Cliffhanger endings are always a no-no. Cliffhanger endings ruin the game experience. This practice has to stop. Abolish the non-endings!
Fresh, different, stylish, with a great indie soundtrack! A truly unique arcade/adventure/platformer. It's duration is indeed on the short side, but if you wait for a discount you 'll surely get your money's worth (everything under 5 euros is fair in my opinion). The game gains even more playtime if you go for all the achievements. I usually don't go for the achievements, but being quarantened due to the Covid pandemic I went for it, and it made the game feel longer, and the exploration more fulfilling. Laser-cutting your own paths through the levels is an absolute joy! Granted, the 1000 boring stones achievement is a bit ridiculous but the are quides online that can help. The soundtrack is really great in its bizarreness and makes a perfect accompaniment to the game. The one and only track that is given as a "goodie" with the game is probably the worst (it is stylized as a GameBoy chip tune), but you can find a method for Extracting the soundtrack from the Forum discussion. The artbook given is a welcomed addition, and it contains some visual hints about the game. All in all, a very pleasant experience
Ah, The Westerner... It came in a period when adventure games were considered a dying breed (if not completely dead). It also came at a time when 3D was considered the tombstone of adventure games, or at least held responsible for the downward spiral of the genre. Just remember the low sales and criticism that befell on games such as Monkey Island 4, Simon the Sorcerer 3D, Gabriel Knight 3, and even Grim Fandango: All of them great games to their core, but heavily plagued by their not-so-great use of 3D, be it for aesthetic or practical reasons (navigation, interaction, etc). And, then, just about when I had lost hope, came The Westerner: Great atmosphere, real point-and-click feel, engaging story, funny characters, satisfying puzzles; everything was there. I never played its prequel, “3 Skulls of the Toltecs”, so I wouldn't know if The Westerner is a faithful sequel or if I've missed out some references to the previous game, but I also never felt "left out" regarding the storyline and the characters. It was a satisfactory, self-contained experience. Now that I think of it, I think I'm gonna buy the “3 Skulls of the Toltecs” and play the two games in a row. I sure would like to play the Westerner again, and it's a damn fine opportunity!
Why, GOG?
...That's a pity.
I had such a great time with this series! Play the Blackwell Bundle first, and then play this epic finale! Memorable to say the least: Memorable characters, memorable story, and memorable conclusion. The fact that some characters (like Joe Gould) are taken from real life makes this even more interesting! The voice acting, though not on a "The Batman Adventures" level, is well beyond average, watch the trailer and judge for yourself. The soundtrack is good too! The writing of the plot and the characters was so impactful that I cared even for many of the minor characters. As for the main characters' story arc, it is enough to say that Joey started as a "sardonic ghost from the 1930s" in the first game (Blackwell Legacy), sporting an attitude like "well, you're stuck with me, so get used to it and do as I say" and by the finale I felt privileged to call him a true friend. If you played the first four episodes (Bundle) and liked them, you're in for a ride! If you have not played the bundle yet, I strongly suggest that you do, and in the meanwhile maybe grab this whenever there is a discount, even if you are not yet finished with the bundle at the time. You won't regret it!
