Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

Even on my low-end poverty systems this game runs well and is very pretty. It has been a long time since I played a cell-shaded game and the technique has advanced by leaps and bounds with this one. Problem is, it just isn't that fun. The enemies are idiot savants- absolutely brainless tactically, but by god they can aim and shoot faster and more accurately than Wild Bill Hickok on his best day. Basically- your enemies will either stick to their chest-high wall and occasionally pop out to drop a bullet right into you, or they will stand upright in plain view like bowling pins and just shoot. Constantly. Empty mag, reload, empty mag, get shot. Worse, you can see just how lazy the developers are when you hit the bullet time and can watch a perfectly straight line of bullets emerging from a frantically firing bandit aimed directly at your face. Oh, but occasionally the enemies will run around like a chicken what just took an axe to the brain. I guess if you are a twitchy FPS fan and looking for an over-the-top Western adventure, this'll scratch that itch, but don't plumb too deep- you'll be disappointed by this puddle.

It's an okay shooter. Narrative's alright. Skill tree does its job. It tries to give you a lot of reasons to do the story again: collectibles, arcade mode, bigger skill tree... but after doing the story the first time I was disinterested.

Reminds me of a coleague of mine who bull$hitted his way into any converstaion.

If you like inane yammering, rail shooters, clunky mechanics, no clear objectives, a “skill tree” that is useless, “Boss” fights that are like hitting yourself in the head with a brick till the brick breaks then this game is for you. Fortunately I wasted my money when it was on sale as I cannot imagine how I would have felt at full price. First the inane yammering. There is a conversation you are listening to that will not end. This guy just keeps going on and on with another occasionally saying something. In the middle of a “fight”? Yeah, this guy is still yapping. The game is about five hours long. The skill tree is sequential and does not really do much. Why even have it? It’s about one rung above a rail shooter. Just start walking till someone starts shooting at you. When you die remember where they were and do your best impression of “Edge of Tomorrow”. You’ve reached the boss? Die a lot and keep breaking those bricks. Sooner or later you will get past it. This is not a FPS, open world game, or Red Dead Redemption knockoff. It requires no real skill or strategy. Watch some gameplay videos and decide if this is what you want. I wish I had.

I tried, and it had potential, but once I got to a scripted stage coach level that suddenly blocked the path I just came through then took my 70 ammo to zero I Alt+F4 and uninstalled.