Take that grid-based strategy of Into the Breach but transform it into a Baldur’s Gate 3 style adventure packed with high fantasy Dungeons and Dragons delinquents, and you might be imagining something like Happy Bastards. Shown off at the Future Games Show 2024, this new tactics RPG is on its way to Steam, and it’s all about living it up as a band of unruly mercenaries.
For as much as I always find myself choosing the nice, friendly, peacemaking options in RPGs, there’s an undeniable satisfaction to playing the troublemaker. So it is in Happy Bastards, which puts you in the shoes of Kev, a “shameless opportunist who will stop at nothing to become the land’s most famous ‘hero.'”
Happy Bastards combines both real-time exploration with tactical, turn-based battles. As Kev, you’ll be able to recruit all manner of procedurally generated mercenaries to your team, each with their own unique skills, perks, looks, and personalities.
Battles take place on tight battlefields that encourage fast, heavy encounters, with a range of layouts that will push you to your tactical limits just like the best BG3 bouts. Make it out alive, and you’ll be able to make use of some unconventional remedies including grafting (bear witness, Elden Ring fans), transmogrification, and even – in extreme circumstances – raising the dead.
Of course, that’s just the start. You’ll also have to handle rival heroes, town mayors, local celebrities, gang leaders, powerful monsters, and more. Maybe you’ll strike a deal with a gullible sort only to stab them in the back. Perhaps you’ll seduce the right person to get what you need. Or even let one of your own band go for your own benefit – after all, it’s a cutthroat world out there.
Happy Bastards is coming to Steam. There’s no set date yet, but you can wishlist it now if you want to stay up to date with it.
This article is part of PCGamesN’s coverage of the Future Games Show and Summer Game Fest 2024. We’ll keep bringing you everything on all the biggest and best upcoming PC games as it happens. In the meantime, have a look through the best PC games in 2024 if you’re seeking something new.
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