly as we would an official full patch release. If you encounter any issues, please do let us know in the Steam thread here. However, this should solve the memory leak issue and get you playing happily again.

Here is what is coming in the FULL patch later in August. For those who would like to jump into the Beta branch rather than waiting until then, instructions are below:

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Mortismal Gaming checked out the tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 - Review After 100%

Henriquejr spotted some Hard West 2 reviews:

• Rock Paper Shotgun: Hard West 2 Review: rootin' tootin' tactical shootin'
• Gamespot: Hard West 2 is a hardy, accomplished turn-based tactics game with several flashes of genius - Score: 8/10
• Gamerant: Hard West 2 Review - Score: 3.5/5
• Eurogamer: Hard West 2 review - absolutely stellar fun - Recommended

AngryCentaurGaming reviewed the tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Never Touch?"

The tactical RPG Hard West 2 will be released today:

Hard West 2

Hard West 2 is a journey to the heart of darkness in the American West. Take control of a supernatural posse and catch the mysterious Ghost Train. Outsmart, outcheat and outgun your enemies in this turn-based tactics game set in a Wild West world where nothing is as it seems. 

Mortismal Gaming checked out the upcoming tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Check Out: Hard West 2

Hard West 2 will be released on August 4:

Hard West 2 - Launching August 4th! 

Hiya Friends!

We know you’ve been waiting patiently, and it's time to see what happens next for Hard West 2!

• We've seen what occurs when you play your odds with the Devil.
• We met some of the characters who will accompany us through this new journey in the Hard West.
• We've got a first taste of the action and learned the skills that will help our posse reclaim what's rightfully theirs.

Now…we're happy to inform you that Hard West 2 is landing on Steam on August the 4th, 2022!

And that's not all! In case you've missed the chance to play the Hard West 2 Demo, we've got your back: the Demo will be available again starting from July 28th, 2022!
Don't miss this chance (again).

Think that's all? Think again! We've got one more card up our sleeve: from July 28th to August 1, everyone will get to play Hard West (the first chapter) for free here, on Steam!

Thanks Kordanor!

The Turn Based Lovers checked out Hard West 2:

Hard West II | Single-Player Tactics RPG | Gameplay First Look

Hard West 2 is a journey to the heart of darkness in the American West. Take control of a supernatural posse and catch the mysterious Ghost Train. Outsmart, outcheat and outgun your enemies in this turn-based tactics game set in a Wild West world where nothing is as it seems.

Kordanor checked out Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 - Tactics in the Wild West...with Zombies! - Preview (Beta Playtest) [EN]

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Gamereactor checked out Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 really does live up to its name

We've been able to dive into the first couple of hours of Ice Code Games supernatural strategy sequel.

I'm a big fan of the Wild West. That much I made clear in my recent review of WolfEye Studios' Weird West. For me this period and culture is and has been rife with a grand potential for storytelling, so needless to say, when the opportunity to take an early look at the sequel to Hard West landed on my plate, I snapped it up. Known candidly as Hard West 2, this title is coming from Ice Code Games, and once again revolves around a tale of revenge all set in a supernatural and dark version of the Wild West. I've been able to check out the first couple of hours of the game, and I have plenty of opinions.

The story for Hard West 2 starts with a posse of outlaws looking to rob what seems to be a government train carrying untold riches. In reality, the train is actually far more nefarious and is a spectral vessel known as the Ghost Train, which is commanded by a cruel and sadistic being. It's here, right at the start of the game that the ground for the story is laid, as in a bid to outsmart this villain, the posse's leader, Gin Carter bets his soul and the souls of his companions in an effort to win the Ghost Train. As you can probably expect, this doesn't go as planned and the gang of outlaws gets cheated, and would have lost their souls if not for the quick wit of the magical companion Flynn. From here on out, the story of Hard West 2 asks players to survive the hostile world that the Ghost Train has transported the posse to, all while also mounting an expedition and adventure to hunt down the elusive train and take revenge on the foul devil residing in its engine carriage.

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While my time with Hard West 2 so far has been pretty fleeting, I will say that what I've seen gives me plenty of hope and makes me excited for Ice Code Games' sequel. Sure, it's not easy, and there are times that you'll want to shout in rage at the savage statistical combat systems, but that doesn't change the fact that you'll also be raring to dive back in and retry the same scenario with a fresh perspective. Matching the engaging combat with the immersive RPG exploration and the macabre overworld gives this game a satisfying balance, which all works well to bring to life this unique realisation of the Wild West. Hopefully, this success will transition to the full game, whenever that launches later this year.

Here's a new gameplay trailer for the tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 - Gameplay Trailer

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The Steam page for Hard West 2 is now up and the game is being developed by Ice Code Games.

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Blaze a trail back to the dark heart of the West in Hard West 2.

You are Gin Carter, a notorious outlaw with a reputation as dangerous as the frontier itself.

On the hunt for a big score, you hear talk that the legendary “Ghost Train” is heading your way loaded with federal gold. This is the one.

You swiftly assemble a posse of outlaws, some with guns, others with the kind of supernatural skills that make saloon bars fall silent in a split second.

Night falls and the posse rides out, silhouetted in the spectral light of the moon. Together, you transform the prairie into an ungodly land echoing with gunfire and the screams of the hunted.

But once on board the train, you discover it’s not named the “Ghost Train” for nothing. What follows is the fight of your life through the uncharted badlands of the Hard West, propelled by bullets, witchcraft, and your pursuit of personal salvation at any cost.

Chase down the devil himself and take back what he stole — your soul.

Game Features:

• THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNDEAD: Folktales of the far West collide with the darkness of the occult in an unforgiving land riddled with as many demons as there are bullets.
• CONQUER THE DARK FRONTIER: Explore the far reaches of the Wild West in a desperate fight to save your soul. Discover more about your posse as you wander the lands, from snow-covered vistas to frontier towns, struggling to survive in a merciless world. Make brutal choices and learn to live with the gruesome consequences.
• SHOW YOUR BRAVADO: Rack up kills to activate your Bravado State and replenish your Action Points, as you roam the land taking down anyone — or anything — that gets in your way. Chain together stylish kills of multiple foes to extend your streak and shore up your reputation as a legendary gunslinger.
• SUPERCHARGED POSSE: Unearth mysterious playing cards to build your posse’s poker hands, and kit them out with punchier guns, explosives, trinkets, or just a square meal of beans and whiskey to keep them in top six-shooter shape.
• UNNATURAL LEADER: Like it or not, responsibility for your growing posse of gunslinging outlaws, teleporting witches, and other mysterious beings lands at your boot-clad feet. But be careful who you listen to and what you ask them to do. The right choices lead to more Loyalty Points and useful new skills for those closest to you, but choosing poorly will test their commitment to your cause.
• SHOOTOUTS ON THE MOVE: With projectiles of lead and witchcraft, the turn-based combat happens in dynamically shifting environments, keeping your brain as busy as your trigger finger. Let your imagination of Westerns run wild, from chases on horseback to tense train hold-ups, as you hone your strategic skills to a fine edge.

Thanks lolozaur!