[b][quote][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_flip]Warning: Asset Flip![/url][/quote][/b]
Wild West Simulator is a Unity Asset flip, what Valve calls a "fake game". The "developer", DIG Games/kg games, took the [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/historic/wild-west-town-pack-155887]Wild West Town Pack[/url] Unity Store game assets from the real developers, MyxerMan, changed the name, and dumped the result onto Steam. They're attempting to scam people into buying this, so they can get your money for someone else's work.
Because this is an almost exact 1:1 copy + paste of the original Unity asset, it's in violation of the [url=https://unity.com/legal/as-terms]Unity Asset Store Terms of Service and EULA[/url]. Specifically, Section 2, Subsection 2.2.1a:
[quote][i]Subject to the restrictions set forth in this EULA, Licensor hereby grants to the END-USER a non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide, and perpetual license to the Asset solely:(a) to incorporate the Asset, [b]together with substantial, original content not obtained through the Unity Asset Store[/b], into an electronic application or digital media that has a purpose, features, and functions beyond the display, performance, distribution, or use of Assets ("Licensed Product") as an embedded component of that Licensed Product, [b]such that the Asset does not comprise a substantial portion of the Licensed Product[/b][/i][/quote]
Because the developer misused the asset pack such that it comprises the vast majority of this "game", the developer has unethically and deliberately breached the license agreement. Worse, this intellectual property violation was done in an attempt to profit from their illicit actions. Why is this permitted on Steam?
DIG Games/kg games has shown a repeat pattern of unethically dumping other people's work onto Steam as a cheap, nasty cash grab. Here's some examples so you can see for yourself:
[list]
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1785280]Word of Kitchen[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/519/word-search-puzzle-game-source-code]Word Search Puzzle Game Source Code[/url] developed by SellAnyCode
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1860110]Rabbit Canyon[/url]" = [url=https://unitylist.com/p/i0w/Rabbit-Runner]Rabbit Runner[/url] developed by OpticGenius
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1814100]In Shape 2[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/shape-change-complete-game-142295]Shape Change Complete Game[/url] developed by Ragendom
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1786570]Driftence[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/systems/extreme-drift-88601]Extreme Drift[/url] developed by Mehdi Rabiee
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1853720]Timings[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/sky-jump-66321]Sky Jump Pack[/url] developed by SgLib Games
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623550]Hexes[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/hexa-puzzle-block-85474]Hexa Puzzle Block[/url] developed by Superpow
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1832230]Color Flash[/url]" = [url=https://www.codester.com/items/24956/colorbattle-complete-unity-game]ColorBattle Complete Unity Game[/url] developed by Hacel
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1807920]Breakdown[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/stack-ball-template-editor-142697]Stack Ball Template[/url] developed by Watermelon Games
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1819280]Hot Roads[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/1225/biker-stars-racer-gold-edition]Biker Stars Racer Gold Edition[/url] developed by William
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1618000]Monkey Hit[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/kong-hero-platformer-complete-game-template-66709]Kong Hero – Platformer Complete Game Template[/url] developed by ADDPGAMES
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1643550]Suzy Burger[/url]" = [url=https://unityfreaks.com/asset/4815]Top Burger Chef[/url] developed by KetchAp
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1235480]Abst Clicker Farm[/url]" = [url=https://marketplace.gamemaker.io/assets/4936/bit-clicking-engine]Bit Clicking Engine[/url] developed by Mfzz99
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1810720]Color Ball[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/2593/color-blast-3d]Color Blast 3D Source Code[/url] developed by MegaUnity
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1646600]ReBall[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/ballx-infinite-brick-breaker-complete-game-template-87125]BallX - Infinite Brick Breaker - Complete Game Template[/url] developed by App Advisory
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1630270]Death Moon[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/tutorials/2d-game-kit-107098]2D Game Kit[/url] developed by Unity Technologies
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1781330]In Shape[/url]" = [url=https://codecanyon.net/item/shape-fit-complete-unity-game-admob/24236504]Shape Fit[/url] developed by Ragendom
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1604370]Garden Magic[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/3461/farm-link-complete-game]Farm Link Complete Game[/url] developed by CodeLover
[/list]
The products that result from asset flips aren't "real" games. They lack depth and content, because they're just simplistic copies of demos or tutorials. In this case, "Wild West Town Pack" is just a basic low poly western town asset pack the “developer” combined with a basic survival game template, badly, and doesn't have any merit as a proper, fully fledged PC game. It's just a minimum viable product, just enough to get through the non-existent quality control on Steam Direct. Not a real game.
Asset flips don't involve any professional game development. Sure, sometimes they may change a few cosmetic things, swap out different assets etc, but at heart it's functionally identical to the asset they're ripping off.
Asset flips like this are harmful to the gaming industry and to Steam because they reduce the visibility that sincerely made indie games should have, and make it harder for gamers to find real games from genuine developers.
Now on to pricing and value for gamers. So, should you buy this game? Is this one of the best of the 140,000+ games on Steam?
Wild West Simulator has the comically over-optimistic price of around $5 USD, it's not worth it given the defects and shortcomings with the product, especially considering the unethical nature of the developer.
The poor quality of this game is reflected by how many people spent time with it. At the time of this review, SteamDB shows the game all-time peak player count was only ONE player. That's right, only one person ever played this at a time. When I played this for the purposes of reviewing it, I equalled the peak player count for the game. OUCH.
The only player activity occurs once or twice a month, presumably someone loading it up to see what it is then quickly uninstalling it. Considering there's over 130 million gamers on Steam and well over 140,000 games for gamers to choose from, the overwhelming lack of interest in this low quality game is to be expected.
There's enough defects and quality problems with this game that it's not worth recommending to gamers, but the unethical nature of the developer/their associates makes it completely impossible. Because this is just a fake game/cash grab scam, and due to the sheer unethical nature of the developer, you should avoid this completely. Don't reward this morally bankrupt, unethical behaviour from DIG Games.
