We are back with our monthly Indie Showcase, where we pick one of the many recently produced gems by independent game developers and make sure it gets some well-deserved time in the sun. For September, we are taking a closer look at the steampunk adventure game… SteamWorld Heist II!
What is SteamWorld Heist II?
SteamWorld Heist II is the latest adventure from Thunderful Development and Publishing. Taking charge as Captain Leeway, you must lead a ragtag group of Steambots through a crisis brewing at sea.
Set sail on the Great Sea, an expansive world filled with real-time naval combat and enemy bases to raid. On dry land, battle is turn-based and you must out-manoeuvre your foes, letting your bullets ricochet off the surrounding environment to your advantage.
There is a rich job system to explore, allowing you to overcome any and all challenges. Plus, you can take respite in the taverns to upgrade your ship and crew, make new alliances with bots, and listen to the lively soundtrack.
Steampunk Troubadours: Steam Powered Giraffe
Also returning for SteamWorld Heist II is Steam Powered Giraffe, a merry band of singing automatons. They provided the soundtrack to the original game, featuring new tracks and a collection of their greatest hits – some of which made it onto our mixtape! The sequel has got a whole new soundtrack, with fifteen tracks of SPG goodness. (What? I’m a fan!) “A Life of Un-Delightment” is a particular banger.
Heist Ho! The SteamWorld Goes On
There is more to the SteamWorld franchise too, covering a tasty range of genres. If bullet-bouncing, turn-based tactics aren’t your thing but you’re all about that steampunk aesthetic, then you can explore SteamWorld Dig, Quest, and Build instead. Dig (and Dig 2!) is a platform mining adventure with metroidvania influences, while Quest marries elements of RPGs and card battlers. Build is a base-building simulator where you are attempting to settle on a dying planet.
SteamWorld Heist II Official Specifications
Is your gaming PC ready to captain a crew of Steambots? Here are the official specifications for SteamWorld Heist II:
| Component | Minimum Specs |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 8400 |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 1050 |
| DirectX | Version 12 |
| Storage | 4GB available space |
Best PCs to play SteamWorld Heist II
With specs as modest as these, you could probably run this game on something steam powered! If you are in the market for an upgrade or two, we’ve picked out some gaming PCs and laptops that we think would be great for your high seas, robotic adventures. Don’t like the cut of their jib? We have a complete collection just waiting to be perused!
Refract Gaming Amber Pre-Built PC
Bounce bullets and take down enemy vessels with the Refract Gaming Amber at the helm. This pre-built gaming PC is packed with cherry-picked hardware to deliver outstanding 1080p gaming performance. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F CPU is powered by Zen 4 architecture, optimised to expertly handle your gaming and creative workflows. What’s more, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU harnesses Ada Lovelace architecture to provide all the graphical prowess you could ever need.
Better yet, the Refract Amber is fully assembled, tested, and ready to ship (stock allowing), so you can conduct your nautical adventures without delay! Plus, it is covered by our three years parts and labour warranty, for that extra peace of mind.
ASUS TUF Gaming A15 Laptop
Take SteamWorld Heist II on adventures of your own, with the ASUS TUF Gaming A15. This compact gaming laptop utilises an AMD R5-7535HS CPU and 16GB DDR5 RAM to efficiently manage all your workflows and battery usage. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and 15.6” FHD 144Hz display work together to bring all your favourite steampunk hijinks to life. What’s more, there is a 512GB PCIe SSD, to keep loading times to a minimum, and a spare M.2 port for expanding storage capacity as needed.
To keep cool in the heat of battle, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is equipped with 84-blade Arc Flow Fans. Their innovative design increased air pressure whilst reducing turbulence, to create an efficient yet quiet thermal solution.
OcUK Gaming Karambit Configurable PC
Power up your gaming with the OcUK Gaming Karambit. This gaming PC features an Intel Core i5-14600KF CPU, utilising advanced hybrid core architecture which is managed by Intel Thread Director. Always making sure the right core is on the job! Plus, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GPU will expertly render SteamWorld Heist II with smooth frame rates and crisp detail. Never miss a ricocheted shot!
What’s more, the OcUK Gaming Karambit is one of our configurable gaming PCs. This means you can adjust the base spec from a pre-selected list of hardware to better suit your needs. Customise the PC case, CPU, memory, cooler, GPU, operating system, and add up to three SSDs. Please note that any changes will affect the pricing.
Missed Our Last Showcases?
We love to shine a light on indie games. Check out who’s been in the spotlight recently!
What’s Your Favourite Indie Gem?
Old or new, there are some cracking indie games out there. Drop a comment below with your favourite!
PC specs are subject to change.
- 5 min read
Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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