ⓘ Soy Boy Games

Cowboy 3030 is a roguelike shooter that takes the Wild West all the way to the year 3030, replacing traditional bandits with alien gunslingers and rogue combat robots. Those who find that intriguing can now pick up the 2024 title from Soy Boy Games at a 90% discount for $1.49 instead of $14.99 – its lowest price ever, according to SteamDB.

As the name suggests, Cowboy 3030 is set in the year 3030 in a fictional sci-fi version of the Wild West called Hololasso County. The region is being terrorized by the Nebularos – a gang of alien outlaws and robots. As a bounty hunter, players set out to free Hololasso from the invaders. In terms of gameplay, the indie title combines a fast-paced third-person shooter with 3D bullet-hell action and roguelite elements. There are five heroes to choose from, each with their own weapons and abilities – including Calix, who fights with a revolver and electric lasso, Keri, who picks off enemies from a safe distance with a precision rifle, and Teri, who uses a magnetic field to pull enemies directly into the line of fire of his shotgun.

Combat combines classic third-person gunplay with three-dimensional bullet-hell action. Enemies and bosses fill the arenas with projectiles, lasers and various attack patterns. With the right timing, players can roll through red projectiles, while blue attacks have to be avoided entirely. The roguelite element comes from a progression system that changes with each run, allowing players to improve their weapons, stats and abilities. Upon death, however, any upgrades collected during the run are lost. The game can be played solo or in online co-op with up to four players.

The title still appears to be flying largely under the radar on Steam. At the time of research, it had received only 113 reviews, but 88% of them were positive. Players describe the gunplay as fun and praise the game for its responsive controls and variety of characters. The co-op mode in particular is said to be a lot of fun with friends. According to reviews, however, the amount of content is fairly limited, which can make the game feel repetitive rather quickly. At a price of around $1.50, though, that may be easier to overlook. Another plus: Cowboy 3030 is also playable on the Steam Deck.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.