In this open-world tactical RPG that parodies medieval times, being the worst is for the best

Happy Bastards is available to wishlist on Steam now

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Happy Bastards is an open-world tactical RPG set in a medieval parody where being the worst sort of commander gets the best results.

Unveiled during theFuture Games Show’s Summer Showcasewith a trailer, we start with a rather pristine-looking chap walking through a village ahead of a ragtag group of mercenaries. The head of the cohort proves the most popular as the town folk fawn over tales of his exploits.

That’s where we get a glimpse of what the game is all about, with various shots of units moving across maps to grab loot or battle foes on a grid-based map. What’s slightly off, though, is our hero simply calls the shots rather than fights themselves. The fact is called out by someone from the town, who is met with the catchphrase, “Who needs XP when you’re famous?”

Taking advantage of others for personal gain is a big part of the medieval parody Happy Bastards hopes to portray. This one is all about bringing together disposable mercenaries to explore, fight, and loot – but they’ll do the fighting as you call the shots from a safe distance.

That’s not all, though. In your pursuit of fame, you can fake being the hero to gather favors or go as far as sacrificing your men to an evil altar in pursuit of reward. When not doing all of that, you can even enjoy a one-night stand with an elf maiden to really revel in your sleazy stardom.

Past the medieval set dressing, though, you’ve got all the hallmarks of a turn-based tactical RPG. You’ve got plenty of enlisting, evolving, and equipping to do to ensure your team fights the way you please – though you’ll want to manage personalities to ensure no bickering breaks out mid-fight. You’ll also encounter a large variety of enemies and battle environments when not freely exploring an open world filled with people to meet, foes to fight, and treasure to claim.

If this sounds like your sort of thing, Happy Bastards is coming to Steam andyou can wishlist it now.

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Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.

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