By NICK McCOY
Tiger Media Network
Despite how legendary the genre is, Western video games aren’t exactly a dime and a dozen. There are obviously games that do adopt this motif, but it’s still a pretty low number. Just looking at a list of World War II video games versus Westerns, and it’s laughable how little there is. Of course, “Red Dead Redemption” is what really put Western games on the map, but there’s another series some might jump to: The “Call of Juarez” series.
Consisting of four entries, the “Call of Juarez” series has a bit of a rocky history. The first entry, 2006’s “Call of Juarez,” didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but was still a fun Western first-person shooter with cool shooting mechanics, a solid story and memorable characters, particularly preacher and former gunslinger Ray McCall. The series would garner much more attention and praise with the 2009’s “Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood,” which featured improved shooting mechanics and a more interesting, deeper story. Unfortunately, Techland would follow this title with the abysmal “Call of Juarez: The Cartel,” removing the Western aesthetic for modern times. “The Cartel” would go on to be a critical and commercial familiar, lambasted for its poor writing, unsatisfying combat and numerous technical issues. Wanting to move past “The Cartel,” Techland would go back to the drawing board for the next entry.
This entry, “Call of Juarez: Gunslinger,” more than made up for the faults of “The Cartel.” Featuring incredibly fun and satisfying arcade-style shooting mechanics, a cool cel-shaded art style, and an engrossing story featuring several real-life Western figures, “Call of Juarez: Gunslinger” is an amazing Western game that deserves much more attention.
“Call of Juarez: Gunslinger” was released May 22, 2013, as a digital-only title. It was developed by Polish company Techland, also known for the “Dead Island” and “Dying Light” series, and published by Ubisoft. A Nintendo Switch version was also released Dec. 10, 2019. Techland would learn a lot from the mistakes of “The Cartel.” The return to the Western theme of the original “Call of Juarez” and “Bound in Blood” was their main concern.
“Gunslinger” is narratively unrelated to both “Call of Juarez” and “Bound in Blood,” but returns to its Western motif. The game follows Silas Greaves, an aging bounty hunter who arrives at a bar in Abilene in 1910. Speaking with the bar’s patrons, Silas tells various stories from his younger days as a bounty hunter, while searching for a man named Roscoe “Bob” Bryant, who is responsible for a tragedy in Silas’ life. The story has Silas encounter numerous Western figures, such as Billy the Kid and Jesse James among others.
It’s far from the greatest story ever told, and it does contain a predictable twist and ending but is still enjoyable to sit through. This is thanks to Silas Greaves being an interesting and fun protagonist. He also quickly establishes himself as an unreliable narrator, often embellishing facts and changing aspects of the story on a whim. This transitions into gameplay. As the missions take place while Silas tells his story to the bar patrons, the game world will change right in front of your eyes. Paths will appear out of thin air and objects will move to give players an exit. It goes to smaller things, such as Silas mentioning fried chicken when you kill a chicken in the level.
Those who aren’t that interested in the story and just want to see how it plays will not be disappointed. “Call of Juarez: Gunslinger” has some of the best shooting mechanics of any first-person shooter. “Gunslinger” puts heavy emphasis on combos and hitting different parts of the body to earn points, much like an arcade shooter. Players can choose from a variety of different revolvers, rifles and shotguns in order to mow down enemies and progress through the levels. Players can also use dynamite, as well as Gatling guns in certain sections. There are also several duels: Players must focus on their draw speed and keep focus on their opponent to succeed, controlled by thumbsticks or mouse and keyboard.
The game features a few interesting mechanics: First is concentration, which slows down time and highlights enemies in red, allowing you to quickly pick them off. Then, there’s the Sense of Death ability, indicated by a yellow skull icon in the corner of the screen. This allows Silas to survive what would be a fatal shot, dodging out of the way as the bullet whizzes past. From the points they receive by killing enemies, players can upgrade various abilities, all related to six shooters, long-range weapons, as well as shotguns and explosives.
The weapons in this game all feel amazing to use. The shotgun in particular is quite possibly the most satisfying shotgun I’ve ever used in a video game. You feel the power and kickback of the shotgun with each pull, as it absolutely demolishes enemies from close range. The other weapons also feel great, whether you’re picking off enemies from a distance with a rifle or mowing down multiple bandits with dual six-shooters. While there admittedly isn’t a lot of variation with the weapons, this isn’t really an issue when the gunplay is this good. Players can put their shooting skills to the test in arcade mode and dueling mode, outside of the main campaign.
Simply put, “Call of Juarez: Gunslinger” is a fantastic experience. Its entertaining story and the way it’s told, cool visual style, implementation of real-world figures, replay value and astounding shooting mechanics just solidify this fact. Currently, the “Call of Juarez” series has an uncertain future, with no news of a possible fourth entry. However, it’s a good thing the series ended on such a high note, rather than a whimper.
Nick McCoy is a senior at Fort Hays State University, studying Digital Media and Journalism. An avid gamer and music listener, he reviews video games and songs, and hosts the radio show The Understanding of Nick for Tiger Media Network.
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