Far Far West Review — The Horde Shooter Where You're a Spell-Casting Robot Cowboy
Honest review of Far Far West: spell combos, Joker card builds, boss fights, co-op chaos, and why this indie horde shooter just sold 1 million copies. Is it worth playing for Helldivers and Deep Rock fans?
Attention miners. Heads up divers. Rogue-like fans. Keep feasting. Far Far West is the latest in the ever-evolving PvE horde shooter genre. This time around, we're not cannon fodder for the Imperium or trying to rob a bank. We're gun-slinging, horse-riding, spell-casting robot cowboys.
Now, Far Far West isn't doing anything particularly new, but it picks and chooses the best bits of other games, mixes it with its own unique elements to create something genuinely fresh. Sure, we've launched a nuclear warhead before — we do it all the time in Helldivers — but name a game where 5 minutes later you have to pass a cowboy exam.
The Lobby — Darts, Goats, and Chaos
Before you even start a mission, the saloon lobby is already hilarious. You can:
- Play darts (an actual full minigame with scores)
- Ride goats around the lobby
- Punch your friends (yes, it deals damage)
- Throw yourself onto the chandelier (pure Titanfall movement tech)
The darts alone became a genuine competition. "You push yours first. Push it." "Your snowman better be insured, buddy." This is the energy.
How a Round Works
An average round goes like this: you get dropped off by a hover train on a random part of the map, then complete an objective. The objectives vary — firing a laser, crafting a gas bomb, firing a laser, and... firing a laser. (Yeah, mission rerolls are your friend.)
Once you finish the main objective, you can fight a final boss. But should you? All over the map are other goodies you'll want to grab first — because once you start the boss fight, there's no turning back.
Side Content Worth Exploring
- Quests — one per mission, map-specific storylines
- Wishing wells — free gold!
- Gold mining minigames — crank the magnet, stack that cash
- Danger zones — high-risk, high-reward combat areas
- Alien spaceships — yes, really
- Mining ore veins — because even robot cowboys need pocket money
Combat & Chaos
Everything's a robot. Even the chickens. The enemies range from basic bandits to bazooka Joes (annoying), exploding kamikazes (more annoying), and bulls that ram you across the map like you're a ragdoll.
The Titanfall movement tech energy is real. You're launching off rails, swinging through the air, flying off explosions. "Dude, I just got launched like Titanfall!" "Person who's only played Titanfall: this is just like Titanfall."
The Bosses
At the moment there are four bosses: a train, a vulture, a necromancer, and a saloon (yes, the building). All play relatively the same — dodge projectiles, dodge wave attacks — but they're all equally chaotic.
"If he's a dead necromancer, isn't he just reviving his homies? He's just EMS for his dogs."
The minions are honestly more annoying than the actual boss. Getting back-shot while trying to damage the boss is the real challenge.
Back at the Saloon — Progression
After finishing a contract, you level up, earn gold and souls, and head back to the saloon for upgrades.
| Location | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Weaponsmith | Upgrade weapons, track unlocks |
| Rootin' Tootin' Shack | Buy skins, emotes, titles, horses |
| Spell Cave | Change and equip spells |
Fun fact: the default horse is named Roach. Yes, that reference.
Spell Combos — The Coolest Feature
The more you use a certain spell type, the more you unlock in that category. But if you stick to one element, you miss out on the coolest feature: spell combos.
Step 1: Cast your Fire Beam. Step 2: Hit it with the big Bubble. Boom — tornado.
Mixing elements creates devastating combinations. Fire + Bubble = tornado. Acid + Lightning = chain explosions. The system rewards experimentation and makes every loadout feel unique.
Joker Cards — The Build System
Souls are used to buy Joker cards — random modifiers that buff, hinder, or otherwise spice up your time on the frontier. Most are straight-up buffs, some are give-and-take, and a few are... "useless. And that's not me being a hater. That's by their own admission."
Special Joker cards are unlocked by:
- Gambling souls
- Completing challenges
- Doing each map's quest line
Map-specific quest lines are wild — returning cactus children to their parents, ringing bells, building snowmen. The Joker cards from these are themed too: on the alien space map, you get one that on kill has a 2% chance to spawn a gravity field.
What Could Be Better
Even with all the praise, there are a few areas that need work:
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Customization | Has skins but no mix-and-match or recoloring. Weapon skins coming, full customization needed |
| Maps | Not procedurally generated — terrain is always the same. Could get old over time |
The game is still in early access, so neither of these is a dealbreaker — but they're worth keeping an eye on.
1 Million Copies Sold
While this review was being made, Far Far West crossed 1 million copies sold. For a small indie team, that's no small feat. But I guess that is what happens when you create something genuine and with real passion.
If you're coming from Helldivers, Deep Rock Galactic, or any horde shooter and want something fresh with western/sci-fi flair, spell combos, and a darts minigame that will destroy friendships — Far Far West is absolutely worth your time.
For the full chaotic experience with all the co-op banter intact, watch the original video review.
