~ Disclaimer: I completed the game on 'Ugly' difficulty (hard) ~ --- The Negatives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The story is super-cliché. I won't share any specific details, but just know that the narration was not in Lucasfilm's priorities. It's pretty much the same western rescue story you already know. Sometimes, because of the lack of enemy animations (which is probably the result of a dated and limited engine), enemies can shoot at you without having to look in your direction. They could be facing left, right or the opposite way and it makes no difference. The only indications you'll get that you've been shot is the sound of the gun itself and your health decreasing. Out of the nine levels it has on offer, only a select few of them are genuinely fun. That's not to say that the others weren't enjoyable, but they were slightly above mediocrity. There was one level, however, that I really did not like: the Sawmill. It's confusing level design forced me to constantly backtrack and look up a guide on how to find the last gear I needed to progress. --- The Positives ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outlaws has a drawn look that is very pretty in cinematics and gives the cutscenes a charm, making them very watchable. Its aesthetic is also present in the graphics, but they don't stand out as much because they are beside old 1997 textures and sprites that look dated. Three of Outlaw's most memorable levels were the Train, the River Basin and Bob Graham's Ranch. The Train offered close-quarter combat, allowing you to put your newly-obtained shotgun to good use. The River Basin had large, open and pretty landscapes, forcing you to kill enemies from afar with your scoped rifle while showing the Jedi engine's capabilities. The final level, Bob Graham's Ranch, made you use stealth to reobtain your trusty revolver, and then later on gave you the Gatling Gun, which you can use to kill the villain. The score is brilliant. Clint Bajakian did a fantastic job composing it, and while playing the game, you'll enjoy listening to every second of it. Some songs stand out, like the main theme and the one during the confrontation with "Gentleman" Bob Graham. --- The Verdict ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Even though I mostly enjoyed my time with this game, it is undoubtedly flawed. The charming aesthetic of its cinematics, its beautifully-composed music and its cool arsenal of weapons give heart to a game plagued by a typical revenge story, enemies that can shoot from behind and one of the most annoying levels that I have played in a while. It may have its shortcomings, but I can still say that this game is one of the greats.
