Weird West tips and tricks to help you survive high doom

Checking out some Weird West tips and tricks before you dive into this unusual world can help you to cope with what the game throws at you, as the set up is far from normal. It's a heady mix of isometric shooter and immersive simulation, where you have multiple ways to approach each encounter so you can play things your own way, with a healthy amount of werewolves, wizards, ghosts, and flesh-eating ghouls thrown in for good measure. This unhinged mash up means that some of the gameplay mechanics are odd or even obscure, so it pays to have some pointers steering you in the right direction so you don't miss out on anything. Saddle up, as I've got 11 Weird West tips and tricks to help you survive on the freaky frontier.

I can also help you with where to find Mayor Week's basement in Weird West, when you get to it. Or maybe you're dying to know more about the Weird West Heathen's Box?

1. Quicksave ALL THE TIME to avoid replaying loads

This is a game where things can go very wrong, very fast. Whether that's accidentally turning a stealthy mission into a gun-blazing double-figures body pile, or simply realising a conversation isn't going in your favor. Because of that, quicksave all the time. More than you think is polite. Took out one guard without being seen? Quicksave. Finished a mission and about to travel across the map? Quicksave. Put one foot in front of the other without any obvious disaster? You know what to do.

2. Buy a horse to get around quicker

You can steal horses, but that risks tarnishing your reputation if you took them from anybody but outlaws, and they'll always run off whenever you arrive anywhere. While they look like an expensive get right upfront, they're worth it - being able to get around the map faster will make time-limited missions less tense and reduce random attacks. Plus you'll get some extra inventory slots to lighten the load. Take on some bounties to get the cash and you'll have hooves in no time.

3. Stay Stealthy for as long as possible to avoid tough gunfights

It's tough to avoid gunfights completely, but things will always go in your favour more if you avoid it for as long as possible. The more time you have before the alarm is raised means more opportunities to take out enemies stealthily, or uncover vital information, alternate routes and so on. Just staying out of sight long enough to scope an area out completely means you should have a better idea of where any useful things like roofs, explosive barrels and so on are. That will help you no end when it does go loud.

4. Always have a shovel, rope and pickaxe for the opportunities they could unlock

Inventory space might be at a premium but there are some things you always want to have to hand just in case. While the benefits of something like a lockpick is obvious on a mission, things like a shovel, rope or pickaxe seem less like must-haves. But it's always worth having at least one of each. The shovel will help you unearth literal buried treasure and hide corpses by burying them, and the pickaxe will sallow you to mine for metals you can sell or upgrade your weapons with. While the rope, on the other hand, can open up new pathways that could change your options drastically.

5. If there's no deadline, take your time to see what you can uncover

While some missions come with timers, giving you a set number of days to complete them, you don't always have to rush. If there's no pressure to be anywhere anytime soon, try exploring a little. You might speak to someone that gives you some useful info, or find a new location on the map. This is a game where taking a little time to poke around can unearth a range of advantages.

6. Explore an area thoroughly for secrets and alternate ways to complete a goal

If you don't want to absolutely murder everyone on a mission, take the time to explore an area thoroughly. While an alternate route might open up a new way to approach an objective, you can sometimes find entirely new options for completing them. You might find a character with info that lets you finish something without any conflict for example. Or the info/item you need might just be lying around if you check the right corner/room/abandoned well.

7. Hunt animals whenever you can to stockpile healing meals to cook between missions

You can cook a meal that will heal you and your companions whenever you can access a fire. This is possible during a mission if no one's shooting you, but it's easier to set up a camp on the map screen while traveling, where you can cook until everyone on your team's fixed up. You can hunt any animal you see, so get in the habit of collecting as much meat as you can carry. You can also sleep at a camp to heal, and gain some well-rested perks, but it will cost you time.

8. Always hire help to back you up, and kit them out

You can hire various characters to come with you on missions, and you always should. Having extra guns with you when fighting is always going to be helpful. Especially if you kit them out with better gear to make them more powerful. And you don't have to worry about them causing any trouble either, as they're basically invisible when you're creeping around. So they won't raise an alarm or get in the way.

9. Be careful about looting, stealing or anything that affects your reputation

You have a reputation in Weird West that can be raised or lowered by anything of significance you do. Be especially careful picking things up or searching bodies - if you touch someone else's stuff or loot a body when anyone can see you, your reputation will drop and you might even end up facing jail time. This is a game you can play however you want, but just be doubly sure about any repercussions to your actions.

10. Always rescue people if the opportunity arises

You'll often come across people locked up as you play. In cages, basement dungeons, secret rooms - there's imprisonment everywhere. Most of these people will help you in some way if you release them. That could be useful info, or basically becoming a friend and appearing during tough fights to help you out. I'm not saying everyone behind bars is innocent, but a lot of them are useful.

11. Most random encounters have at least one valuable to find

As you travel the map you'll occasionally get jumped by a variety of threats. These random battle ambushes often have a copper, silver or gold bar somewhere, or at least a valuable treasure of some sort. So make sure you search the area thoroughly once you've survived, to see what you can find.