Wolfstride Review (PC)

I am trying to make sure that I end almost every combat round by blocking. This, coupled with my repair skill, means my opponent has no way to damage my mech. The problem is that I rarely land a good punch doing this, with the other mech also putting his nanobots to good use. So I focus on movement to get to an attack boost square and then shoot the enemy in the torso, shredding his armor and eliminating some HP. I need to execute this chain of moves a few times more to assure victory and a nice monetary fallout.

Wolfstride is created by OTA IMON Studios and published by Raw Fury. I played the game on the PC using Steam. It manages to mix a variety of influences to deliver a unique experience that’s initially about a mech tournament but then shifts focus on characters and their destinies.

The protagonists are a trio of lovable grifters. They have an old mech and a dream of making money from fights. They also have pasts that are catching up to them, forcing them to try and make new friends and find ways to change their lives. Dominique Shade, aka Catman, is the one the player will spend the most time with, trying to find new sources of revenue and interacting with friends and rivals.

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Dog mechanic Dugue is focused on keeping the mech going while pilot Knife Leopard tries to get the most out of the machine during fights. They are joined by more companions as the narrative progresses. The writing is funny and light most of the time but also delivers solid dramatic moments. It’s also turned up to 11 all the time, with plenty of swears and big emotions. The plot beats are recognizable, but the execution and characters make them feel fresh.

Shade himself, with his awkward run and cigarette that defies the laws of physics, is just charming enough to keep players interested in the narrative. He’s also slimy enough that all the insults and setbacks he endures feel earned. In terms of mechanics, Wolfstride has two core activities for the player. During each day Catman moves around locations in the city, dealing with requests and running errands. There are also small mini games, designed to deliver a boost of cash when needed. There’s quite a bit of talking, a little bit of exploration, plenty of commerce to engage in. And everything is in service of preparing for the mech battles.

I love to see two big robots punching each other. In Wolfstride the tension and beauty of the fights are enhanced by the gameplay built around them. As the group gets access to money, they can improve the systems and armor of their mech. Knife Leopard can also pick up new offensive, defensive and special skills. Each opponent requires a different combination to take down. A system of virtual reality fights, complete with its own progression, offers a quick way to test ideas and practice.

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The fights are exciting, but their mechanics are relatively simple. Mechs have separate allocations of movement and action points. They can punch, shoot, put their guard up, and much more. The torso and each limb have hit points and armor values. Nanobots can power repairs and other special skills. Players need to carefully manage the abilities of their own mech to destroy the torso of their opponent while taking as little damage as possible.

The first few battles are relatively easy, but the game soon delivers a solid challenge. The crew has to think about the opponent's abilities and develop a strategy before the mechs move into the ring. And even then, it’s easy to make a few bad decisions and lose.

Wolfstride looks very good with its black and white presentation. There’s a looseness to the characters and a charm that many other AAA titles cannot deliver with realistic graphics and pretty skyboxes. The battles feel kinetic and fun. Running around the same locations can get a little frustrating, even with its well-drawn backgrounds. The music is Wolfstride is another highlight. It might need a little more in the way of variety, but the tunes are good enough that I never felt the need to put in my own jazz favorites while I played. The voice work might be overenthusiastic at times, but it really makes the story come alive, an impressive feat for a small game.

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The Good

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Conclusion