Throughout the Weird West, you play as a few different characters. However, you start the adventure as a farmer who has returned to her life as a Bounty Hunter. Her section of the story teaches you a lot of the game's mechanics.
Yet, the title doesn't just hold your hand during this part. It makes sure you know the essentials and lets you discover plenty of things on your own. As a result, it can be a little tricky as you get used to the unique game. If you require some extra assistance, this is a collection of tips that can help beginners find their footing.
Keep An Eye On Your Shovel's Durability
One of the first things you pick up on your journey is a shovel. You can use the tool to dig up graves and bury bodies. Even though it's a little dark, digging up graves can grant you access to some good loot.
However, take note that your shovel isn't indestructible. After enough use, the tool will break, meaning you have to find another. You can keep track of how much your shovel has left by looking at its durability level on the inventory screen. The lower the number, the sooner it will break.
Almost Always Use Cover In Firefights
Before one of your first shootouts, the game tells you how to use cover. Yet, the game doesn't really present itself as a cover shooter. After all, enemies and teammates often run around in the open while fighting. But you should usually avoid joining in on the chaos. Sometimes it's fine, but often you will lose health very quickly.
It's typically best to find a rock - or something similar - to hide behind before the shooting begins. Then periodically peak over it to fire at your adversaries.
Save Bandages For Combat
There are a few different ways to heal in The Weird West. You can eat, sleep, or use bandages to regain your health. That last one is the easiest as you just hit one button to bandage yourself up and recover hit points. There are consumable items, though, which is why it's best if you save them for combat. After all, you can't exactly cook food or have a nap while being attacked.
If you need to regain health while out of the fray, rent a bed at a saloon or set up a camp in the wild - you can do this by going somewhere that isn't a defined location on the world map. A camp is always a good option because it allows you to sleep or hunt for food.
Combat-Focused Players Should Always Have A Posse
Early in the game, you get introduced to the posse system. This is where you can recruit two people to serve as your backup. Most of them can be bought from saloons, and some are added during quests.
They vary in sturdiness as some won't last long in combat. Yet, if you've got the money and expect to get into plenty of combat situations, they're worth having around. Not only will they take some attention away from you, but they get some kills, too. They're only not worth getting if you're a stealth player, who avoids shootouts.
Bounties Are A Good Source Of Money
Naturally, things aren't free in the Weird West. You'll need to pay for equipment and weapons. But early in the adventure, you won't have a lot of cash. So, if you want to generate income, you should do some bounties.
The bounty board in Grackle becomes available pretty early into the game. You get more than $100 for collecting each one, and they all play out pretty much the same way. You head to the indicated area, find the target, and kill or capture them. Afterward, return to the Sheriff to collect your reward.
Check For Barrels And Lanterns Before Starting Fights
Many of the fights in the game aren't immediately triggered. Usually, you come across a set of enemies, and you get the chance to engage them before they even see you.
You should use this time to plan as most potential battlefields include things you can use to your advantage, such as explosive barrels, chemical barrels, or lanterns. All of this can cause plenty of damage to your adversaries. Therefore, take a mental note of their locations, and use them during the battle.
Carry Lockpicks At All Times
The Weird West is filled with locked cages, and you will find many of them on your travels. Inside them are usually people or valuables. Unfortunately, finding the keys for these cages is often difficult as the game doesn't indicate their locations - typically, someone just says a key is nearby.
To alleviate this problem, it's a good idea to have some lockpicks in your inventory as often as possible, as you can use these tools to open anything that's locked. You can typically buy them from General Stores or find them while looting.
Get A Horse
As you'd expect, horses are generally used for travel in the Weird West. And you can use the animals to traverse the world map. But they have a secondary use that's even more helpful. Any horse you own comes with saddlebags that serve as an extra place to put your things.
This is very handy considering the Bounty Hunter's basic inventory fills up quickly - especially if you're picking up plenty of junk to sell. Plus, your horse will always be nearby - as long as it's alive - so you've got quick access to any items you give it. Therefore, you should acquire one of the animals the first chance you get.